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Funky Meters:Live From the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Shout Factory // Unrated // January 25, 2005
List Price: $19.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Meters, who in 1994 renamed themselves the funky METERS, have been playing their own brand of laid back New Orleans blend of blues, dance grooves and of course, funk. The band has undergone many changes in the past 25-plus years, they've broken up and reformed after a jam session at the New Orleans Jazz Festival one year and of course changed their name and continued to bring the style and music that people have loved for all these years.
The Only two of the original band members are still around, Art Neville and George Porter Jr, but they've been joined by long time friends to round out what is a great band that get mix well together, and seeing them play at a show like this really drives home that point.
While the Meters themselves may not be too well known outside of the genre, their influence is very widespread. They've been sampled by many like LL Cool J, and Heavy D; and respects have been paid by a range of bands ranging from the Grateful Dead to the Red Hot Chili Peppers who also like to bring the funk.
The concert given to us here is one of the funky METERS great performances from the 2000 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival, and their musical prowess really shows as they blend each song into the next without abrupt changes which helps keep the crowd swaying back and forth for the entire set. The footage comes from a few cameras, and highlights the playing of each band member, so you get the feel that you are actually a lot closer than anyone in the crowd of shirtless 40-somethings could have been, which is an interesting sensation if you've been on the outskirts of the crowd at a festival show.
The following set was played with chapter stops between each song, as well as an option from the main menu to navigate to the song of your choice:
Show Open/Two (Funky) Minutes Of Your Time
People Say
Chug A Lug
Africa
Cissy Strut
Saturday Night Fish Fry
They All Ask For You
Look-Ka Py Py
7 Desires
Little Old Money Maker
Ain't No Use
The DVD
Video
Considering the source material, that is a concert that was filmed in 2000, this presentation is quite sharp. The video is presented letterboxed, which is more than adequate for this presentation. The footage is very clean, although some of the colors tend to be a little soft, but perhaps this is from the late spring air in New Orleans as the humidity is just starting to settle in around Jazz Fest.
Audio
There are two options here for you to get your groove on, both a two channel stereo option and Dolby Digital 5.1. Swapping between the two did make a noticeable difference with the remixed 5.1 sound coming out on top with a fuller richer sound. Thankfully the remix wasn't made gimmicky with individual instruments coming from a separate channel, but the mix was made all encompassing with a nice warm enveloping sound mix. Of course, the dedicated LFE channel helps bring the funk, and amplify some of George Porter Jr's slap happy bass playing.
Extras
A couple of interviews are the only extras here, one with Porter only and another with Neville and Porter. They talk about the past with some archive photos and other concert samples thrown into the mix. Clocking in at less than 15 minutes for both interviews, chances are you'll watch them once then go back to the music.
Final Thoughts
For fans of the New Orleans Jazz fest, and the (funky) Meters in general, this would be a perfect release to pick up and throw on as some background music. Sitting down to watch it might be nice one time to see the band interact with one another, but the real draw is the sound that these guys have been bringing us since the 1960s. If you're a fan, then this is a recommendation without hesitation.
The Only two of the original band members are still around, Art Neville and George Porter Jr, but they've been joined by long time friends to round out what is a great band that get mix well together, and seeing them play at a show like this really drives home that point.
While the Meters themselves may not be too well known outside of the genre, their influence is very widespread. They've been sampled by many like LL Cool J, and Heavy D; and respects have been paid by a range of bands ranging from the Grateful Dead to the Red Hot Chili Peppers who also like to bring the funk.
The concert given to us here is one of the funky METERS great performances from the 2000 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival, and their musical prowess really shows as they blend each song into the next without abrupt changes which helps keep the crowd swaying back and forth for the entire set. The footage comes from a few cameras, and highlights the playing of each band member, so you get the feel that you are actually a lot closer than anyone in the crowd of shirtless 40-somethings could have been, which is an interesting sensation if you've been on the outskirts of the crowd at a festival show.
The following set was played with chapter stops between each song, as well as an option from the main menu to navigate to the song of your choice:
Show Open/Two (Funky) Minutes Of Your Time
People Say
Chug A Lug
Africa
Cissy Strut
Saturday Night Fish Fry
They All Ask For You
Look-Ka Py Py
7 Desires
Little Old Money Maker
Ain't No Use
The DVD
Video
Considering the source material, that is a concert that was filmed in 2000, this presentation is quite sharp. The video is presented letterboxed, which is more than adequate for this presentation. The footage is very clean, although some of the colors tend to be a little soft, but perhaps this is from the late spring air in New Orleans as the humidity is just starting to settle in around Jazz Fest.
Audio
There are two options here for you to get your groove on, both a two channel stereo option and Dolby Digital 5.1. Swapping between the two did make a noticeable difference with the remixed 5.1 sound coming out on top with a fuller richer sound. Thankfully the remix wasn't made gimmicky with individual instruments coming from a separate channel, but the mix was made all encompassing with a nice warm enveloping sound mix. Of course, the dedicated LFE channel helps bring the funk, and amplify some of George Porter Jr's slap happy bass playing.
Extras
A couple of interviews are the only extras here, one with Porter only and another with Neville and Porter. They talk about the past with some archive photos and other concert samples thrown into the mix. Clocking in at less than 15 minutes for both interviews, chances are you'll watch them once then go back to the music.
Final Thoughts
For fans of the New Orleans Jazz fest, and the (funky) Meters in general, this would be a perfect release to pick up and throw on as some background music. Sitting down to watch it might be nice one time to see the band interact with one another, but the real draw is the sound that these guys have been bringing us since the 1960s. If you're a fan, then this is a recommendation without hesitation.
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