Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Sights and Sounds: Paul Rodgers & Friends, Gary Moore, Pearl Jam

Wow! Eagle Rock Entertainment is releasing several highly-anticipated releases, including DVD titles a legendary performance by Paul Rodgers & Friends and the final live performance by guitarist Gary Moore. And fans of Pearl Jam can get amped about the broadcast premiere of Pearl Jam Twenty this fall!


Paul Rodgers & Friends 'Live At Montreux 1994' On DVD And CD September 13, 2011


To be totally succinct about it, Paul Rodgers (pictured on the right, courtesy of Thilo Rahn) is simply one of the best rock frontmen in history. Period. No argument. End of discussion. His soulful blustery pipes have stood the test of time from Free, Bad Company and The Firm to Queen and beyond. Be it blues, rock’n’roll, ballads, R’n’B, or pop, there isn’t anything this man cannot sing.

On September 13, Eagle Rock Entertainment will simultaneously release Paul Rodgers & Friends Live At Montreux 1994 on CD and DVD [MSRP $14.98 for DVD, $13.98 for CD]. Touring in support of his Grammy nominated Muddy Water Blues album (available on Eagle Records), Rodgers assembled a top notch unit of blues and rock veterans to give the Montreux faithful the night of their lives. What a lineup! , Queen’s Brian May, Black Country Communion’s Jason Bonham , Toto’s Steve Lukather and Journey’s Neal Schon, joined guitarist Ian Hatton, bassist John Smithson and such blues performers and players as Eddie Kirkland, Sherman Robertson, Luther Allison, Robert Lucas and Kenny Neal. As Willie Dixon says, it’s a wang-dang doodle!

Material consisted of many of the songs Rodgers penned and built his sterling reputation on (including “All Right Now,” “Can’t Get Enough” and “Feel Like Making Love”) but the bulk of the evening was nothin’ but the blues: faithful joyously jam-happy renditions of songs written by Robert Johnson in 1936 (“Crossroads”), Sonny Boy Williamson in 1937 (“Good Morning Little School Girl”), Booker T & The MGs in 1967 (“The Hunter”) and three that Willie Dixon wrote for Muddy Waters in 1954 (“I’m Ready” and “Hoochie Coochie Man”) and 1961 (“Let Me Love You Baby”).

Complete Track Listing:
1) Introduction
2) Travelling Man
3) Wishing Well
4) Louisiana Blues
5) Fire And Water
6) Muddy Water Blues
7) Good Morning Little School Girl
8) I’m Ready
9) Little Bit Of Love
10) Mr. Big
11) Feel Like Making Love
12) Let Me Love You Baby
13) The Hunter
14) Can’t Get Enough
15) All Right Now
16) Crossroads
17) Hoochie Coochie Man

Eagle Rock Entertainment is an international media production and distribution company operating across audiovisual entertainment programming. Eagle Rock Entertainment works directly alongside talent to produce the highest quality programming output covering film, general entertainment and musical performance. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices based in London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Hamburg, & Paris.



GARY MOORE LIVE AT MONTREUX 2010

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release, on September 20, 2011, the very last live performance in the life of acclaimed guitarist/singer/songwriter Gary Moore. Live At Montreux 2010 strikingly shows a major return-to-rock for the musician who spent years exploring the blues. In fact, in the last days of his life, Moore, who died on February 6 of this year, was working on a new rock album. [MSRP $13.98 for CD, $14.98 for DVD, and $19.98 for Blu-ray]


What makes this release so compelling is the inclusion of three never-before-released gems, “Days Of Heroes,” “Where Are You Now” and “Oh Wild One,” that he previewed for the Montreux audience and had fully intended to put on the album he was writing and recording at the time. The rest of the set is heavy on the 1980s rock he pioneered solo, as well as his late 60s/70s work with Phil Lynott in Thin Lizzy and Skid Row. And, of course, some blues.

Gary Moore was born in 1952 Belfast, Ireland. Heavily influenced by Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green, he joined Skid Row (not to be confused with the American band of the same name) as a teenaged phenomenon in 1969 for three albums before going solo, joining Thin Lizzy, and going solo again. His hit single “Parisienne Walkways” catapulted him into the hearts and minds of discerning music lovers around the globe and subsequent forays into Celtic (Wild Frontier, 1987) and blues (Still Got The Blues, 1990) preceded an album with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce (BBM, 1994). Much more blues would follow, most notably Power Of The Blues in 2004. Through it all, he maintained the highest level of musicianship and became revered for his constant searching and the redefining of his own artistry.

Track Listing:

CD:
1) Over The Hills And Far Away
2) Military Man
3) Days Of Heroes
4) Where Are You Now?
5) So Far Away/Empty Rooms
6) Oh Wild One
7) Blood Of Emeralds
8) Out In The Fields
9) Walking By Myself
10) Johnny Boy
11) Parisienne Walkways

DVD/Blu-ray:
1) Over The Hills And Far Away
2) Thunder Rising
3) Military Man
4) Days Of Heroes
5) Where Are You Now?
6) So Far Away/Empty Rooms
7) Oh Wild One
8) Blood Of Emeralds
9) Out In The Fields
10) Still Got The Blues
11) Walking By Myself
12) Johnny Boy
13) Parisienne Walkways

For more information on the Paul Rodgers or Gary Moore collections, visit Eagle Rock's official Web site.



