Lightning In a Bottle: A One Night History of the Blues

This memorable concert was filmed at New York's Radio City Music Hall in February 2003. It was the start of the "Year Of the Blues". Martin Scorsese, who gave us the wonderful (but a bit controversial content-wise) series of Blues Films (which took over a year to be screened and available here in Australia) opens the show, after the Blues Year he was also a voice in "Shark's tale"!There is no denying that this is a memorable and well presented concert. Many of the greatest living Blues players are here as well as those we might refer to as marginal-transitional people with Blues interests. Some we don't get to hear, Robert Jr Lockwood and Jimmie Vaughan are seen, but not heard. the concert itself represents a musical journey through various Blues styles from African songs, to WC Handy, to music hall styles, women singers, the lone Juke Player right up through B.B. King and Hendrix and, yes, Chuck D trying to stop the Iraq Invasion with "Boom Boom" Rap!This DVD is most enjoyable and a great and reasonably priced addition to one's music library. Highlights for me include B.B. King's story about "Sweet Sixteen" and his performance. Robert Cray's input, as usual is outstanding with his clean understated guitar work. David "Honeyboy" Edwards, who knew Robert Johnson, provides a rare self-penned tune (he mostly did covers during his career), Hubert Sumlin (who has just lost a lung!!; and was smoking in the interview!!!!; and who I got to meet in 1991) plays a great rendition of "Killing Floor" with the riff he made famous for Howlin' Wolf. Natalie Cole (a comeback?) does a great update of Bessie Smith's "Saint Louis Blues"-reminds me a bit of Janis Joplin-remember she started out sounding like Aretha on "This Will Be". The tune with Natalie, the great Mavis Staples (who does a great version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Make Sure My Grave's Kept Clean") Ruth Brown and Bill Cosby "Men Are Like Street Cars" is a great humourous blues. It was horrible to hear the Ruth had suffered a stroke prior to this concert and was still superb (see more of this delightful lady in the "Blues Story" DVD).Solomon Burke, who I just saw in Australia, was fabluous as usual. His singing is great and he sure knows how to work the crowd (like all great church inspired soul singers). Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown was an awesome talent. This was probably his last recorded performance. His no pick guitar style was unique and classic. His playing is a highlight of the entire DVD!Macy Gray does a great version of "Hound Dog" in the style of Big Mamma Thronton. It's interesting to see her at the rehearsal a bit perplexed about the whole thing and then transform on stage. Buddy Guy is Buddy Guy, he's great, out front, out of tune, and, to me, stands for what the Blues is all about. He does a rare acoustic version of "I Can't Be Satisfied" in dedication to his mentor Muddy Waters. He also does a bit of Jimi Hendrix's "Red House"-this was great because if purists ran the show this would not have been done. I agree with the previous reviewers the rap, Aerosmith, John Fogarty and rock in general are farther from the blues than Jimi Hendrix, but in a show like this I can stomach anything, for one thing the band is so great.Another highlight of this show is Odetta, the hippy Black folk singer from the 1960s. She does a great version of Leadbelly's "Jim Crow Blues" and even phrases like Leadbelly! A wonderful effort. The documentary footage between songs, the lighting and effects and the interviews are great. The bonus tracks are superb as well. Get this if you are a Blues lover!

