Like many artists, Carlos Santana has always seen the blues as avital component of his music and has employed that genre in his workthroughout the decades. While most prominently known for his Latin guitarsound, he can also play the blues with the best of 'em. In July 2004 at theMontreux Festival he was given the opportunity to present as well as performwith three legendary bluesmen who are among his favorites- Buddy Guy,Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Bobby Parker. Each artist plays a fullconcert set, being joined by Santana as well as other guests such as NileRodgers and Barbara Morrison.

Buddy Guy is a long revered blues guitarist, having fronted bands aswell as backing Muddy Waters and Junior Wells. Here he takes the stagewithout his trademark Stratocaster, opting for an acoustic guitar. He delvesback into the acoustic roots of the blues, opening with a wonderfulre...Read the entire review

Aguably one of the finest voices to grace any venue in the last fifty years,Barbara Streisand's status as one of the most successful singers of her generation is even more remarkable when one takes into account the fact that she mostly veered away from rock and roll, staying with picture perfect ballads and show tunes. Also notable is the fact that Ms. Streisand used her voice as a springboard for a endeavors such as stage and film actress anddirector.

One Voice is a concert film that first saw life as an HBO exclusive; Streisand used the event- her first live concert since 1972- to vocally protest against nuclear arms buildup in the Reagan era, at a time prior to the conclusion of the Cold War. Erecting an elaborate stage in her own backyard (which opening comedian Robin Williams tags as "Camp Barbara")with tickets going for $5000 a pop. Planned at the time as a fundraiser for Dem...Read the entire review

An wonderfully unique album, Bat Out Of Hell is musical drama rockpresented at perhaps its best. Grand and outlandish in its dramatic auraltheatrics, it incorporates a number of diverse elements- rock, opera, gothand Broadway, when it finally came on the scene after sitting in the can fora year, it likely made some record companies more than a little rueful thatthey had not jumped on the opportunity to release it when being relentlesslyshopped around the industry by its creators. The main players in the rockopera are the reason it made for such a unique, stand out recording in itsday; Meat Loaf, a young actor-singer who manages to dig to theemotional roots of each composition and playing them to up to the hilt;composer Jim Steinman, a man who manages to compose songs that canbe likened to epic theater, cinema for the ears; and eventual producerTodd Rundgren, an artist who h...Read the entire review

Probably best remembered for both her legendary excesses and the manner of her death, Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen is known to the world and in the history books simply as Marie Antoinette, born an Archduchess of Austria and later becoming the Queen of France. The daughter of Holy Romanic Francis I and Maria Theresa of Austria and the 15th of 16 children, she was born at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.

Listening to descriptions of her upbringing and the manner in which she was groomed for her place in life seems quite paradoxical; even as a young girl she is described as well heeled, graceful and lovely, yet had a pronounced distaste for reading with a degree of trouble writing. Her tutors make mention of her being far more intelligent than one would presume her to be given her scholastic accomplishments, the problem being her aversion to concentrate and apply herself to do...Read the entire review

Born on the rugged island of Corsica, and rising from being his birth in asmall farmhouse to the self-appointed Emperor of France, he was a figureloved and hated, idolized and feared during a near 20 year span. A four hour documentary by filmmaker David Grubin, Napoleon is adetailed chronicle of the dictator's life, beginning just before his birthat the end of a Coriscan war with France. This was a confrontation doomed tofailure from its outset- sheer numbers alone put the population of Corsicaat 120,000 against a nation with 22,000,000. Lasting only a year and leavingthousands dead, France forced it's might and power upon the tiny island, andthis is the setting in which Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769.

A man of minor nobility, he hated the French and longed for a Corsica freeof its rule, even having little regard for his own father, Carlo, who rosefrom student to being employed as ...Read the entire review

The vehicle for the songwriting team of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen,Steely Dan has never been a band that conformed to convention overits history. The duo met at Bard College in New York in 1967 and beganplaying in area bands not long after, among those bands was "Bad Rock Group"(which included member Chevy Chase on drums), playing both rock and jazz. Intime the two began composing songs together, capitalizing on a samenessbetween them- a preference for jazz, pop, blues and R&B over what one wouldcall a traditional rock format. With lyrics humorously dark, ironic and morethan a little eccentric, the two sculpted a sound far different from whattheir peers were producing.

