Performers include – besides Carlos Santana, guitar, and his nine-piece band – Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ravi Coltrane, John McLaughlin, Idrissa Diopwith, Barbara Morrison, Patti Austin, Steve Winwood, Angelique Kidjo, Sylver Sharp and Nile Rodgers
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Video: 1.78:1 widescreen 16:9, 1080p HD color
Audio: DTS-HD 5.1, DD 5.1, PCM Stereo
Extras: Interview with Carlos Santana about the concert: “The Inspiration for Hymns for Peace”; 3 bonus tracks
Length: 181 minutes
Rating: *****
The Blu-ray music DVDs are coming! And they’re a major improvement over music concerts on standard DVDs and even more so over the many music laserdiscs which were once available but had poor sales. One’s appreciation for and involvement in the music is heightened so much with the hi-def widescreen images of the performers, and the surround sound – whether uncompressed PCM surround or one of the lossless hi-res surround codecs such as DTS-HD used on this disc – is the best ever. You’re getting a presentation which should knock out any audiophile or videophile.
The Montreux Jazz Festival has become one of the primary annual music events in the world during its exciting 40 years of existence. This special Hymns for Peace event was introduced by the festival’s founder Claude Nobs as “the highlight in the 38-year history of the festival.” Nearly every minute of that concert – including the rehearsals – was captured on hi-def video, and this is it.
Carlos Santana had toured a band with Wayne Shorter and they found themselves traveling with the Miles Davis Band (Shorter had played in Miles’ group and was a close friend). Carlos had a dream for years of bringing together all of these musicians plus others such as Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. It finally happened in 2004, though with the Davis band of course. Nobs had asked Santana to suggest a concept for a special evening, and this was it. The theme is that all the musicians unite in celebrating the music and ideals of songs dedicated to the quest for freedom for all who yearn for world peace.
All 17 selections are a kick, but I’ll just highlight a few moments that seemed special to me: The opening Afro Blue really swung with both Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock on keyboards – Chick on the Fender Rhodes and Herbie at the grand piano – plus great solos by saxist Wayne Shorter and guitar McLaughlin. Several of the tracks were medleys of two tunes, and Peace on Earth / Boogie Woman got everyone boogying like mad, with participation by five of the vocalists. Steve Winwood took a solo turn on Why Can’t We Live Together, and Idrissa Diop sang The Banana Boat Song with the Santana Band. Santana’s big hit Jingo had the solo participation of Shorter, Hancock and McLaughlin among others. The final tun was a major change of pace as an a capella choir sang the final section of The Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, joined after several repetitions by the Santana Band. There are also three more bonus tracks, including two John Lennon classics that perfectly fit the occasion: Imagine and Give Peace a Chance.
TrackList: Intro, Afro Blue, Adouma, Redemption Song, Exodus/Get Up Stand Up, Blowin’ in the Wind/A Place in the Sun, Just Like a Woman, What’s Going On, Peace on Earth/Boogie Woman, Why Can’t We Live Together, Light at the Edge of the World, Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord, Banana Boat Song, Day of Celebration, Ah Sweet Dancer/In a Silent Way, Jingo, A Love Supreme, Ode to Joy (Beethoven); Bonus tracks – One Love, Imagine, Give Peace a Chance.
– John Henry
