Kit O'Toole

A group poster of How they Got Over

How They Got Over: Gospel Quartets and the Road to Rock & Roll DVD Review

Rock & roll’s roots draw from numerous genres—blues, country, and rhythm and blues, to name a few.  However, gospel remains ...
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Burt Sugarman’s The Soul of The Midnight Special: Volume 1 (1973-1976) DVD Review: A Soulful Nostalgia Trip

Long before MTV, if you wanted to see your favorite artist perform their latest hits, you had limited choices: see ...
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Book Review: Run-Out Groove: Inside Capitol’s 1980s Hits & Stiffs by Dave Morrell

In the 1980s, everything seemed bigger: the fashions, the drugs, the money, and even the sound of music. For Dave ...
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The Beatles: Made on Merseyside DVD Review: Offers Little New Information

In 1964, Americans viewed the Beatles as seemingly coming out of nowhere, rapidly scoring hits and inciting Beatlemania. In reality, ...
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Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World Movie Review: Revealing a Lesser-Known Story of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Just when it seems like books and documentaries have thoroughly covered the history of rock 'n' roll, along comes a ...
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Concert for George Movie Review: A Deeply Moving Tribute to a Multifaceted Artist

George Harrison's life and career may seem impossible to capture in just an hour and a half. Yet his friends ...
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Free to Rock DVD Review: Documentary Explores Music’s Role in Toppling Communism

“Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose,” Janis Joplin sang in “Me and Bobby McGee.” For teens living ...
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Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago DVD Review: New Documentary Paints an Incomplete Picture of the Band

When asked to define Chicago's sound, saxophonist Walter Parazaider provides this simple summary: “a good rock and roll band with ...
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Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland DVD Review: Singer’s Final Years Explored

Filming a biopic is fraught with difficulty. How can a writer and director accurately portray an international icon onscreen? Few ...
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Gospel According to Al Green DVD Review: A Career at a Crossroads

In 1977, R&B legend Al Green signaled to fans that he was undergoing a life—and career—transformation. “Belle,” a track off ...
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Last of the Mississippi Jukes DVD Review: Blues History Revisited

Actor Morgan Freeman, who co-owns Mississippi juke joint Ground Zero, describes Delta Blues as “American classical music.” The documentary Last ...
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Pete Townshend’s Deep End: Face the Face Reveals the Soul of a Rock Legend

As the title of a 1994 box set declared, the Who proved themselves as masters of “maximum R&B.” That phrase ...
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The Everly Brothers: Harmonies from Heaven DVD Review: An Appreciation of the Duo’s Impact on Early Rock ‘n’ Roll

Early rock pioneers the Everly Brothers set the standard for impeccable harmonies, and wowed audiences with their special blend of ...
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Toto: Live at Montreux 1991 DVD Review: Shows a Band in Transition

By 1991, Toto was at a crossroads. Only four original members remained: guitarist/lead vocalist Steve Lukather, keyboardist/lead vocalist David Paich, ...
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TV Review: American Masters: Carole King: Natural Woman

Over the last few years, singer/songwriter Carole King has enjoyed a career resurgence. Her bestselling memoir, A Natural Woman, bowed ...
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David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” Signified the Arrival of an Innovator

Against a blindingly white background, a man stands alone. Clad in a sky-blue suit and sporting technicolor makeup, the figure ...
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JACO DVD Review: Portrait of a Tortured Genius

In 1976, an album was released that would revolutionize not only how the jazz bass is played, but the very ...
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Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police DVD Review: An Inside Look at a Legendary Band

When the Police ceased recording in 1984, rumors swirled as to the cause. Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland became ...
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Come Together: A Beatles Tribute Documentary Review: Meet the Faux Beatles!

