Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Krall might swing harder, but Monheit soars higher
Being a fan mainly of classic rock, blues, and jazz, it is so rare and wonderful when a young artist comes along and has the talent and charisma to reinvigorate the art form. You can throw away those Norah Jones CD's, because here is a true singer. She actually sounds a great deal like Sarah MacLachlan, if she had fully learned how to use her voice and sung jazz.Jane Monheit has been picked on quite a bit simply beause she is absolutely gorgeous in an old fashioned classic way, but she handles herself so well on stage and fills the whole room with her voice that only a jealous woman would ever pick on her for being pretty. Her voice has also been compared to Ella Fitzgerald's, then struck down because she is not as good. That is completely unfair, because there was only one Ella, and there is only one Jane Monheit. And just because she is not Ella, does not mean she is not excellent. Jazz snobs of the world, move to Iraq, please! The concert opens with Ms. Monheit singing the introduction of Over the Rainbow, a cappella, a gutsy opening if there ever was one. Then she takes on Duke Ellington's Just Squeeze Me with a steamy sensuality which the so-called pop divas of today can only dream of. She has cleavage, but barely shows it, and brushing her long red hair out of her face while listening to a solo is hotter than any gesture by any teen queen with a tongue ring and silicone. Imagine that---subtlety, beauty, and talent. What decade am I in again? I had to buy this disc not having any idea how it would sound because of her excellent choice of tunes, including the haunting Bill Evans ballad Turn Out the Stars, which she performs with authority, all sadness and agony but no schmaltz, like a country tune done just right but not overdone or a steak cooked just enough to keep the flavor. The concert closes with the Berstein tune Some Other Time, which she uses to close all of her shows. Her favorite tune here is one of the best: More Than You Know, taken at a tempo too fast for my taste, but on the other hand proves that she can swing. I am just disappointed that such a good recording with orchestra was not done in DTS. Hopefully next time, they will budget for this. She is supported by a full orchestra, but the balance is good, you can always hear her clearly, and the band is spread all around by the mix. This is not a dream, this is not a test: a great beauty with a majestic voice performing in New York's hallowed Rainbow Room. Bravo!
Rating: - Jane Monheit's DVD is GREAT!
I have been waiting for this DVD to come out for a while. When it came today, the first thing I did was play the whole show and it was as good as when I saw her live last year. Visually it's great to watch in widescreen and the sound is a 5.1 surround sound which was great as well. If your a Jane Monheit fan, or a jazz fan, this is a DVD worth getting. Jane Monheit has one the best voices in jazz. Every jazz fan, if you have not heard her before, should take a listen to her CDs and be amazed.
Rating: - The best!
If you like Jane Monheit CDs, buy this, it's better.If you've been to see Jane's live shows, buy this, it's better. Not only is she in one of the nicest venues in the country, the Rainbow Room, not only is she in very fine form physically and musically -- but she has wonderful accompaniment. Actually one of my favorite moments on this DVD is a killer bass solo by Ron Carter. And the accompaniment shifts from band to guitar solo to piano to band, as the music demands. This thing has TWENTY different songs on it, and she nails every one of them. Even if you are just curious about who this Jane Monheit person is, buy this DVD. You will love it.
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