Mary J. Blige - Live in Los Angeles (2004)

Overrated

My wife bought this CD as she's a Mary J Blige fan, and even she made a comment about it not being as good as her other CDs. To be honest I think she is incredibly overrated as a singer, and this CD shows that all too clearly. I assume it's been overdubbed in parts, as she's not as off key as I have heard her in other gigs (Superbowl, Grammys, etc.).

If you like this sort of thing I guess it's OK, but it's not really my thing. I think what I dislike more than anything else is how she is touted as such a great singer, but you can hear that she sings flat throughout this (she often sings flat on her studio CDs too though), and she oversings some songs to the point where her voice cracks.

I would say if you're going to buy her CDs, stick to the studio albums, as they don't expose her vocal shortcomings as much. April 17, 2008

Mary J. Blige rocks.

This is an exclusive type dvd, cuz she does a vegas-like show for the L.A. crowd. Go out & treat yourself to Mary. Recommended video, A++. September 2, 2007

Remedy.

Returning to Los Angeles for the first time since "The Tour" in 1998, Mary J. Blige's "Love & Life Tour" was captured on April 20, 2004 with a performance that can best be described as LEGENDARY!! Backed with a seven-piece band led by bassist Zachary Scott, keyboardists Carnell Thigpen & Luke Motley and the explosive rhythms of Rex Hardy, Jr., six dancers, and four of the most talented background vocalists ever assembled on a live stage, she took me on a journey back through time and hit me with the future Mary J. in a resounding fashion. The arrangements, the energy, the warmth of her sincerity, her humility and words of encouragement throughout the entire DVD are all unparallel. She literally gave me chills singing Philip Bailey's classic, "Children of the Ghetto." The way she personified it reveals the agony she experienced growing up. Another creative aspect of the film is when we see Mary J. depicted being surrounded by a mass of producers at a table telling her how to be successful. She bellows, "The fans have cried and damned near died with me. Y'all can't even relate to Mary J. Blige." Just as she walks out of the room, with her husband Kendu Issacs tailing her, we see a shot of Mathew Knowles (Beyonce's father) trying to convince her about generating profits. She reiterates, "If we don't have the fans, we don't exist." This was the film's ultimate theme. We get to know Mary personally. What's missing in today's entertainment industry is the closeness of an artist to the fan base. As the album continues to enlighten, her voice is better than ever on the live show. She worked wonders on every song, especially with "My Life," "Your Child," "The Love I Never Had," featuring a hot guitar solo by Shon Hinton, "No More Drama" & "Everything." [I sure wish she would have done "Missing You," "Love Is All We Need," "All That I Can Say" and "Give Me You" live!!! No biggie!!] Her band literally electrified the stage as every song was accurately translated and performed with such tenacity. In its conclusion, she sings "Family Affair" and the band incorporates a portion of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" as the dancers paying homage to the King of Pop with their flashy choreography. WOW!! This is a very poignant live DVD. Big ups to Mathew Knowles, J. Kevin Swain, and Merck Mercuriadis at Sanctuary Urban for producing such an awesome feature. After years of so much pain and suffering, "Live from Los Angeles" is a definite remedy to the life of MJB!! April 4, 2006

In a word LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES is cathartic.

Sometimes I wonder why I say LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES is Mary J. Blige's best DVD. It's not what I'd recommend to Mary beginners who may need the testimonials of Hollywood glitterati to get how great Mary is. For those who need the endorsements of P Ditty, Sting and Elton John to get Mary, I suggest the House of Blues DVD. There you will see Jessica Simpson, Ellen DeGeneres and Kelly Osbourne bowing at the alter of Mary.

But without a doubt LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES is a better DVD. A tribute to her fans without whom she states she is `nobody' in the opening sequence featuring Beyonce's father, it is better precisely because it is free from the phony baloney of celebrity. Here the gigantic Los Angeles stadium is filled with Mary fans. And this DVD perfectly captures Mary's emotional connection with them.

LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES takes the viewer on a voyage through the legendary albums, the monster hits and the now mythic story of Mary J. Blige, a singer from the projects of Yonkers, New York, who is unfortunately short changed by the nickname, "The Queen of Hip Hop Soul."

In truth Mary is just a great singer, whose talents transcend the boundaries of specific genres. And in her bones she knows how to connect with her audience.

In this concert, Mary looks happy, her voice sounds great and effortless and she seems self confident, sober and more accepting of herself than at any time in career which makes LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES, her best DVD.

If you are Mary beginner I recommend you start with the House of Blues concert that was also released in 1994 during Grammy Week and features artists you may be more familiar with including Sting and Elton John.

But if you already love her music and are ready for the real deal Mary concert, LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES is fantastic. Not only is the sound quality good, the songs utterly beautiful and Mary's voice crisp, clear and effortless, but Mary herself looks good and just acts like a lady who finally gets and accepts herself.

I am sure that to some that may sound like Mary is full of herself here, but that is hardly the case. Mary is at the very least the Aretha Franklin of our generation but more than that, she is also probably on par with a Pavoratti, who like Mary had to come to terms with owning one of the greatest voices in history. I am thrilled Mary has finally accepted that and has become a Mary fan, too. March 26, 2006

SHE'S STILL THE BOMB

I have been a fan of Mary for a long time. Every album that Mary brings out is my favourite one (meaning she always brings one that tops the previous one). Live in Los Angeles did the trick for me. I have not been fortunate enough to see her perform in person but, this dvd was the next best thing. I felt like if I was in the VIP section of her concert. I tip my hat to Mary she is still my favourite singer after all these years! Her emotions touch me and I can identify with her music. She gave me goosebumps. Mary has a remarkable voice and her stage presence is something else, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. BUY THIS DVD!!!!!!! IT HOT!!!! A COLLECTORS ITEM!!!!! March 14, 2006

More reviews at Amazon.com ...