DVD-Innovative Arrangements For American Blues/Roots Guitar

DVD-Innovative Arrangements For American Blues/Roots Guitar Review

DVD-Innovative Arrangements For American Blues/Roots Guitar Feature

• Published by Homespun
• DVD taught by Geoff Muldaur
• Artist: Geoff Muldaur

Legendary singer and guitarist Geoff Muldaur has chosen six gospel and blues arrangements that are filled with ideas, techniques and wonderful songs to add to your repertoire. They include two traditional gospel songs: "Just a Little While to Stay Here," based on a New Orleans funeral march in dropped D tuning; the soulful "Trouble Soon Be Over" in open G; and "I Believe I’ll Go Back Home," Geoff’s own version of the biblical story of the Prodigal Son.

Geoff teaches his blues arrangement to "Wild Ox Moan," the amazing rendition of Vera Hall’s Texas Blues that was one of the highlights of his hit CD "The Secret Handshake." His original blues/ballad "Got to Find Blind Lemon" tells the compelling story of Geoff’s search for the blues master’s resting place so he can "see that his grave is kept clean," and includes some vintage Blind Lemon licks in the arrangement. Finally, Delta blues riffs and rich chord shapes in open C tuning (EGCGCE) make a powerful setting for Blind Willie Johnson’s "Tears Come Rolling Down."

Geoff’s vision of the guitar as an arranging tool gives this video lesson a uniquely important place among instructional materials. He uses standard ingredients of fingerstyle playing -- alternating bass, arpeggio rolls, moving lines, harmonized scales and syncopations, combined with rich chord voicings that add a jazz sensibility to traditional music. With his rare musical intelligence, he sheds light on how to "find the little things that make a difference" and how, by making small changes, you can make turnarounds and blues licks sound fresh and new.

TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Astaire & Rogers (The Gay Divorcee / Top Hat / Swing Time / Shall We Dance)

TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Astaire & Rogers (The Gay Divorcee / Top Hat / Swing Time / Shall We Dance) Review

TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Astaire & Rogers (The Gay Divorcee / Top Hat / Swing Time / Shall We Dance) Feature

• TCM GREATEST CLASSIC FILMS: ASTAIRE & ROGERS (DVD MOVIE)

Turner Classic Movies' Greatest Classic Films Collection: Astaire & Rogers collects four movies on two double-sided discs, with the bonus features that appeared on the single-disc versions of the movies. The Astaire-Rogers films mix light romantic comedy (usually centered around mistaken identities and ending, inevitably, in blissful wedding promises) with elegant dinner wear and surreal sets intended to transport '30s audiences away from the Depression to such locales as Rio, Paris, and Venice. The two stars are also aided by a recurring stable of RKO players such as Edward Everett Horton (master of the double-take), Eric Blore, and Helen Broderick. And then there's that sensational dancing set to great songs by the likes of Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, and Jerome Kern, numbers that are not merely entertaining but also innovative for their time in that they reveal character and advance the plot. Add it all up, and you have a recipe for an irrepressible joie de vivre that practically defines the movie musical.

The Gay Divorcee (1934) is their best early picture, a loose adaptation of Astaire's stage show, 'The Gay Divorce.' The only song retained for the movie is Cole Porter's smash hit "Night and Day," which is the setting for a sublime pas de deux between Fred and Ginger. The closer is the sprawling 17-minute ensemble number "The Continental." With a score by Irving Berlin, Top Hat (1935) is most famous for two numbers, Astaire's definitive tuxedo setting "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails" and the feathery duet "Cheek to Cheek." But other joys include Astaire's "Fancy Free" declaration, "Isn't It a Lovely Day," and the grand finale "The Piccolino." Maybe their most enjoyable picture, Swing Time (1936) features the set-piece "Pick Yourself Up," in which Rogers "teaches" Astaire to dance before they break into a spectacular number; the farewell ode "Never Gonna Dance," and the Oscar-winning "Just the Way You Look Tonight," from the team of Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.