To say I was looking forward to seeing Steven Tyler and Joe Perry would be an overstatement. I never owned an Aerosmith album, but if they had played a blues album or two who knows. Their two songs (one on Bonus songs) on LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE are well done with the only problem the songs, together, don't last 5 minutes. But, Tyler and Perry come across the cool showmen in the process. Tyler blues-shrieks and "hollers" like a dude with the best of 'em. Almost difficult to admit but true.As for the rest of the show there is also the stunning singing by Natalie Cole (I want to find out if she EVER recorded a blues album now); the great combo of Robert Cray and Shemekia Copeland; Buddy Guy in general (and that great footage of Jimi Hendrix in front row "skipping a gig" to watch Buddy play in 1968!); and you just can't go wrong with seeing Clarence Gatemouth Brown do anything (performs - at 80 - Okie Dokie Stomp ... very well... and shows off his violin prowess Pre-show...).As far as clear cut misfires (in my critiquing eyes) Mos Def (he is a good actor, if you didn't know); and the Fine Arts Militia (thing) doin' (tryin) the John Lee Hooker "Boom Boom" (great clip of Hooker from '62 or 64, though). At least the "Militia" is anti war.I would have preferred another sad, lovely "Lady Day" jazz-blues song rather than the Chuck D's and Militias of the so-called blues musical influences of the world (or, of this documentary).Fogerty is worth the mention playing "Midnight Special."Hubert Sumlin - short one lung(!) - plays his guitar as a long-haired David Johansen does a (good enuff) Howlin' Wolf voice impersonation.And B.B closes the show (naturally).I didn't want to mention Cosby makes an appearance (this was filmed in 2004 so make your own observations) and I find it interesting Director Antoine Fuqua made this 3 years after directing Training Day (with Denzel Washington).Still gotta watch 'action' Director Fuqua's interview which is an xtra on this entertaining Blues music documentary.

I can't think of a better night in blues that I have seen. To have the old and the young represent the history of blues, the feeling, the songs, the musicians, and most of all these amazing performances. I doubt if we will see another historic night real soon. More than 50 musicians have come together at New York's Radio City Hall. This is a great even, great music and frankly, an extraordinary evening. The house band is awesome that includes Dr. John.The night is a story of the blues that dates back to the 30s. The songs are tributed to the originator as each performer sings. You will see photos and archive film of the past from the slave auctions, working in the fields, lynchings, The Klan, and the early performers of the blues. Son House says there is only one kind of blues, a male and female in love.The songs are performed by the early blues performers and the newer ones. The highlights are: Ruth Brown with Mavis Stapleton and Natalie Cole having fun with Bill Cosby for a fun song from 1939, "Men Are Just Like Streetcars"; Macy Gray in her own rendition of "Hound Dog'; and performing Slim Harpo's "I'm a King Bee".Another great performance is Solomon Burke, who just died in Oct. 2010; "Turn on Your Love Light" and he gets the audience on their feet. I especially like John Fogerty, "Midnight Special". And what show would be complete without the sound and guitar of Bonnie Raitt, "Coming Home".Someone I had not heard of or seen before is "David Johansen singing "Killing Floor"; that was memorable!This is a night to remember, a telling of the blues story. Only thing better would to have been there that night. ......Rizzo

This DVD sets out to show the story of the blues from Africa through the Southern American states to the international music it has become. From roots to now. All the finest exponents of the blues are on show from BB King across the various genres to Buddy Guy's electric guitar work. Some old favourites and new treatments from people like Macy Gray "Hound dog" are on show with plenty of backstage conversation. Perfect!

Bought this for a Christmas present not realising that it wouldn't play in the UK - didn't understand about regions and what plays where, but I do now! So am left with a DVD that doesn't play! Just wonder why the seller didn't query why they were sending it to the UK or is it just another sale? Gone in the bin.

Great dvd!

Beware this is not a live concert DVD. Its a film about the night of the concert interspersed with short clips of the performances on the night and a running theme of the history of the blues showing short snippets of Blues greats now long passed on. As a documentary it might interest you, but as a concert it falls way short of enjoyable, featuring very few complete performances and even these are interupted by documentary film, interviews or commentary and feature mostly fenale jazz/soul crossover performers. If youre looking for a film about blues with a little music thrown in this may be for you, but IT IS NOT A CONCERT!!!. I'd go further and say its a deliberately misleading CON. One example is Buddy Guy. He appears for a few seconds in a couple of old film clips and briefly on stage where the performance is edited to less that 30 seconds. Later he get another small segment where he just strums along to voodile chile being belted out by some female hip-hop artist. Bonnie Rait performed on the night, again edited and then appears at the end in a medley with BB King which again isnt actually shown for more than a few seconds. A COMPLETE CON - DONT BUY IT!!!!

Compré este DVD para reemplazar uno viejo que estaba defectuoso. Amo este DVD; es una reunión de grandes artistas celebrando el Blues. Es agradable ver a artistas que no suelen cantar Blues interpretar canciones de Blues. Todos son excelentes. ¡Que show!