Phil Upchurch

Phil Upchurch in concert October 28, 1992, on the German TV show Ohne Filter is more than just a tape finding release 13 years later on DVD: the production is superb and the playing just exquisite. There are only eight titles, but they are lengthy and captivating. Where the Legends Live at Montreux disc featuring Eric Clapton, Steve Gadd, Joe Sample, and David Sanborn got tedious with few musical explosions, here Upchurch and his crew just delight and convey the fun spirit one expects from a pro performer. The DVD includes an interview with the producer and an artist biography, but it's the performance that is the showstopper. The stage is colorful and reminiscent of a jazz bar, and the music is classy throughout. It's hard to describe perfection -- other than the fact that this is a disc that begs for repeated spins. Upchurch is certainly a major session player, but this material proves that his talent is vastly underrated. Phil Upchurch in Concert works very nicely as an audio disc, but the concert visuals also merit attention as the German TV show did a good job capturing all the players having a good time. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide