7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
Music | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (96kHz, 24-bit)
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
from playback
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
In the past when I reviewed concert videos, I have been usually mesmerized, in awe,
excited, or rhythmically bobbed my head to what I was listening and watching on screen. I
have only been emotionally moved a few times when I have watched these kinds of
presentations, and this is one of those few times. Trumpet virtuoso Chris Botti and his guest
artists put on one of the most heartfelt performance that I have had the pleasure to see on
video. Each featured guest, starting with Sting, Dominic Miller, Josh Groban, Katherine
McPhee, Yo-Yo Ma, Lucia Micarelli, Sy Smith, John Meyer, Steven Tyler, all the way to the
Boston Pops Orchestra put on a superior performance. I was particularly moved by Josh
Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, and Lucio Micarelli whose passion for the music could be seen on her
face. This great concert performance was staged within the hollowed walls of the great
Boston Symphony Hall - a venue known the world around for its great natural acoustics.
Since the release of his first album First Wish, Botti has worked with some of the
most talented pop, rock, classical and jazz musicians and singers in the music business.
Cutting his musical teeth with artists such as Burt Bacharach, Chaka Khan, Andrea Bocelli, Jill
Scott, Michael Buble, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, and Paula Cole, Botti has a discography that
includes ten releases, and of those, two number one selling jazz releases. He has guest
appeared on dozens of albums, compilations, and sound tracks over the years.
Working with some of the world's greatest musicians and singers, and drawing from wide
ranging repertoire of pop, jazz and classical music, Botti rewarded the audience with two
nights of pleasurable, exciting and spontaneous entertainment I am sure they will never
forget.
Chris Botti in Boston graces the Blu-ray format in a visually stunning 1080p/AVC video encode, and framed at a full 1:78:1 video window. Shot with nine high definition cameras, the images exhibit a warm natural appearance that is sure to please viewers. Clarity and fine detail are first-rate, revealing fine facial features, textures in clothing, and even the names on the amps and instruments themselves. Light beams from the lightning structure cut through the air visibly, lending a vibrant and beautifully colored wash over the musicians, the music, and the entire stage. Blacks are defined and deep, with visible shades of gray well delineated. Shadow detail is excellent – giving the viewer a good view of the silhouettes of audience members in the darkness. Botti's tribute to Miles Davis on Flamenco Sketches features a nice transition from color to black and white which is well done and effective. On occasion the lighting scheme caused the picture to take on a "milky" character, but only in a few scenes. There are no compression artifacts visible in this presentation, as this is another fine example of excellent video encoding.
Featuring a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio encode at 24/96 kHz bit and sample rate, like the video the audio is marvelous. Using both a pseudo phantom and hard center combination, the soloists are recorded with fullness and clarity. The sound field puts the listener in a mid-hall perspective, with the first-rate acoustics of the Boston Symphony Hall captured in all its glory. The highs are clean, clear, sweet and airy, which lends an openness to the mix. The midrange is sublime, bringing the performers into the room in a realistic fashion. The LFE handles the bass, and it is tight, deep, and well defined without being out of control and bloated. The overall performance is focused within the frontal sound stage, with the rear channels providing a rich ambience for that "you are there" feel. Instrumental timbres in the orchestra are captured exquisitely, and provide an excellent musical foundation for the band, the artists, and Botti himself. Al Schmitt deserves a huge pat on the back for the fine live capture of the concert, and Allen Sides for the fine 7.1 mix on this disc.
Special features include a making-of documentary Behind the Scenes - Chris Botti in Boston (HD1080i 40 min) which also features a moving version of the song Fragile encoded in Dolby TrueHD 24/96 kHz 7.1 high definition audio and 1080p/24fps video.
This is a release that has something for everyone. If you are a classical music fan, there is a good song for you here. Jazz, one or two good numbers that tickle the ear. And the same goes for pop. The music is very emotional and soul stirring, and each guest artist gives us something of them we have never seen before. This makes for a fresh, well rounded high quality concert that is worth every dime it costs to own. It is so good; you can go back and view this over and over again. I have watched it twice during this review, and each time I saw or heard something I had not heard or saw the previous time. This disc is highly recommended for purchase or rental. Whichever you do, you are surely to enjoy this concert video.
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