At the suggestion of ABC/Dunhill producer Gary Katz (who signed the two onas staff songwriters) Becker and Fagen formed Steely Dan in order to have aworking vehicle with which to record and release their music. Fro...Read the entire review

It has been said that Ginger Baker (Ginger being a nickname he wasgiven due to his red hair- his real name is Peter Baker) was rock's firsttrue superstar drummer, and one of the most influential percussionists ofthe '60. While others might have been better known, their fame was due inpart to the bands with which they played. Baker made his name on hisplaying, which was first showcased with the superstar assemblage of Baker,Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce in Cream- a group that made enormous amounts ofmoney during their run but simply had too many egos in the mix to staytogether. Cream broke up after an electric two years, and Baker moved fromthere to another superstar band, Blind Faith, with Clapton and SteveWinwood. That band had an even shorter life span, and from there came GingerBaker's Air Force which produced two albums. Virtually every heavy metaldrummer since the 60's has sought to emulate...Read the entire review

An original, instantly recognizable guitarist from the 80's on, Pat Metheny is an artist who both gained and lost popularity over the years by taking chances musically. While his material with The Pat Metheny Group somewhat defies any set genre, it is melodic and accessible to the audience he has acquired, moving jazz past any standard definition and allowing him to work in whatever musical realm he chooses. Starting out on guitar at 13, he was a student at both the University of Miami as well as Berklee as a teenager, making his debut with legendary Jaco Pastorius and Paul Bley in 1974. From 1974-1977 he was involved with Gary Burton's group, met keyboardist Lyle Mays and formed a group of his own in 1978. He quickly the top artist on ECM's label and among the elite in the jazz realm, with the kind of popularity that sold out stadiums.

Away from his group Metheny has done stints ...Read the entire review

Formed in 1966, Canned Heat is a blues-based rock band founded by Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, both blues historians and record collectors; their beginnings seemed like a textbook for success, playing big name rock festivals of the day such as Woodstock and Monterey, but the band never seemed to acquire a mass following. Following Monterey they released their debut album "Canned Heat", a deep, honky tonk piece that was every bit the bluesy recording one would expect from a band of fine blues craftsmen. Hite was nicknamed 'The Bear" due to his rather massive girth, stalking the stages ala' Howling Wolf and the likes of the era. "Blind Owl" Wilson was a musician of considerable talent, playing an incredible harmonica as well as a deep, textured guitar sound that most musicians would envy. Their biggest success came from the band's 1969 third album, "Livin' the Blues" which spawned the familiar hit "G...Read the entire review

The A-Team was a series that centered around the adventures of fourex-Army men accused of having committed a crime during the Vietnam War. TheA-Team, composed of Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith (George Peppard),Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Dwight Schultz), LieutenantTempleton "Faceman" Peck (Dirk Benedict), and Sergeant B.A. Baracus(Mr. T), traveled the United States on the run from the militarypolice. The premise of the series was fairly simple- The A-Team took jobsfor people who were being attacked, harassed, or threatened by an assortmentof villains and bad guys, usually in the United States but on occasionacross the globe. When no one else could do the job, those in need madeefforts to contact the A-Team, who would fight, shoot (though I can't recallever seeing anyone get killed), and certainly blow up a plethora ofvehicles and buildings in order to get the j...Read the entire review

During the 2006 Grammy Awards Week in Los Angeles, MusiCares broughttogether a group of legendary artists to pay tribute to James Taylor attheir annual Person of the Year gala. This event honored Taylor for hisoutstanding contributions to both the world of music and his philanthropicefforts. His musical legacy and sense of compassion toward humanityrepresent the artistic talents and social awareness that mark all MusiCaresPerson of the Year honorees. He joins a list of previous honorees thatincludes Tony Bennett, Bono, Natalie Cole, Phil Collins, David Crosby, Gloria Estefan, Billy Joel, Elton John,Quincy Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Sting, BrianWilson, and Stevie Wonder. Net proceeds from the sale and distribution ofthis DVD will benefit MusiCares and its programs to provide a criticalsafety net of assistance to music people in times of crisis.

