Soul and Blues: 'Bliss Avenue de Luxe' in live format!

Ruf Records, which is known to have very first yes Sahneblues- and Soul artists under contract, periodically publish under the motto 'Songs From The Road' a Live-CD-DVD combination (see also Mike Zito, Joanne Shaw Taylor etc.). And this time, Dana Fuchs's turn!

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Here is the recorded live album 'Bliss Avenue' to a few titles but reduced to a few titles from other albums expanded. Total is here but a good setlist before, with blues and soul at its best. Dana Fuchs' voice is impressive, very emotional, but also incredibly strong, raspy and permanently supported by an excellent band together with excellent background singers. The recording quality is very good, voices and instruments 'flowing' strong and very clean from the speakers. Since it does not care!

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This is a really fine recording of their live concert in New York, in March 2014. The camera work looks professional, many close-ups of both Dana Fuchs and her colleagues on stage. Some images are very close to the action, carrying the viewer in the 1st row or on the stage directly to Dana Fuchs or guitarist. Quite cool! The scene changes are not too often and leave the concert not act too hectic. Sometimes in a long shot, the heads of the audience may be used as an image underpainting, rarely the readjustment begins with a blurred focus, only to drift into Sharp. The pauses between the tracks are sometimes cut out, the transitions thus not quite fluent and reduce a little the concert character.
Overall, a great DVD that includes all tracks on the CD with a slightly altered sequence except 'Love To Beg' and impressively conveys the power of Dana Fuchs.

It already receives' a lot for very little money: Dana Fuchs as Power Soul and Blues Lady on a live CD and the matching images to !!

But why only 4 stars? Because I miss a special live recording, the individuality against a studio recording. The pieces have little Standalone compared to pieces of studio CDs. Visiting I expect a concert not only a certain atmosphere, a certain tingle in the air but also other versions of the studio recordings - at least a few delicacies. A live DVD and CD of course can not reflect this atmosphere - but the individuality of the songs would have been possible.

Ergo: Cool songs, cool voice, great DVD but little different or new as compared to the studio albums!