Shall We Dance (1937) has a complex plot that has Astaire and Rogers actually getting married before the final credits roll, and turns George and Ira Gershwin's brilliant "They Can't Take That Away from Me" into a heartbreaking ode. Other great songs include "Slap That Bass," "They All Laughed," and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," unforgettably performed on roller skates. Bonus features include commentaries on the last three films, featurettes, and vintage shorts and cartoons. --David Horiuchi THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934) Oscar winner* The Continental revels in precision-dance joy, Cole Porter’s Night and Day sways with timeless grace and Fred and Ginger’s first top billing sets the tone for more film hits to come. SHALL WE DANCE (1937) A George and Ira Gershwin score has Fred tapping to Slap That Bass rhythms of a ship’s engine room and the duo’s Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off skate routine. Pure bliss! SWING TIME (1936) One of the team’s greatest! The Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields score goes from jubilant (Pick Yourself Up, Bojangles of Harlem) to sublime (the Oscar-winning** The Way You Look Tonight, A Fine Romance). TOP HAT (1935) The pair’s best-remembered film features Fred’s signature Top Hat, White Tie and Tails, the incomparably romantic Cheek to Cheek and more in Irving Berlin’s tip-top score. DISC 1: SIDE A ~ THE GAY DIVORCEE INCLUDES: • 2 Shorts – Show Kids and Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove • Cartoon Shake Your Powder Puff • Audio-Only Bonus: Hollywood on the Air Radio Promo • Theatrical Trailer SIDE B ~ SHALL WE DANCE INCLUDES: • Commentary by Songwriter Hugh Martin and Pianist Kevin Cole • Featurette The Music of Shall We Dance • Musical Short Sheik to Sheik • Cartoon Toy Town Hall DISC 2: SIDE A ~ SWING TIME INCLUDES: • Commentary by John Mueller, Author of Astaire Dancing • Featurette The Swing of Things: Swing Time Step by Step • Musical Short Hotel a la Swing • Cartoon Bingo Crosbyana • Theatrical Trailer SIDE B ~ TOP HAT INCLUDES: • Commentary by Fred Astaire’s Daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie and Film Historian Larry Billman • Featurette On Top: Inside the Success of Top Hat • Comedy Short Watch the Birdie with Bob Hope • Cartoon Page Miss Glory • Theatrical Trailer All 4 Movies – Subtitles: English, Français & Español (Main Feature. Bonus Material/Trailer May Not Be Subtitled).

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall [Blu-ray]

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall [Blu-ray] Review

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Cameron Mackintosh produced a unique, spectacular staging of the musical on a scale which had never been seen before. Inspired by the original staging by Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne, this lavish, fully-staged production set in the sumptuous Victorian splendour of London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall features a cast and orchestra of over 200, plus some very special guest appearances.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Extended Edition)

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Extended Edition) Review

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Extended Edition) Feature

• It's time to celebrate as Disney's phenomenal HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL hits new heights in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR! Fresh from the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers nonstop entertainment from start to finish! It's almost graduation day for high school seniors Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Chad, Ryan and Taylor -- and the thought of heading off in separate directio

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is the third film in Disney's record-smashing series, and the first to debut in theaters rather than on the Disney Channel, and while many of the elements are the same, the film is at times bigger to accommodate the big screen. All the usual characters are back, but not for long: it's senior year, and the classmates are all facing the prospect of leaving East High in separate directions. Troy (Zac Efron) is ready to play hoops at the University of Albuquerque with best friend Chad (Corbin Bleu), but doesn't want to be a thousand miles away from Stanford-bound Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens). Taylor (Monique Coleman) is headed to Yale, while Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel), and the school's pianist-composer Kelsi (Olesya Rulin) are all in the running for a single scholarship to Juilliard. The showcase for them will be Ms. Darbus' new musical, Senior Year, which will recap the academic careers of the students themselves. (So if the original HSM was a retelling of Grease, HSM3 is more A Chorus Line.)

There are a few new characters: Sharpay's personal assistant Tiara Gold (Jemma McKenzie-Brown), and Troy's hangers-on, Rocket Man (Matt Prokop) and Donny Dion (Justin Martin), who may give the franchise life beyond its original cast (if they make some headway in the likability department). But it's all about the songs and the dances. Ryan and Sharpay sizzle in a classic-musical tribute "I Want It All"; Troy and Gabriella share a rooftop waltz in "Can I Have This Dance"; and Troy and Chad blow off steam in a salvage yard in "The Boys Are Back." "Now or Never" is this film's "sports song," and Troy and Gabriella have their big duet "Just Wanna Be With You" and their own showcases, in "Scream" and "Walk Away," respectively. If the closing anthem, "High School Musical," seems on the self-congratulatory side, it's a rare misstep in a series that has made a generation of tweens (especially girls) sing and dance and realize they can be whatever they want to be. --David Horiuchi




Stills from High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Click for larger image)

It's time to celebrate as Disney's phenomenal High School Musical hits new heights in High School Musical 3: Senior Year! Fresh from the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers non-stop entertainment from start to finish! It's almost graduation day for high school seniors Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Chad, Ryan and Taylor - and the thought of heading off in separate directions after leaving East High has these Wildcats thinking they need to do something they ll remember forever. Together with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical reflecting their hopes and fears about the future and their unforgettable experiences growing up together. But with graduation approaching and college plans in question, what will become of the dreams, romances, and friendships of East High's senior Wilcats?
Find out what happens to all your favorite characters in the big screen musical sensation, High School Musical 3: Senior Year! It's a fabulous celebration the whole family will love!