Bringing together an outsta...Read the entire review

Before he was out of his teens, the phrase "Clapton is God" was alreadymaking its way around the rock and roll ranks. Three times inducted into theRock And Roll Hall Of Fame. A 16-time Grammy award winner. The case would bemade by many that Eric Clapton is the greatest rock guitarist of alltime; even those who disagree will be hard pressed keeping him out of thetop five. When Clapton ventured out into a solo career of his own in the 70'she was already heading for legendary status, having served as a member ofthe Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream and Blind Faith. Not oneto hawk the spotlight in those days, he quietly launched a solo career inmid-1970, scoring a hit with "After Midnight", then doing some work withDelaney and Bonnie and forming Derek and The Dominos. Due in part to heroin addiction Clapton spent 1971 and 1972 mostly away from music, nothaving another solo album until 4...Read the entire review

Having lost his sight due to eye cancer at the age of one, Jeff Healey is a fascinating guitarist to watch ply his trade; he plays with guitar in lap, looking something like a slide guitarist (at least to untrained eyes such as mine) with an amazing ability to make his sound quite different from that of most players. Ofttimes the front rows of his gigs are populated with fellow musicians, intent on watching Healey's fingers in order to imitate his style and approach the unique sound he is capable of producing with his humbucker-equipped Stratocaster. He began playing at the age of three and formed the Jeff Healey Trio in 1985 at the age of 19 with bassist Joe Rockman and drummer Tom Stephen. They released a single on their own Forte label which led to the band signing with Arista Records, where they released their debut album "See The Light" in 1988. The group mmediately gained the attention of ...Read the entire review

Simply put, James Brown is rightfully the definition of soul. He's been adorned with many a lofty title or nickname over the decades-"The Godfather Of Soul", "Soul Brother Number One", the Hardest Working Man in Show Business", Mr. Dynamite", all may seem extreme, but when it comes to JB they are well deserved. Few, if any, African-American musicians have been so influential in popular music. It has been said that no performer puts on a more exciting, athletic stage show than James, with Brown a whirling dervish, sweat soaked and executing incredible dance moves. With a voice that at times soulful, screeching and more predatory animal than man, his sound is singular. Brown has been a lightning rod for two notable movements in African-American music, the catalyst that turned R&B into soul music, and upped the ante from there effectively innovating what would become funk in the late 60's and e...Read the entire review

Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) is a tough, street savvy New York Citysupercop-type detective with a slew of commendations and decorations, but is(justifiably) under investigation for corruption, suspected of dipping into confiscateddrug money. In the midst of this he and his young, likable partner andgood friend Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia) happen to be at the right place at theright time, meaning to have lunch in a packed local restaurant, but insteadwitness a confrontation between Japanese Yakusa which erupts into a cold,bloody execution. The two move quickly, managing to capture notorious hitmanand mobster Sato (Yusaku Matsuda) in a rough and tumble, hard foughtstruggle, only to find out that politics dictate he be shipped back to Japanfor previous crimes rather than be punished for the murders he committedin New York.

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead-
Their captain lay...Read the entire review

Running weekdays on the ABC Network, from June, 1966 to April, 1971, DarkShadows was a show truly innovative in ways most shows can only aspireto be; a Gothic soap opera renowned for drama, horror, suspense,romance,sci-fi, and what is seen by todays' viewers as camp and some prettyham-my acting at times, the show motored along on the strength of its eerieambiance for the first year, until Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid-could there possibly be a better Barnabas??) was introduced to the series,the lovelorn, tortured 175 year old vampire looking for a way to overcomehis vampiric fate. Not stopping there, the show brought in virtually everymonster, ghoul or ghost one can name in the years and storylines to come.Barnabas, an anti-hero if ever there was one, brought much to the series andprobably is the one reason it ran for five years and is still such a cultclassic 35 years after the last ep...Read the entire review

Hootie and the Blowfish is a band originally formed at the University of South Carolina by Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld and Mark Ryan; the name refers to two friends of singer/guitarist Rucker, rather than he and the group. I'm likely to catch some flak for this, but one of the reasons I chose to review this disc is because of my view on Hootie and the Blowfish in the musical scheme of things. Everyone is familiar with the term "one hit wonder"- a band or artist who comes out of nowhere, scores a major hit, and is more or less never heard from again. I've always been of the opinion that this particular group is pretty much the role model for what I call a "one album wonder"; and while there seem to have been plenty of them in the last ten to fifteen years with the impact that alternative and grunge music's popularity has made on the mainstream market, none are as extreme an ex...Read the entire review