THIRTEEN's American Masters celebrates Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary with Cameron Crowe's intimate new film




Pearl Jam Twenty premieres Friday, October 21 on PBS as part of the first PBS Arts Fall Festival


Features never-before-seen footage, career-spanning performances and new band interviews



Watch the trailer and connect with other music icons at pbs.org/americanmasters

American Masters continues its 25th anniversary season with Pearl Jam Twenty, premiering nationally Friday, October 21, 2011, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) on PBS (check local listings). Academy Award®-winning director and music journalist Cameron Crowe creates a definitive portrait of the seminal band carved from over 1,200 hours of rarely and never-before-seen footage, plus over 24 hours of recent band interviews and concert footage. The captivating, two-hour documentary gives viewers and fans an intimate first glimpse into Pearl Jam's journey in honor of the band's 20th anniversary. American Masters Pearl Jam Twenty is part of the first PBS Arts Fall Festival, a multi-platform event anchored by nine films that highlight artists and performances from around the country.

Told in big themes and bold colors with blistering sound, Pearl Jam Twenty chronicles the years leading up to the band's formation, the chaos that ensued soon-after being catapulted into superstardom, their step back from the spotlight with the instinct of self-preservation, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them - giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. Part concert film, part insider hang, part testimonial to the power of music and uncompromising artists, the film celebrates the freedom that allows Pearl Jam to make music without losing themselves, their fans, or the music lovers they've always been. Pearl Jam Twenty features new interviews with original band members Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, drummer Matt Cameron, and friend and Soundgarden singer/guitarist Chris Cornell, as well as archival performance and interview footage of Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Kurt Cobain, and Neil Young.


Complex and relevant after two decades, Pearl Jam remains a giant musical force and one of the biggest and most magnetic touring acts in the world. With over 60 million albums sold worldwide, they continue to create and perform all on their own terms. Known for their passionate expression, intense and philosophical lyrics, and amazing relationship with fans, Pearl Jam is not known for their media or personal exposure, making the revelations in Pearl Jam Twenty all the more special.

"When I set out to make this film, my mission was to assemble the best-of-the-best from Pearl Jam's past and present and give audiences a visceral feeling of what it is to love music and to feel it deeply - to be inside the journey of a band that has carved their own path," says Cameron Crowe. "There is only one band of their generation for which a film like this could even be made, and I'm honored to be the one given the opportunity to make it."


Crowe was among the band's inner circle when they formed and has maintained a close friendship with the band since his days as a reporter for Rolling Stone in Seattle. Almost 20 years after the band's inception, Eddie, Jeff, Stone, and Mike gave their longtime friend the okay to raid the vault and assemble the story no one but those closest to them ever knew. Audiences will become intimate with the Seattle musicians whose sound and social consciousness were revolutionary - Pearl Jam stood up to both the prevailing social politic and the oppressive music industry.

"We are delighted to be presenting Pearl Jam's 20th on American Masters' 25th - a truly perfect anniversary celebration. We continue the tradition of matching world-class filmmakers with subjects like this band, who revolutionized our culture with their music and their exemplary social consciousness," says Susan Lacy, series creator and executive producer of American Masters, a seven-time winner of the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Primetime Non-Fiction Series.The seriesis a production of THIRTEEN for WNET New York Public Media. WNET is the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York's public television stations. For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentary and other programs to the New York community.

As part of their year-long "PJ20" celebration, Pearl Jam will release the Pearl Jam Twenty soundtrack and book in September. The soundtrack from Columbia Records/Sony Music is comprised of tracks selected by Cameron Crowe, making the album a true companion piece to the film. Published by Simon & Schuster in the U.S. and Atlantic Books in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, the book is an aesthetically stunning chronicle of Pearl Jam's past two decades, compiled and written by veteran music writer Jonathan Cohen with Mark Wilkerson, and featuring a foreword by Cameron Crowe and material from all his own band interviews. Also this September: Pearl Jam's Alpine Valley Labor Day anniversary weekend concert and 10-date Canadian tour, followed by the film's theatrical release. The DVD will be available in October after the PBS broadcast premiere. For more information, visit pbs.org/americanmasters.



To take American Masters beyond the television broadcast and further explore the themes, stories and personalities of masters past and present, the companion website (pbs.org/americanmasters) offers streaming video of select films, interviews, essays, photographs, outtakes, and other resources. As part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival, PBSArts.org will host an online interactive exhibit that takes viewers into the design process behind Pearl Jam's CD and poster artwork.

American Masters is made possible by the support of the National Endowment for the Arts and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding for American Masters is provided by Rosalind P. Walter, The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation, Rolf and Elizabeth Rosenthal, Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, Jack Rudin, The André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation, Michael & Helen Schaffer Foundation, and public television viewers. This PBS Arts Fall Festival presentation is in collaboration with PBS member station KCTS. Funding for the launch of PBS Arts has been provided by Anne Ray Charitable Trust, public television viewers and PBS.



About WNET New York Public Media
WNET is America's flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces such acclaimed PBS series as Great Performances, American Masters, Nature, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Noah Comprende and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through SundayArts, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

About PBS Arts Fall Festival
As part of its commitment to increase every American's access to and participation in the arts, PBS kicks off the multi-platform PBS Arts Fall Festival October 14th. Anchored by Friday night broadcasts, the Fall Festival features artists and performances from nine communities across the country and celebrity hosts from each locale. With full-length performances; local mini-documentaries of arts scenes around the country; backstage access through interviews; artist and performer profiles; online immersive exhibits; and classroom resources, the PBS Arts Fall Festival entertains and inspires consumers by offering a front-row seat to the creativity, culture, history and scope of the arts. Funding for the launch of PBS Arts Fall Festival has been provided by Anne Ray Charitable Trust, public television viewers and PBS.

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