At this very moment, a Beatles tribute band is likely playing a concert somewhere throughout the world. Over 8,000 groups ...
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Book Review: Overlooked / Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention by Greg Prato

Writing a book entitled Overlooked/Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention is fraught with difficulty. The selections are based purely ...
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The Who: Sensation: The Story of Tommy DVD Review: Takes Viewers Behind the Scenes of the Groundbreaking Rock Opera

This year marks the 45th anniversary of The Who's landmark rock opera Tommy, and the celebrations and accolades continue. In ...
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20 Feet from Stardom DVD Review:  An Essential Addition to Any Music Fan’s Library

When recalling the Rolling Stones' 1969 single “Gimme Shelter,” one thinks of Mick Jagger's snarling lead vocal. Equally important to ...
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’83 US Festival Days 1-3 DVD Review: Essential Viewing for Fans of the ’80s

When hot summer winds blow, music festivals are sure to follow.  Today, multi-day events such as Lollapalooza and Coachella are ...
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Book Review: The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story by Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew Robinson, and Kyle Baker

This holiday season has seen an astonishing number of Beatles-related books and CDs, some tying in with the upcoming 50th ...
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Going Underground (2013) DVD Review: Paul McCartney, the Beatles and the UK Counter-Culture

In 1960s England, an underground art movement greatly influenced worldwide pop culture. Emerging from 1950s nuclear disarmament protests and the ...
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Sample This Movie Review: How One Song Sparked a Music Revolution

Can a documentary about a song by an obscure band sustain interest for 85 minutes? Surprisingly yes, as proven by ...
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Good Ol’ Freda Movie Review: The Beatles’ Former Secretary and President of Their Fan Club Tells Her Story

Those who think that the onslaught of books and films constantly arriving on the market have told the Beatles' complete ...
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The Girls in the Band Movie Review: A Fascinating Story About Women in Jazz

When asked to name prominent female jazz artists, most fans can list Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, or Billie Holiday. All ...
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Alanis Morissette: Live at Montreux 2012 Review: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Almost two decades have passed since Alanis Morissette earned national acclaim with her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill. For Americans, ...
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History of the Eagles Movie Review: A Fascinating Look at a Legendary Group

Filmmakers, take note: this is the way to celebrate a band's legacy. History of the Eagles, a new documentary, chronicles ...
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The Point DVD Review: A Lesson in Tolerance

In 1971, ABC aired the first animated special aired on primetime television, The Point, a lesson in tolerance told through ...
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Paul McCartney: Live Kisses DVD Review: A Thoroughly Enjoyable Document of an Artist’s Labor of Love

Earlier this year, Paul McCartney satisfied a longtime ambition of recording an album of standards. Though other rockers have released ...
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Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements DVD Review

During the documentary Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements, one critic describes the band with one simple phrase: ...
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Dirty Dancing: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition Album Review: You Can Own It

Anyone who grew up in the '80s can immediately identify this quote: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” Amazingly, 25 ...
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Martha Reeves: Live in Concert DVD Review: Martha’s Voice Has Nowhere to Hide

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Martha Reeves and the Vandellas at 96 in their 100 Greatest Artists of All Time ...
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The O’Jays: Live in Concert DVD Review:  An Enjoyable Romp Through Their Greatest Hits

“I love music, any kind of music/ I love music, just as long as it’s groovin’/ Makes me laugh, makes ...
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Bachman & Turner: Live at the Roseland Ballroom NYC DVD Review: Taking Care of Business for Longtime Fans

Proving that there are second acts in rock and roll, singer/guitarist Randy Bachman left one successful rock band, only to ...
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Simply Red: Live at Montreux 2003 DVD Review: At the Peak of Their Creativity

For most Americans, the words “Simply Red” conjure images of a man bearing a shock of red, curly hair, earnestly ...
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Book Review: Music on Film: Purple Rain by John Kenneth Muir

To this day, Prince remains an enigma. He grants few interviews, once changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, and ...
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Book Review: Frank Sinatra: A Life in Pictures, Edited by Yann-Brice Dherbier

Say the name “Frank Sinatra,” and one conjures images of more than simply a superb singer and occasional actor. Over ...
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Strange Fruit: The Beatles’ Apple Records DVD Review: Gets to the Core of the Company

On May 11, 1968, John Lennon and Paul McCartney arrived in New York to announce a new business venture. Three ...
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Cinema Sentries

Talking Heads: Chronology DVD Review: More Videos About Buildings and Food

Since the mid-’70s, Talking Heads have defied easy categorization. Are they rock? Punk? Avant-garde? The band raised themselves above labels ...
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Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Music on Film: A Hard Day’s Night by Ray Morton

Back in 2000, Miramax Films reissued the classic A Hard Day’s Night in movie theaters. Since I was unable to ...
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