Disco de Donna Summer: “Live and More: Encore!”

I am a big Donna Summer fan. That fact notwithstanding, this is one of the all-time best live recordings I've ever heard. The lady still has the chops. But, it's her band that makes this such an outstanding concert recording...they are incredible, particularly the drummer. Turn this CD way up and listen on earphones.

Yes, I have all these songs!! B U T, for those of us who do not own any Donna Summer music will be in totally amazement as to how these songs still sound contemporary!! Donna Summer LIVE is truly an event. Anyone who has even seen her shows will attest that she is an artist with immeasurable talent! At age 50, Donna Summer still discos, rocks and can be the perpetual songbird. No DIVA today can outmatch Donna Summer. Take a chance on this CD and know that SUMMER IS COMING!! This is a prelude to her up and coming Musical-Ordinary Girl. The new tunes are tremendous!! I Will Go With You is the Andrea Bocelli tune Con Te Partiro set to a dance track. This is reminescent of Donna's remake of MAcArthur Park. This tune is already spinning in clubs and radio and is sure to be the biggest hit of Donna's career. Be on the lookout!! Summer Is here!!

Nothing wrong with this CD, but did you know you can get a DVD of the same performance for about the same price?

I prefer the live versions on this CD to the studio versions of the same songs, but that's just me.

I thought her imitation of Rod Stewart was excellent. She does a good Streisand, too. But not so good a Bocelli.

As Donna Summer is preparing to release her first studio CD in 17 years (yes) in a few months time, I decided to review this, the recording of her VH-1 concert from 1999. Her first live album, "Live and more" released in 1978 went double platinum and hit #1 in the US.

It comprises 11 songs performed live, 10 of them US top 10 hits; "MacArthur park" (#1), "This time I know it's for real" (#7), a lovely trance version of "I feel love" (#6), "On the radio" (#5), "No more tears (enough is enough)" (#1)with Australian songstress Tina Arena doing the Barbra Streisand part, a raspy Rod Stewart-like rendition of "Dim all the lights" (#2) which segues into her disco version (she explained here that she'd written this song for Rod but chickened out and did it herself), "She works hard for the money" (#3), "Bad girls" (#1), an energetic performance of her Grammy winning rock song "Hot stuff" (#1), "My life" (a catchy new song in her classic ballad/disco style), and the Grammy and Oscar winning "Last dance" (#3).

Sounding in excellent form with none of her vocal power diminished at age 50 (then), this showcased her dazzling talent and showed that Summer still has "it" in spades. (I saw her live in 2004 and she was amazing). Performed in that concert additionally were 5 songs not available here on the CD but available on the accompanying DVD.

Also included are 2 new studio tracks, "Love is the healer" (a killer dance anthem with Gregorian chants and one of Donna's famous extended notes), and "I will go with you (con te partiro)", a Hex Hector produced dance remake of the Andrea Boccelli song "Con te partiro" (with an astonishing high killer note at the end). Both songs hit #1 on Billboard's dance charts with the latter earning Donna yet another Grammy nomination for best dance song (she lost to Cher's "Believe").

The album sold a little under half a million copies in the US, with the concert the highest ever rated VH-1 concert by a solo artist. She's released the odd single since then; "The power of one", "You're so beautiful", "I got your love", "Power of love" (from the Luther tribute CD), and appeared on numerous soundtracks and compilations, but her fans have been waiting (im)patiently for that new studio release that will mark the return of Summer.

Whatever you remember about the "Disco Queen" is brought back on this performance.....her voice is much richer now and that only adds to the enjoyment of the music.