Black And White Night - Roy Orbison

A Black & White Delight!!

I find there is nothing better on a miserable day than to settle down with the fire on to watch an old black & white movie! Now for those of you who are too young to remember, and that of course includes me (not!), before colour television was available all programmes were viewed in black and white. Not only were the old movies televised in black & white, but the original footage is in black & white, due to ...
...you see is nothing but black and white. However, that for me is the magic of those old movies, a captured period of time gone by…

However, today, with all technology available to enhance the finished footage……..
Why would you then choose to film it in Black & White??
Make it look old? Give it some character? Who knows, but with this show, it really works!!!

Roy Orbison (with friends) Black & White Night ... more

A Black & White Delight!!

I find there is nothing better on a miserable day than to settle down with the fire on to watch an old black & white movie! Now for those of you who are too young to remember, and that of course includes me (not!), before colour television was available all programmes were viewed in black and white. Not only were the old movies televised in black & white, but the original footage is in black & white, due to the lack of technology then of colour film. What a strange concept by today’s standards, actually filming something which is obviously in varying colour, but the outcome you see is nothing but black and white. However, that for me is the magic of those old movies, a captured period of time gone by…

However, today, with all technology available to enhance the finished footage……..
Why would you then choose to film it in Black & White??
Make it look old? Give it some character? Who knows, but with this show, it really works!!!

Roy Orbison (with friends) Black & White Night Music DVD

***The Show***
This show was put together to pay tribute to Roy Orbison, for his life time achievement of over 30 years in the entertainment business. The Show was recorded live, a one time special event, filmed in Black & White at Los Angeles’s Coconut Grove in 1987.

The show itself included Roy Orbison and a star studded line-up of friends. The “friends” were all individual recording artists themselves and all had volunteered to be part of the show in tribute to this great artist. The most unusual thing is that all the stars involved played as one huge band, instead of having individual spots…
The most enjoyable thing about this live session is the obvious fun of it all, it’s not taken seriously, and just comes across as being pure enjoyment, which in turn rubs off on the viewer.
I’d like to point out that this review is about show/DVD. It would be an injustice for me to try to give an account of the lifetime achievement of this performer within this review.

However, in brief summary, Roy Orbison had string of hits throughout his musical career which spanned from the 50’s through to the 90’s. His earlier personal life however was laced with tragedy, where his first wife Claudette was killed in a motorcycle accident, and he later lost two sons in a fire which burned down his home. After believing he would never find happiness again, he eventually remarried some years later, to his second wife Barbara, whom he lived with up until his untimely death.. He sadly died aged 52 of a massive heart attack in 1988.
However at that time he was still recording, and was in mid project with the Travelling Wilbury’s , which was made up with himself Roy Orbison, George Harrison (Beatles), Tom Petty (The Heartbreakers), Jeff Lynne (ELO) and Bob Dylan. He was also working on a solo album and these works were posthumously released in 1989, where the album Mystery Girl reached platinum and became the highest charted album of his career. At the same time the song “you’ve got it” from that album, was a hit as a single. In 1992 Virgin records finally released his album King of Hearts.
For his lifetime achievement, Roy Orbison was also inducted into the Rock & Roll music hall of fame.
Roy Orbison is held in high regard by many professionals in the music business and has been quoted as being a major influence by many artists, such as the Bee Gees, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, The Stones, Robert Plant and many more.
In fact Bruce Springsteen said that when he went into the recording studio to record his song “Born to Run”, he had the sound in his head where he wanted to sing it like Roy Orbison, but then he realised, “Nobody can sing like Roy Orbison”…..

***More on the show***

This show really is just one big gig! Where Roy Orbison sings hit after hit in his usual effortless manner. The audience is filled with celebrities, although I can’t imagine how much a ticket would have cost for such a high calibre performance. However for the rest of us, we get the best seat in the house. We see artist playing against artist, all adding and showing their own individual talents. Such is the calibre of the musicians, that it would be difficult to find a show of similar standing. The band, (friends), consists of various artists such as:

**James Burton: ** Session guitarist for:
Ricky Nelson, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Merle Haggard, The Monkees, The Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Presley & Roy Orbison.

