A Tribute To The King - Scotty Moore & Friends

“Scotty Moore was in the delivery room when Rock & Roll was born, kicking and howling in the Tennessee night.

On July 5, 1954, guitarist Scotty Moore, bass player Bill Black and a young man from Tupelo, Mississippi, by the name of Elvis Aaron Presley recorded “That’s All Right” at the Memphis Recording Service – and the world was never to be the same again. Now, in another music city’s most celebrated studio, Moore and a clutch of Rock & Roll’s most famous sons pay tribute to that young man and the music he brought to live.

Mama, it certainly is all right.”

This introduction of this DVD says it all, but let’s take a closer look and decide if the tribute is as right as the words above.

Design

The design of the DVD is good, the standard DVD box is in a slip case, but unfortunately it is missing a booklet with more background information on the performers… not that it is necessary for all of them.
The DVD itself is perfect. Well designed menus, transitions and options like DTS, Dolby Digital, subtitles in several languages (and region 0) makes this (finally) an Elvis related product for which was taken care of business.

Content

With Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings as backbone for most of the show we knew beforehand that fine musicians were present to be a good base. Nevertheless we had to wait how the finishing touch would be, since in a lot of tribute shows that is just not it (e.g. “A Tribute To Leiber And Stoller”). No need to worry this time!

From fine vocalists like Paul Ansell and Mike Sanchez, through artists that gained their own merits, such as Albert Lee and Steve Gibbons to legends as Clapton and Mark Knopfler… they all payed tribute in their own, honest way. To our shame we have to admit that we never heard of one Martin Taylor, but after googling him we soon found out that he won nearly continuously the British jazz award for best guitarist since 1985. After listening this DVD we know why, and also why there were no vocalists on his contributions… they must have been speechless.

Still it is impossible to name a highlight; this show is 80 minutes of pure entertainment of a very high level, with (an often smiling!) Scotty binding most of it together.

The extras are entertaining too, some interviews and a very nice impression behind the scenes. This rehearsals show that even legends are just human beings: Bill Wyman asking Scotty to sign his copy of the 3 DVD set of the Comeback special. During the last section of the extras “Friends of Scotty” it is hard to keep it dry when people like Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Ron Wood and Bill Wyman talk about their first “contacts” with Elvis and Scotty, their feelings of being on stage with Scotty and their messages to him…

Conclusion

Finally an Elvis related product that is finished from head to toes, a must have for every music lover, not just Elvis-fans. After all poor releases we have seen and heard lately an issue like this makes you understand why you are an Elvis fan in the first place: his originality and honesty in his music, and that is something that will never die.

Baby, Let's Play House (Mark Knopfler)
Shake, Rattle & Roll (Paul Ansell)
A Mess Of Blues (Paul Ansell)
One Night (Paul Ansell)
Don't Be Cruel (Steeve Gibbons)
Money Honey (Eric Clapton)
All Shook Up (Mike Sanchez)
Lawdy Miss Cloudy (Mike Sanchez)
Blue Moon (Martin Taylor)
I Forgot To Remember (Paul Ansell)
Reconsider Baby (Paul Ansell)
Ready Teddy (Paul Ansell)
Heartbreak Hotel (Martin Taylor)
Don't (David Gilmour)
Jailhouse Rock (Steeve Gibbons)
Good Rocking Tonight (Paul Ansell)
I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine (Steeve Gibbons)
Baby I Don't Care (Albert Lee)
Blue Suede Shoes (Albert Lee)
Tenessee Waltz (Martin Taylor)
Mystery Train (Eric Clapton)
Hound Dog (Albert Lee)
Making Of "A Tribute To the King" (Bonus)
Interviews (Bonus)
Jukebox (Bonus)