your favourite blues music dvd recommendations

Posted by: scottyhammer on 23 July 2006

Hi All,
Went round a friends house last nite and he was watching a music dvd - eric claptons crossroads tour.
although i enjoyed it to a certain point because i do like good guitaring and blues music by my fave artists: robert lucas - john martyn - john lee hooker to name but a few.
the dvd had a lot of discussion over the music which was annoying!
and to be honest i do not really rate clapton (never have) but thats another thread.
anyway the point is which blues music dvds do you rate and why??
regards, scotty
p.s. apologies to all clapton fans.
Posted on: 23 July 2006 by Diode100
Some might not strictly consider it blues, but Boz Scaggs - Greatest Hits Live is a great DVD. The band can just about play anything, and the camera work gets you in close, so you can see what they are actually playing.

Another good one is the Muddy Waters Chicago Blues Summit, with Willie Dixon, Mike Bloomfield, Otis Span etc.
Posted on: 23 July 2006 by Malky
Martin Scorcese's recent series of films were all pretty good, especially 'Godfathers and sons' which saw Public Enemy's Chuck-D reunite Muddy Water's 'Electric Mud' band.
A real disappointment was 'The American Folk Blues Festival'. Mouthwatering on paper, T-Bone Walker, Otis Rush, Hooker, Sonny Boy et al. It consisted of footage from German TV where they had mock southern shack style backgrounds in the studio with the artists giving rather embarrassed and self-conscious performances.
Posted on: 23 July 2006 by Sigmund
There's a terrific Howlin' dvd on BMG called the Secret History of Rock and Roll. I agree with Malky that the American FBF is spotty though I think there's a bunch of great, otherwise unavailable stuff. Stephan Grossman has a handful of dvds of pre-war artists filmed during the '60 rediscovery days that are worthwhile.

http://guitarvideos.com/vesta/00blues.htm
Posted on: 23 July 2006 by Malky
Not forgetting 'The Last Waltz' (Scorcese again) which has blistering performances from Muddy, Paul Butterfield and, dare I say, old Slowhand.
Posted on: 24 July 2006 by JWM
For a blues documentary, I have to say I think you have to go a long way to surpass Tony Palmer's "Rory Gallagher Irish Tour '74".

James