Cheap Legends of Rock 'N' Roll Live (DVD) (James Brown, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles, Little Richard) Price

Taped live in Rome and originally broadcast on Cinemax in 1989, this hourlong reunion of rock legends duplicates an all-star lineup as it might have appeared at the famous Apollo theater in the late 1950s. Here on one stage are the greatest blues-based musicians who built the solid foundation of rock & roll, all African American with the exception of Jerry Lee Lewis, and all showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. Belting out 15 songs followed by an all-star jam, all seven of these musical icons are in peak form here, and their collective energy indicates that this night, on stage before a packed house of surprisingly young and wildly enthusiastic Italians, was a special one for everyone involved. The visuals are routine--consisting of thorough but otherwise unremarkable multicamera coverage--but the music (with just a few minor feedback problems) is outstanding, and the pace is so breathtaking you'll almost forget Chuck Berry's conspicuous absence.

Anonymously deferring to his musical idols, Dave Edmunds shines as the architect of this spectacular concert. With a fantastic band assembled for this occasion, Edmunds provides most of the concert's ace guitar work, his Fender Strat urging everyone (especially Jerry Lee) to rock as if they hadn't aged a day in 30 years. You'll never mistake this for a tired nostalgia tour; fueled by the vitality of their appreciative audience, these veteran rockers put on a show that's as good as or better than any they'd ever done before. --Jeff Shannon

ACTORS:	James Brown, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles, Little Richard
CATEGORY:	DVD
THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE:	01 January, 1989
MANUFACTURER:	Image Entertainment
MPAA RATING:	NR (Not Rated)
FEATURES:	Color
TYPE:	Music Video - Pop/Rock
MEDIA:	DVD
# OF MEDIA:	1
UPC:	014381587821