When this concert was recorded in December 2003, the gospel group The Blind Boys Of Alabama existed for over sixty years. They once started at the Blinden Institute as a five-man group, but after some staff changes they present themselves here as a seven-man group, so that the prefix Five has been dropped. The concert that is recorded on this DVD is dedicated to Christmas but can also be enjoyed
… during other seasons. After all, timeless songs like People Get Ready and Amazing Grace are separate from the Christmas spirit. What makes the performances special is the help that the blind singers receive from well-known names from pop and soul such as Chrissie Hynde, Aaron Neville, Michael Franti, Mavis Staples and blues guitarist Duke Robillard. In the bonus section, these guys are interviewed about the Blind Boys' influence on their own music and are followed through rehearsals for the concert. The contributions of Tom Waits and Solomon Burke, which can be heard on the CD of the same name, are unfortunately missing here. (MS)more