Disc 1:

• Extended version includes extra scenes integrated back into the theatrical movie
• Bonus Features include: Cast Goobyes, Bloopers, Deleted Scenes, Night of Nights, It's All in the Dress, Sing-Along Mode

Disc 2:

• DisneyFile Digital Download Copy Disc: Watch your DVD in the living room and your DisneyFile digital copy on the go!
  

Sesame Street: 25th Birthday - A Musical Celebration!

Sesame Street: 25th Birthday - A Musical Celebration! Review

Everyone's invited as Sesame Street celebrates its 25th birthday! The whole family will want to sing along with this special hour-long collection of favorite Sesame Street songs, featuring "C is for Cookie," "Bein' Green," "Monster in the Mirror," and many, many more! Ernie sings a medley of Duckie songs, including "Do De Rubber Duck," "Put Down the Duckie," "The Honker-Duckie-Dinger Jamboree," and, of course, "Rubber Duckie." Big Bird leads the whole cast in a rousing finale of "Sing." You're sure to treasure this wonderful collector's edition of Sesame Street for years to come.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Review

Texas madam miss mona and her sheriff boyfriend try to save her chicken ranch from a tv muckraker. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 09/07/2010 Starring: Randy Bennett Theresa Merritt Run time: 114 minutes Rating: R Director: Colin Higgins

High School Musical (Encore Edition)

High School Musical (Encore Edition) Review

High School Musical (Encore Edition) Feature

• Music video "I Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
• "We're All in This Together"
• Behind the scenes Featurette

The Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical is a combination of backstage action and Grease without the unwholesome habits. Scoring record ratings at the time of its January 2006 broadcast, it's a smash hit with tween audiences (ages 6 to 10), but appealing for all ages. At a New Year's Eve party, Troy (Zac Efron of the WB's Summerland) has a chance meeting with Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) when they share a karaoke song. Lo and behold, when school resumes, they discover that Gabriella has just transferred to Troy's East High School, a campus divided into tight cliques of jocks, cheerleaders, brainiacs, and skater dudes. Eager to recapture the magic they'd discovered during karaoke, Troy and Gabriella consider auditioning for the school's upcoming musical, much to the dismay of the school's frost queen/theater goddess, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody). Problem is, Troy is also the star of the basketball team and Gabrielle is being recruited to compete in the Scholastic Decathlon. Will they give up their cliques to start something new, or will they do as the show's first big anthem urges and "Stick to the Status Quo"? Well, this is a Disney movie, so maybe the sacrifices won't be that hard, and even the hints of romance are mild.

The bestselling soundtrack is catchy in that Disney-pop kind of way, mixing in a dash of hip-hop ("Getcha Head in the Game," punctuated by squeaky basketball shoes and other sound effects), salsa ("Bop to the Top"), and the endearingly hammy ("What I've Been Looking For" performed by Sharpay and her brother, Ryan, played by Lucas Grabeel). It's not hard to imagine High School Musical becoming a semi-staple for high school groups to perform themselves. DVD bonus features include sing-along subtitles; a 9-minute featurette discussing casting, recording sessions, and rehearsals; a multi-angle look at a rehearsal of "Bop to the Top"; and music videos for "We're All in This Together" and a song that didn't make it into the final film, "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," performed by Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale, and Gabreel. --David Horiuchi The all-new, smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie everyone is talking about is now available for the first time ever on DVD -- with never-before-seen bonus features that will rock your house! Troy (Zac Efron), the popular captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), the brainy and beautiful member of the academic club, break all the rules of East High society when they secretly audition for the leads in the school's musical. As they reach for the stars and follow their dreams, everyone learns about acceptance, teamwork, and being yourself. And it's all set to fun tunes and very cool dance moves! Featuring the hottest talent, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL celebrates the power of music in this hip, entertaining, gotta-get-up-and-dance movie. Own all the excitement and the exclusive extras available only on this Encore Edition DVD.