"Actor: Santiago Reyes"

• Beat Street | DVD | (12/04/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  A slightly dated but nonetheless fascinating snap shot of musical history, Beat Street is an urban musical detailing the roots of hip-hop. Set in early 1980s New York, the film focuses on the lives of a small group of young people setting their experiences against the larger backdrop of the city's burgeoning music scene. The story of up and coming DJ Kenny and his relationship with jazz musician Tracy may only be a device, but it's surprisingly effective, as is the ultimately tragic tale of graffiti artist Remo. The movie's real raison d'être, however, is to showcase the sounds of the street and thus is full of some of hip-hop's most influential names--Melle Mel, Doug E Fresh, Kool Moe Dee, The Rocksteady Crew, Jazzy Jeff and Arthur Baker--and while the combination of electro and rapping may sound a little crude to modern ears, there can be no doubt that Beat Street is the sight and sound of history being made. On the DVD: Beat Street on disc comes with pretty basic picture quality, but the soundtrack has benefited greatly from the digital remastering. The extras are limited to a collection of stills from the film and an amusing guide to break beats, which seems like a wasted opportunity. Given the nature of the movie, it's something of a shame that this disc doesn't go deeper into the subject matter. For a far more detailed examination of how the music of Kraftwerk blended with the sounds of American city streets, go to Volume 3 of the excellent BBC series Dancing in the Street. --Phil Udell

• You're My Hero | DVD | (21/02/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The odds were stacked against Ramn from the start. He was always an outsider and to keep himself sane he lived by a strict mantra: don't fight don't snitch and don't cry. When his family settles in Seville Ramn becomes victim to the unwanted attention of the school's most notorious crowd. Backed against a wall he is forced to break the first rule of his mantra. This sets in full swing a chain of events that opens Ramn's eyes to an entirely new world. In the throes of adoles

• Christian Howes And The Horatio Icasto Quartet - Live In Madrid | DVD | (03/12/2007) from £25.63   |  Saving you £-1.64 (N/A%)   |  RRP £23.99

  Lauded as Downbeat Magazine's #2 rising star up-and-comer Christian Howes has wowed fellow performers and audiences alike with his explosive violin stylings uncanny improvisations and a remarkable stage presence that has caused him to be called the ""Jazz Paganini."" Whether working alongside Jazz icons such as Randy Brecker Jack DeJohnette Billy Hart and Dr. John or playing every important Jazz stage from Newport to Birdland Howes is both a breath of fresh air in the music world and the purveyor of a new sound that is breaking violin stereotypes and captivating music fans and critics yearning for a unique musical vision.