George Washington is one of America's most recognizable faces,appearing in every American history book and on the face of every dollarbill. Though one of the forefathers of the nation, very little is knownabout the man behind the myth. Before he was America's first president, hewas a soldier. A daring documentary from The History Channel, WashingtonThe Warrior is presented with the intent of giving the viewer insightinto Washington's military career. The film follows him through his firstofficer's commission in the Virginia militia, culminating in an early errorin judgement that resulted in a 17 year retirement from military service. From there we watch as a man older and wiser is called upon to lead theAmerican Revolution, turning a haphazard, woeful band of everyday men intoan army capable of challenging and defeating Great Britain's fearsomeforces- at that time the greatest Army in the...Read the entire review

In a time before MTV and VH1 there were very few venues in which to visuallyenjoy music on television; America had several piecemeal sources for suchviewing, all of which left something to be desired; this reviewer canremember watching many a broadcast of "The Midnight Special" on Fridaynights late, as well as the syndicated program "Don Kirshner's RockConcert", both of which gave us live performances by a variety of acts, theformer being fairly tame and top 40 oriented, the latter closer to runningthe gamut of rock and roll. Predating and likely influencing both, GreatBritain had The Old Grey Whistle Test- premiering on the BBC2 channelin September of 1971, the show went on to become one of the most influentialmusic shows of its time.

The show had a budget of 500 pounds per show, not much production money evenat that time. The budget looks even smaller given the fact that theperformers h...Read the entire review

Covering their years of struggling in session studios and amateur bandscenes in the 60's, Led Zeppelin-The Origin Of The Species movesthrough the successes of their respective tenures with The Yardbirds and Band Of Joy,culminating in the birth of the band, their first two albums and a band onthe verge of massive world acclaim and popularity. Featuring rare musicalperformances, obscure footage of interviews and photographs, this 70 minutedocumentary mainly moves along on comments, insights and reminiscences fromAlan Clayson, former Melody Maker journalist, Chris Welch; ex-1960s NMEeditor, Keith Altham; Yardbirds guitarist, Chris Dreja; and several others.

A program much in the vein of other Under Review type fare, this is anentertaining and enlightening documentary that takes the viewer from JimmyPage's school days all the way to the release of the Led Zeppelin II.Indeed, for the most part...Read the entire review

According to their website, "LEGENDS OF JAZZ With Ramsey Lewis" marks the first time in over 40 years that jazz has been the focus of a network television show, bringing to life America's most masterful art form. The series debuted nationally on PBS in April 2006 and will continue a weekly run throughout the summer. Derived from that PBS series, this DVD/CD set is a culmination of 4 episodes of the show, with performances by musicians that actually live up to legendary status.

This DVD release is in much the same vein of the first release based on the show, "Legends Of Jazz: Showcase" but like "Volume One" differs by way of giving the viewer the entire recorded episode rather than simply highlights from throughout the season. I loved both the "Showcase" as well as "Legends Of Jazz With Ramsey Lewis Volume One", and this one falls right in line with them. The premise is simple but effective. Lewi...Read the entire review

A short lived British series that only ran for four episodes, Eleventh Hour returns Patrick Stewart to the smallscreen in the role of Dr. Ian Hood, a roving, troubleshooting adviser to theBritish Government who investigates science related crimes and conspiracies.A brilliant, daring professor, Hood has all the tools necessary for such aneclectic profession- he's a veritable scholar in all fields of science, possessing pronounced skills inanalysis of both the seen and unseen, and he has an honest desire to uphold rightover wrong. With partner and his Special Branch Scottish bodyguard RachelYoung (Ashley Jensen) Dr. Hood goes up against all manner of evilsincluding rogue cloners, polluters and viruses on the cutting edge of modernday science.

Part CSI but for the most part The X-Files, this seems on the surface to bean intriguing vehicle, all the more so when one has the talen...Read the entire review

In the aftermath of World War III humanity is on the verge of extinction;due to nuclear fallout, every living person is rendered infertile. Fouryears after the death of his daughter, a mourning Chancellor DerekStrombourgh (Jeff St. Clair) has come close to bringing life to thousands of clones, but needs a specific DNA in order to render them cognizant as well as rational- thus the only hope for the human race lies within theconsciousness of one man, idealistic student Orin Stalward (BillCaco) who seems to have the right genetic makeup. Meanwhile an underground rebellion is taking place- a terrorist-type war against his new world order regime is being waged by anti-governmentanarchists, determined on not allowing such power to fall into Strombourgh'shands.

