PERFORMING THIS WEEK... LIVE AT RONNIE SCOTT'S

Jeff Beck. A mythical name, a rebellious genius and a surefire rock icon. Not the easiest chap to get along with, his much storied spats with almost everybody have become legendary. Contrary to his other 2 "guitar god" colleagues Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, Beck ventured beyond fame and fortune and "Frankly" (pardon the obvious pun) , Jeff "did it my way", going against all monetary logic in setting up groups which he would then deep- six, impish smile on his racing car face. Where Page milked the metallic Zeppelin for all its worth and Clapton shed his Tears from Heaven , maintaining his blues/pop image, Jeff eagerly dived into the most complex form of prog at the time (fusion jazz-rock) , kneeling at the Mahavishnu shrine and uniting with keyboard whiz Jan Hammer to discover new horizons, delving into electronica in his latest ventures. Truth (another pun) is that Jeff never gave a rat's ass about hit records, his irascible temperament made him brood over his instrument and he never really had anything beyond cult status (influencing a zillion guitarists like Slash, Perry, Satriani, Vai and May, among others). So why is this DVD such a winner and a MUST have? Intimacy to start, Ronnie Scott's is a fabled London jazz club that seats circa 250 people, showcase to the greatest stars since 1959 (Weather Report, Miles Davis, Vaughan, Evans, Fitzgerald , Mayfield and even Dream Theater!). Secondly, a whopper of a band featuring the incredible Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, the efficient Jason Rebello and most of all, the lovely and hugely talented Tal Wilkenfeld , a 22 year-old beauty from Down Under with impeccable credentials and exuberant attitude. Her beaming smile is alone worth the price, such a rare joy to witness in our plasticene world and marmalade life. Thirdly, the concert is not a conventional paying "gig" but rather an event that spanned 5 consecutive nights with 21 amazing tracks that span years and bands. Brief salutes to John MacLaughlin, Jan Hammer and Billy Cobham tunes, a superb curtsy to Stevie Wonder, another jaw drop on the Beatles' majestic "A Day in the Life", some blues standards with a cameo appearance by pal Eric Clapton, sizzling avant-pop with Imogen Heap (this was a surprise), R'n B with guest Joss Stone and a wide selection from his solo work, mostly penned by keyboardist Tony Hymas. I was expecting to hopscotch through less compelling pieces but I found myself unable to approach the skip button, totally subjugated by the spectacle. For such a snarly reputation (you see small hints of it in the Interview section), Beck certainly turns the tables on his few detractors on this stellar DVD, his obvious delight and warm cheerfulness is extremely addictive, showing quite convincingly that one can be a classy, enthusiastic show-off and not a surly, arrogant technician like Stanley Clarke or the lads from ELP. Jeff Beck mesmerizes with his guitar caresses, exhorting impossible sounds from his fretboard , a heady mix of sonic finesse and Hendrixian sexuality, unendingly elevated by the evident adulation from his bandmates. Tal is the other visual showcase, a curly red-haired beauty bass phenom who is happy to be in the presence of a true master and is unafraid to show her zeal. She easily reproduces Lee Sklar's momentous bass run on Cobham's masterpiece "Stratus", solos manically on the preposterously tasty "Cause We Ended Like Lovers" and holds down the bottom end in complete unison with Colaiuta , easily a top 50 drummer of all-time (endless sessions and a demanding career with Zappa , Sting and Joni Mitchell). The Clapton-Beck guitar duets are to die for. This was one hell of a show and a timeless adventure into a phenomenal talent, I guess you had to be there (like Robert Plant, Page, BonJovi and Brian May). If you want to sit back and spend the night catching your yo-yo jaw from hitting the floor, then go out and get this masterpiece. From the opening classic "Beck's Bolero" to the gentle ambient climax "Where Were You", you will be stunned into submission. Others have reviewed this glowingly, I can only add more fuel to the fire. 5 Boleros