New CD releases: A week for audiovisual
Some of this week's best new music arrives on video disc, as well as CD. RETURN OF THE VARIETY SHOW: Recently debuted as a PBS special, "Chris Botti in Boston" (Columbia, A-) is a brilliant bundling of styles and stars, with Botti's distinctively muted, tasteful trumpet voice as the arc connecting to his cool 'n' sma
Some of this week's best new music arrives on video disc, as well as CD.
RETURN OF THE VARIETY SHOW: Recently debuted as a PBS special, "Chris Botti in Boston" (Columbia, A-) is a brilliant bundling of styles and stars, with Botti's distinctively muted, tasteful trumpet voice as the arc connecting to his cool 'n' smashing jazz band, cellist Yo Yo Ma, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Sting, Josh Groban, John Mayer, Katherine McPhee, the Boston Pops Orchestra and more. The high-def video shoot is available on Blu-ray and standard DVD.
TOWER OF SONG: If you missed out on tickets to his upcoming Academy of Music show, Leonard Cohen "Live In London" (Sony Music, A) fills the bill at a fraction of the cost. The DVD boasts the same exquisitely buffed, Mediterranean-pop-flavored band, soulful backup singers and 2 1/2-hour parade of bracing, poetically charged hits delivered in Cohen's distinctive, velvet fog fashion. Both two-channel and 5.1 surround sound options on the video disc are audiophile-grade. Also available as an CD/download.
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING: The 1959 movie version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's landmark "South Pacific" has been treated to a visually sumptuous and feature-enhanced upgrade on high-definition Blu-ray disc (Fox, A-). WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT: After enjoying "Slumdog Millionaire" (also out this week on Fox home video,) take a listen to its soundtrack composer's equally magical, East-meets-West music compilation "The Best of AR Rahman" (Bollywood, B+).
Singer/songwriter Steve Forbert's "The Place and The Time" (429 Records, A-) offers more apt commentary on these tough times, ruminating on lost jobs, identity theft and survival in the big, bad city.
Guitarist John Scofield has gotten religion - but good - with his scorching, jubilant blues/gospel/New Orleans jazz-flavored "Piety Street" (Emarcy, B+).
Also promising aid and comfort, exclusively via Walmart, "Oh Happy Day" (EMI, B) delivers fresh performances of populist spirit-lifters. Think Jon Bon Jovi doing "Keep the Faith," Angelique Kidjo with "Redemption Song" and 3 Doors Down remaking "Presence of the Lord."
SEXY SERENADES: Diana Krall delivers Brazilian and U.S. standards with an intimate, smoky voice and delicately tinkled piano on the samba-lite "Quiet Nights" (Verve, B). *