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Elly Roberts reviews
Hot Records
- Cert:
- Cat.no: G8 – 10083
- Running time: 46 minutes
- Year: 1996
- Pressing: 2004
- Region(s): 2, PAL
- Sound: Dolby Stereo
- Languages: English
- Fullscreen: 4:3
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £16.99
- Rating: 10/10
Eva Cassidy could sing anything. It was mostly other peoples songs.
She had a no nonsense approach to interpreting their work. Similarly, thisDVD is in the same vein. No frills or fancy extras, just full-on music. Finally,we get see and hear what all the fuss was about.
Posthumously, her success came after her album Songbird had been languishingin the lower regions of the top 100 in the UK. BBC Radio 2 DJ Terry Wogan hada big helping hand in its popularity, with regular airplay.
It eventually went 5 times platinum, and the single Somewhere Over The Rainbowmade its third re-entry, peaking at 42. This was followed by two other numberone albums (both platinum), with the remainder of her back-catalogue goinggold. This multi-talented woman was born into a musical family on 2 February1963, and died of cancer age 33, on 2 November 1996.
A complex, shy and stubborn person, she refused to sell-out at any cost even for financial gain. Her sole purpose and existence evolved around her art:singing, painting and a host of other projects. As a child she had perfectpitch and harmony, later learning to play guitar. She never had any formalvoice training she didnt need any, as you will discover on this wonderfullyintimate concert recorded at the Blues Alley Jazz Club in Washington on 2 and3 January 1996; nine months before she passed away.
Backed by four excellent musicians, she casually saunters through Jazz, Soul,Folk and Blues standards. It doesnt matter about the poor colour quality andamateurish filming, it only serves to highlight her masterful interpretations.
The voice is absolutely pristine possessing superb timbre and control, holdingnotes with consummate ease. The gentleness on Louis Armstrongs Wonderful Worldand Curtis Mayfields Soul classic, People Get Ready, are juxtaposed bythe immense power of Cheek To Cheek and Youve Changed. Jazz songslike Honeysuckle Rose, is amongst her finest work.
Her take on Cyndi Laupers smash hit Time After Time, is an absolute andunparalleled treasure. At the end of it all we get Over The Rainbow. Ifever a song was meant to be sung by someone it simply had to be Eva Cassidy. This low-key concert is a must have for people who love seriously greatmusic. Avoid it at your peril.
Note that the songs contained in this DVD were originally made into clips forpromotional purposes. People Get Ready and Over The Rainbow aremonochrome, the remainder in colour.
Eva Cassidy CDs include American Tune, Wonderful World, Songbird,Eva By Heart, Live At Blues Alley, The Other Side, Time After Time andImagine. Take a search for her CDs by clicking on the Amazon link aboveand selecting ‘Music’.
The full list of tracks included are :
1. What A Wonderful World
2. Cheek To Cheek
3. People Get Ready
4. Youve Changed
5. Time After Time6. Honeysuckle Rose
7. Autumn Leaves
8. Stormy Monday
9. Tall Trees In Georgia
10. Over The RainbowMore info atHot Records.uk.com
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.