A low-key, unadorned, and unaffected glimpse of a 1992 concert, Rickie Lee Jones: Live at the Wiltern Theatre is visually indistinct and unremarkable, lit only with a blue light that's appropriate to the bluesy, soulful songs that Jones does best. As anyone who has followed her career knows, we aren't here for the decor; we're here to listen to her music and lyrics, which is precisely what Jones delivers. There's no polite banter in between tunes as she and her backup band breeze through a resumé of 13 songs, six composed by Jones and pulled primarily from her first two albums. She also flirts and cajoles with her audience on a playful riff of "Makin' Whoopee" and Jimi Hendrix's "Up from the Skies." She turns in some jazzy scat on "Dat Dere" and some ska on "Love Is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive." While she certainly struts her stuff on other people's songs, the best is saved for her own compositions. Her work, amply on display throughout this hourlong show, includes "Coolsville," "Easy Money," "It Must Be Love," and "The Last Chance Texaco" as well as a gorgeous piano riff that opens "We Belong Together." These more than compensate for the minimalist milieu and lack of polite chat. When she soars through a quintessential Jones song, "Don't Like Goodbye," viewers won't much feel like saying goodbye either. --Paula Nechak

Average Customer Review: ( 8 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.

We had to have it and searched on Amazon and was amazed that they have this available on DVD. ...The sound is awesome and very clear. Very high-quality. When friends come over, we play this DVD for them (just a sample) and always wind-up watching the whole performance.

It's THAT good!!!

Another thing that amazes me is that there are only a few reviews on this DVD. I guess this is one of the hidden treasures that you must discover for yourselves.

I whole-heartedly recommend that you purchase it.

You will not be disappointed and can thank us few reviewers later.

10 of 10 found the following review helpful:

Where was I in 1992?Apr 16, 2003
By John D. Dooley "PhiloX"
I missed one of the most fantastic concerts ever, but at least I have the DVD to playback many times through many years of inmate enjoyment. No, not inmate as in reaching out, but inmate has in feeling the music completely. Rickie Lee delivers songs with no strings attach. No, you wont see her float through the air or wear outrageous cloths like Sarah Brightman does in "La Luna", or get pass around the audience like Peter Gabriel. The DVD starts in her dressing room, Rickie is sitting by a mirror putting on the last of her make-up, slips on a shirt, & walks out into a simple well lighted stage with a table for a foreground & a window frame for a background. The back up band are all professional, dressed simple, but play the music with such perfection, at times sounding like they are losing it, but no, its a multi layered time change. WOW!!! Most songs are written by Rickie, others are jazz standards, & one song was written by her father. The ultimate section is when she takes off her shirt & plays the piano with the tunes: "Coolsville" & "We Belong Together". The song "Coolsville" ends with the words "Common, I will take you back...I take you back..." & Rickie holds her hand out to the audience, waving them in, & then making a fist. Slowly she stops the song & sits in darkness with the saddest face...then she giggles & the audience goes crazy...what a moment. This is a great DVD

12 of 13 found the following review helpful:

RLJ's performance is Excellent (as usual)Nov 04, 1999
By james (computerwiz@skateone.com)
the picture quality shows its age (from 1992) but the sound quality and performance more than make up for it.

10 of 11 found the following review helpful:

Buy this DVD--You can thank me laterFeb 21, 2000
By S. A. Loibner II "Loibner"
I cannot lie: I am a huge RLJ fan. I have all of her albums, and I have seen her live on "The Late Show" and "Saturday Night Live." I, however, wasn't prepared for what is on this DVD. Ricki Lee Jones is amazing live. She seems a little out of it--she changes words, talks to herself a bit here and there, and her eyes are a little glazed over (you know how she is), but I must admit it all seems to come together in a performance you will not forget. The first time you hear the way she changes the songs, you're a little wierded out, but, the next thing you know, you are singing the songs with the changes in them, wishing she had made more.

I called two friends while I was watching it for the first time to tell them that they had to go order it. You should order it too. Really.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:

No Frills.... Just a Great PerformanceNov 24, 2001
By Scott T Mc Nally
Jones is a true original. She's known for intimate performances and this DVD captures her at her best. The only minor complaint is the absence of her interaction with the audience. I guess she was just in a quiet mood that night. Her dialogues between songs are often very humorous as well as informative about how some of her songs came to be. As I said, a very minor complaint. This is a truly spirited performance from a great musical maverick.
It contains many of her originals as well as Jazz and Pop standards from the 30's through the 60's.
Sit back with a good bottle of wine (maybe two) and some chesse and enjoy!

See all 8 customer reviews on Amazon.com