**Jerry Schef: ** Session Bass Player for:
Johnny Mathis, Neil Diamond, Nancy Sinatra, Pat Boone, Everly Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Barbara Streisland, Judy Collins, The Door, Bob Dylan, John Denver, Tom Petty, Elvis Presley & Sam Philips

**Glenn Hardin**: Session Pianist for:
Linda Rondstandt, Gram Parsons, Elvis Presley & Roy Orbison

**Ron Tutt**: Session Drummer for:
Many recording session for various artists, Elvis Presley & Roy Orbison..

These four artists above are famous for being part of a band called T.C.B.
(Taking Care of Business) you’ve probably never heard of them? However, they were otherwise know as **“Elvis Presley’s** backing band”! Ah!!

**The other friends in the show include**:

Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, k.d. Lang, Jennifer Warnes.. Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, and Tom Waits.

The three females who are all individual recording artists themseleves, provide backing vocals which are absolute knock out!! The male artists provided instrumental input and backing vocals too, and just to top it off, there is a string section within the band too for all those classic Roy Orbison numbers….
Every one of these artists could command a show of their own. Their appreciation for Roy Orbison’s talent and lifetime achievement comes across throughout this tribute concert.

As for the rest of us, I am glad to say that we can still recapture this golden moment in the form of Video or DVD.. The DVD is excellent and includes some extras such as individual artist history, a Discography of Roy’s albums and singles through the years, some 35mm still photographs from the show and there few words written about Roy by his son.

The show filmed in Black & White does give the feeling of nostalgia and at times you forget when this actually took place. It’s the fresh faces of Elvis Costello & Bruce Springsteen that remind you that this is fairly modern.
I do feel that for the artists taking part in this extravaganza, that this surely must be a life time golden memory. As for the audience, they surely felt privileged being part of this once in a lifetime event too..

The only down side for me is that the DVD is only 64 minutes long. I would have loved to have seen more. Or maybe that’s me just being greedy! However I’m not sure if there was anymore. I believe that the DVD actually has two songs more than the Video version, and that the DVD has and had been re-mastered with enhanced sound.

**Sound**: The sounds on the DVD is available in DTS surround sound, Dolby Digital Stereo & Dolby Digital 5:1 Surround sound. The 5:1 surround sound is excellent. This film really takes full advantage of this possibility, but the DVD is equally enjoyable in ordinary stereo.

**Languages**:
The DVD is in 13 different languages

As for entertainment value, I’ve watch this over and over again. This is a timeless classic. Whether you are a Roy Orbison fan, a fan of any of the other artists, or just enjoy good music, I believe you would be impressed with this. The calibre of the musicians on stage I feel, do not fail to impress..
The audience are seated around tables in a very relaxed night club atmosphere, and that is what this show is all about, Just Pure enjoyment!!!

Roy sings many of his past hits and the renditions are possibly even better than the originals. The song list includes:

1. Only the Lonely
2. Dream Baby
3. Blue Bayou
4. The Comedians
5. Ooby Dooby
6. Leah
7. Running Scared
8. Uptown
9. In Dreams
10. Crying
11. Candyman
12. Go.Go.Go
13. Mean Woman Blues
14. Dream You
15. Claudette
16. It’s Over
17. Oh’ Pretty Woman

This show was recorded the year before Roy died, and at a time when he had just made an amazing comeback, where he was re recording albums with other artists. This film is a masterpiece in the filming of a master at his work…

The DVD is simply called: Roy Orbison Black & White Night
Release date: 11/09/1999
Price: Originally Purchased for £19:99, however far better deals can be found on line, on the likes of www.Amazon.co.uk, where I saw it for under £10:00 before p&p.

I think you’ll enjoy this one! It certainly impressed me………

 

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