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Jan Akkerman – Live (DTS)

Picture: C+ Sound: B Extras: C+ Main Concerts: B

A former member of Friendship Sextet in the 1950s, then 1960s bands like The Hunters and Brainbox, Jan Akkerman established himself as one of Germany’s leading Rock guitarists. A terrific new DVD simply entitled Jan Akkerman – Live features two concerts and a nice set of extras showing off his skills today with a set of solid band members to back him up solo.

The acoustic Viersen set runs 34 minutes and offers the following tracks:

1) Streetwalker

2) Tommy (not affiliated with The Who’s rock opera)

3) My Pleasure

4) Am I Losing You

Then the electronic Leverkusen set goes on for an even longer 44 minutes and offers:

1) My Pleasure

2) Am I Losing You

3) Central Station

4) Heavy Treasure

5) Pietons & Hocus Pocus

6) Tommy

The Hocus Pocus is the legendary hit by the band Focus, but this version does not add the yodeling, and is amusingly smart enough to note that on the track listing. The performance itself is amusing in how different it is from the original, but still sounds like the song. Both concerts are taped in professional PAL video, with the first shot in 2001 in the 1.33 x 1 aspect ratio. The later was also shot in 2001, but carries a 2002 date on it and is framed at a letterboxed 1.78 X 1 frame, but both are still virtually the same in picture quality and detail. The detail is limited and color is muted in the darker parts of the frame, but both have their visual performance moments.

The sound on the DVD is available in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo with Pro Logic surrounds, but the DTS 5.1 blows them both away, with terrific clarity and music detail more than up to bringing these great concert moments alive. The interview would seem like the only extra from the menu, but it includes more music performances and that includes music improvisations. The interview is as smart as the music and all of Jan Akkerman – Live made a fan out of me.

- Nicholas Sheffo