"Actor: Ali Farka"

• Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey | DVD | (12/12/2008) from £19.99   |  Saving you £3.00 (15.01%)   |  RRP £22.99

  It may have been underrated when first broadcast, but executive producer Martin Scorsese's homage to the blues is a truly significant, if imperfect, achievement. "Musical journey" is an apt description, as Scorsese and the six other directors responsible for these seven approximately 90-minute films follow the blues--the foundation of jazz, soul, R&B, and rock & roll--from its African roots to its Mississippi Delta origins, up the river to Memphis and Chicago, then to New York, the United Kingdom, and beyond. Some of the films (like Wim Wenders's The Soul of a Man and Charles Burnett's Warming by the Devil's Fire) use extensive fictional film sequences, generally to good effect. There's also plenty of documentary footage, interviews, and contemporary studio performances recorded especially for these films. The last are among the best aspects of the DVDs, as the bonus material features the set's only complete tunes. Lou Reed's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" and the ElektriK Mud Kats' (with Chuck D. of Public Enemy) hip-hop-cum-traditional updating of Muddy Waters's "Mannish Boy" are among the best of them; on the other hand, a rendition of "Cry Me a River" by Lulu (?!) is a curious choice, even with Jeff Beck on hand. The absence of lengthier vintage clips, meanwhile, is the principal drawback. For that reason alone, Clint Eastwood's Piano Blues is the best of the lot; a musician himself, Eastwood simply lets the players play, which means we get extensive file footage of the likes of Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, and Nat "King" Cole, as well as new performances by Ray Charles, Dr. John, and others. Overall, this is a set to savor, a worthwhile investment guaranteed to grow on you over the course of repeated viewings. --Sam Graham

• Later With Jools Holland - World | DVD | (25/07/2005) from £14.98   |  Saving you £0.01 (0.07%)   |  RRP £14.99

  This is the 8th 'Later' DVD to be taken from the series. It contains a fabulous collection of 33 performances featuring a range of artists from around the globe including leading lights in the world music scene Bebel Gilberto Gipsy Kings Youssou N'Dour Ibrahim Ferrer Cesaria Evora Ladysmith Black Mambazo Salif Keita plus a performance by Afel Bocoum featuring Blur's Damon Albarn. Tracklisting: 1. Youssou N'Dour: Li Ma Weesu 2. Ojos De Brujo: Ventilator R-80 3. Oumou Sang

• A Visit To Ali Farka Toure | DVD | (07/11/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The Grammy-Award winning legendary African singer and guitarist Ali Farka Toure declines without hesitation offers of international tours and recording sessions with the most famous of musicians. He has done all that and felt that it was weakening the link between his music and its source in deep Mali. So he has returned to Niafunke the village on the banks of the River Niger that became his home when he was only seven years old. He now sees himself first and foremost as a far

• Feel Like Going Home | DVD | (27/02/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Director Martin Scorsese pays homage to the Delta Blues. Musician Corey Harris travels through Mississippi and on to West Africa exploring the roots of the music. The film celebrates the early Delta Bluesman through original performances and rare archival footage.