This is one morass of a movie. The premise is somewhat interesting and I waslooking forward to it, hoping for a decent post-apoc...Read the entire review

A show that marked its debut in 1960 and enjoyed an incredible run onprime-time television, it is perhaps matched only by it's ability tocontinue to draw fans old and new in syndication, year after year, decadeafter decade- does anyone think Friends will be shown in reruns 45 yearsfrom now? Showing up during the tumultuous 60's, it and a few other sitcomsthat are truly worthy of classic status became that way because they did anumber of things very, very well. Even during that era many sitcoms came andwent rather quickly, in spite of the scant variety of programming availablefor the average viewer. The comedy shows which tended to have a span ofseveral seasons were the ones which that centered on a main character whowas engaging and endearing in his/her role, and then built a strongsupporting cast around the star. Looking back, the 60's were an innovativeand incredible period for sitcom television, and...Read the entire review

What if the South had won the Civil War? Written and directed by Kevin Wilmott, presented by IFC Films and SpikeLee, the focus of this film is not tomerely ask that question. It treats it as bona fide American history andruns with the ball from there- looking at the ensuing 140 years after aConfederate victory using contrived commentators, considerably alteredhistorical references, sly sensationalist commercials andactual news footage from America's past.

While the premise with which the end is met here is a bit sketchy and doubtful, the mockumentary takes the position that the South managed to woo both England and France to come in on the side of the Confederacy, something that the Union was indeed more than a little fearful of during the Civil War. Were it not for the staunch stance of Europe and indeed most of the civilized world's abhorrence of slavery this likely would have happened; indee...Read the entire review

A band that has since the late 60's called themselves the greatest rock androll band in the world, the Rolling Stones are a band almost withoutpeer, selling out tours over forty years after forming, and having nevertruly disbanded along the way. Taking the low road during the earlyMerseybeat days of the Beatles, they were a dangerous alternative to thepoppy sound that most of the British Invasion groups of the time wereemploying in an attempt to grab the teen ears of the era. Rather than playit safe, they utilized a blues based rock sound that was to become a part oftheir signature for decades (and decades!) to come.

The driving heart and soul of theStones has always been their larger than life, cock of the walk-struttingfrontman and singer Mick Jagger and ballsy, blistering guitarist KeithRichards, a duo the likes of Lennon/McCartney in regards to their importanceto the band. Meeting fir...Read the entire review

Something of an artist that defies musical definition, Steve Earleblends whatever types of music he feels necessary in order to convey what he wants to sayas a singer/songwriter. His indefinable sound might have its roots in both Nashvilleand rock and roll but for the most part has left record labels scratching theirheads, sadly keeping his work out of the mainstream market. Born in Virginiabut raised in San Antonio, Texas, he began playing guitar at age 11 and asis the case with many a young musician, had a wild side that kept him introuble with the law and out of the popularity of local country fans.Dropping at of school and leaving home, at age 18 his path crossed withTownes Van Zandt, a musical madman in his own right who became Earle's rolemodel. At 19 he moved to Nashville and began his career writing songs andplaying bass for Guy Clark, playing on Clark's first album and over the nextsev...Read the entire review

Powered by Diesel, aided by the Flash, the Miami Heat finally brought home the bacon this season by beating a vastly talented Dallas Maverick team in order to capture the their first NBA championship in franchise history. With Pat Riley at the helm the Heat battled their way through the Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets and longtime rival Detroit Pistons in getting to the NBA finals. This is a commemorative disc of the Heat's season and more specifically their NBA championship finals run.

The NBA has been doing things right in the promotional area for many, many years at this point, taking professional basketball to higher levels with each decade; giving the fans the matchups they want on strategically high profile days of each season- these days the Kobe/Shaq soap opera tends to be the fare on Christmas day for example- and doing one wonderful promotional video after another, some for during gam...Read the entire review

An interesting eclectic heavy metal band, Dream Theater has attaineda considerable cult status due in large part to the precise, proficientguitar work of John Petrucci. Originally named Majesty and changing it'sname in 1987, this Long Island based group has seen many, many lineup changesover the course of 20 years. What has been a constant is their smart,sharp-edged music, and a renown for putting on incredible live performances.They've released several live albums throughout the course of theirhistory-"Live At The Marquee", a London show, and "Live In Tokyo" among them yet they are still one of the metal genres' mostbootlegged bands.

