ISF Blu-ray Demo of the Month: Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scott’s

Welcome to the first of an on-going series of demo disc recommendations from Joel Silver, president and founder of the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF).

We would like to share the best Blu-ray discs for system demos or simply the enjoyment of a killer movie or concert. If you have a suggestion for us, please send the name of the disc and why it's suited for a system demo to us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Joel's first Blu-ray demo disc recommendation is Jeff Beck Performing This Week Live at Ronnie Scott's.

“There are two tracks on the disc I use all the time: Angel [Footsteps] [on which] I look at the strings because they qualify as a real world de-interlacing test, technically it's called a 'shallow angle test.' Watching the guitar strings [on this song] fill the screen, and when I watch the strings, I want to see if they remain whole or if they are broken up into stair steps. This can tell you if your system is providing a great evening or just getting in the way of your having a good time by reminding you are watching."

"Angel catches the user’s attention and the other track I use, People get Ready, kicks it up a notch. I’ve done demonstrations with these two songs 50 times. I will leave the disc with the client after they want more … that’s entertainment. The projector is just the vehicle of entertainment and our job is not to get in the way.”

Photos: 20 Great Demos

As for the audio, Joel points out that the recording has lots of dynamic range that are highlighted by the talent of bass player Tal Wilkenfeld and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, two of the most talented musicians in popular music today. He adds the recording also captures the intimacy of the small venue in which the band is playing.

"First we'll talk about dynamic range. It's got a three-dimensional sound to it and the ambiance that is captured in the sound is what you would expect in a small club, he notes. "The recording brings that intimate Ronnie Scott's venue into my [home] theater and it just feels right. It feels like you should be hearing what you are hearing.

"In an era of heavy bass, complex passages and horrendous high frequencies, Live at Ronnie Scott’s stands out as being musical. The highest compliment I can give it is that it kind of sounds analog."