With Chris Collins as lead vocalist, the band released a demo album in 1986that managed to sell 1,000 copies in six months. When Collins left the bandthey went through a long period with no voice until settling on CharlieDominici as a new lead singer. Signin...Read the entire review

Formed in 1987 as a ska band, No Doubt originally began its life with thelineup of Gwen Stefani, her brother Eric, and John Spence, picking up memberTony Kanal along the way while doing the party band circuit. When Spencecommitted suicide in December of that year, Gwen became the sole leadvocalist and the band added guitarist Tom Dermott and drummer Adrian Youngto the band. They gelled and began to pick up regional interest, signing withInterscope in 1991. Their first release, an album of ska and pop, bombed inthe marketplace- causing Interscope to refuse supporting their futurerecordings or tours. Undaunted, the band recorded their own new release in1994; at this time Eric Stefani left the group, going on to work as ananimator for "The Simpsons". As this new album was rawer and more accessibleto the masses, Interscope relented and "Tragic Kingdom" was released inOctober 1995. Due in part to constant t...Read the entire review

For decades Bill Cosby has been a comedian of legendary status, and deservedly so. Not only did he manage to attain a high degree of fame plying his standup act trade in the 60's, he did so as an African-American, paving the way for so many others that have come after. His acts always dealt in large part with heaping portions of his family life- his childhood, his parents, and in turn his own marriage and children, and rarely did Cos veer into adults only material. He was also a pioneer for African-Americans in television, co-starring with Robert Culp in "I Spy". Before the breakaway hit series "The Cosby Show" came along in the '90's, Cosby tried to find success on the small screen on a number of occasions over the years.

The Bill Cosby Show was his first attempt at doing so after "I Spy" left the air; Cosby had signed a sweetheart contract deal with NBC, guaranteeing him a two y...Read the entire review

Adolf Hitler spent the last ten days of his life in a bunker deep beneaththe Chancellery building of the Third Reich during the chaotic period ofApril 1945. Unwilling to face the consequences of defeat, he took his ownlife on April 30, 1945. Long the subject of any number of books and at least three films- last years' excellent telling of the story, Downfall,with a chilling performance by Bruno Ganz as Der Fuhrer; as well as an HBOfilm several years ago, The Bunker with Anthony Hopkins playing Hitler, andthe movie Hitler- The Last Ten Days with Alec Guiness in the title role.Here we are given a slant on the story via archival footage as well asextensive interviews with Traudl Junge, Hitler's secretary to whom hedictated his will prior to his suicide; Rochus Misch, Hitler's bodyguard andcourier; Armin D. Lehmann, Hitler's courier responsible for carrying ordersfrom the Führerbunker as well as author of...Read the entire review

Blue Thunder: The Complete Series gets its name from a high-tech helicopter developed originally by the government as an anti-terrorist, crowd surveillance and control attack weapon, and what a weapon it is, boasting features the likes of an electric cannon, night sensors, whisper mode silent operation, heat detection that can "see" through walls, ultra sensitive microphones and a turbo speed engine. The series was based on the summer 1983 action film "Blue Thunder" which managed to rake in around 42 million at the box office and touted a decent array of stars- Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Malcolm MacDowell, Candy Clark and Daniel Stern starred in the movie version. An often followed but seldom successful strategy, ABC developed the film into a television series and introduced it as a mid-season replacement in January, 1984. Their timing couldn't have been much worse; CBS launched their own flybo...Read the entire review

It would be hard to exaggerate as to just how influential RichardPryor has been in entertainment, becoming a door opener not only for African Americans in comedy but also the entire field of standupcomedy regardless of race. Undeniably Bill Cosby first opened the doors inthe sixties, but his brand of storytelling was such that it crossed colorlines without stepping on many toes; indeed, Cosby's wit and humorseemingly could have come from any nationality- off-color for the Cos was,well, virtually non-existent. There were others who delved into a comedicfield far more bawdy and controversial- Lenny Bruce, Dick Gregory, and Redd Foxx ,forexample- but none with the kind of across the board notoriety or recognition that Pryor wouldacquire.

In his early career Pryor veered towards the kind of 'safe' standup comedythat kept him active but didn't garner fame; disgusted, he took two yearsaway fro...Read the entire review