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List Price: $39.99 | | Label: Time Life Records
Salesrank: 60223
Released: February 12, 2008 |
| Our Price: $19.81 |
| Used Price: $14.26 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
This Is Tom Jones: Legendary Performers is a 3-DVD set of the best moments from Tom Jones trend-setting variety show on ABC from 1969 - 1971. Available for the first time on DVD, these shows spotlight such triple-threat (singer-dancer-actor) entertainers as Sammy Davis Jr. and Liza Minnelli, along with Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the greatest movers and shaker in all popular music. Jones shows his taste and versatility, going down home with Johnny Cash and uptown with Tony Bennett. And when Jones grabs the mic for the show-closing 'concert', fans will need a handkerchief to mop their brows. This Is Tom Jones: Legendary Performers is smokin' !
Description of This Is Tom Jones Volume 2: Legendary Performers:
Tom is terrific throughout This is Tom Jones, a collection culled from the Welsh singer's late '60s-early '70s ABC television series. Subtitled Rock 'n' Roll Legends, this three-disc set spotlights eight separate episodes (one of which, featuring a performance of "Pinball Wizard" by the Who, is a black & white kinescope). None is complete; judicious (and sometimes not) editing limits the focus to the musical and comedic portions, and that's by and large a good thing. Jones, who was just 28 when the first show aired in February, 1969, displays remarkable versatility, taking on everything from Broadway ("Somewhere," with Leslie Uggams) and torch standards ("Angel Eyes") to stone R&B (Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Turn on Your Lovelight"), soul ("In the Midnight Hour"), pop ("What's New, Pussycat?" and, of course, "It's Not Unusual"), and rock ("Lodi," "Lucille") and doing a credible job on all of it, notwithstanding a patina of Vegas glitz. But the high points come from his partnerships with the titular legends, especially Janis Joplin (their duet on Eddie Floyd's "Raise Your Hand" rocks) and Aretha Franklin (then at the peak of her powers, Aretha is fine on "I Say a Little Prayer," but her volcanic pairing with Jones on "See Saw" and her own, gospel-tinged "Spirit in the Dark" is the undoubted high point of the entire DVD set). Jones also duets with Joe Cocker ("Delta Lady"), Little Richard (a medley of his classics), Stevie Wonder (then on the verge of his '70s creative explosion), and Burt Bacharach; and while appearances by comedians like Peter Sellers, a then-unknown Richard Pryor, Pat Paulsen, the Committee (with Howard Hesseman), and the Ace Trucking Company (with Fred Willard) deliver a few chuckles, in the end, this one's all about the music. Jones introduces each episode with a brief reminiscence; a 2007 interview with the singer is among the scant other bonus material. --Sam Graham
This Is Tom Jones Volume 2: Legendary Performers Reviews:
Historical jewel of the best Tom Jones had to offer... 
2009-06-28 - On April 25th, 2009, we went to see Tom Jones perform at the Miami Beach Jackie Gleason Theater, reliving memories of when we were young and used to see his show every week.
Tom Jones performed some of his best hits and the nostalgia was such that the idea occurred to us to acquire these DVDs so we could again enjoy what used to be one of our favorite entertainments on TV. Tom Jones not only had great appeal back then, but his behavior was such fun, for he was that star that wore tight pants, billowing shirts with wide collars that all young men used to copy. His sexual appeal was such that once, at one of his concerts, we had a blast watching all the young women go into a trance as they watched his hip gyrations.
Born on June 7th, 1940, Sir Thomas Jones Woodward is a Welsh singer that was super famous during the late 60s, with his own TV show. Since 1965, Tom Jones has sold over 100 million records and has kept his name in the limelight for most of his singing career.
The DVDs bring back a rather young Tom Jones, only in his late 20s back then and the likes of Lisa Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Little Richard, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, Richard Pryor, Peter Sellers.
All the shows start with his signature song "It's Not Unusual" which became a massive hit in its day and you will be thrilled to see him in action as you listen to "Help yourself," "Kansas City," "Danny Boy," "I who have nothing," "What's new pussycat?" "The look of Love," "Green Grass of Home," "Those were the days," and so many others.
We have enjoyed every episode, shared these with friends and family and we sincerely recommend owning the DVDs, for they represent an eight separate episode collection of amazing talent. Don't miss it!
danced with such abandon 
2009-03-16 - Had lots of fun with this dvd. Tom's a little stiff when interacting with guests but he's a natural when performing. Forgot that he danced with such abandon and joy. Many great guests --good mix of woodstock era performers and the sometimes lame, traditional variety show guests that are still a fun curiosity and window back to those days...
This is Tom Jones Vol. 2: Legendary Performers 
2009-02-26 - It didn't come with the Outside Box to hold the 3 dvds so I sent it back and they sent me a replacement but it was the same way so I also sent it back. It shows the outside box in the ad but when I got it all it was, was the 3 dvds in the fold over case. If you are going to show the Outside Box then that should be what I am ordering.
Linda Angelakis
dissapointed 
2009-01-21 - the item is misleading in that you do not receive complete seasons or complete episodes. you only get a few episodes from each year and they are edited to cut down on content. at the beginning of an episode there will be artists listed in the credits that have been edited out of the episode. also, these are not the original episodes as broadcast when the program aired on abc.
This IS Tom Jones
2009-01-09 - Many people have mentioned that the shows are incomplete. This is true. What is not said, or maybe not known is that although Sir Tom owns the rights to the shows, he still must get clearance from EACH GUEST on his show (in the case that the guest is deceased (or not legally able to give it, their heirs) MUST give consent to use the part of the show they were involved with. If he is unable to get their consent then he cannot LEGALLY use the segment. I too was disappointed in not seeing some of the comedy skits and artists, but since I bought it for my wife, her opinion is what counts, and her opinion is she's only interested in TOM JONES. The other artists, although very enjoyable, are of only secondary concern. Her final word: "This is GREAT!!!!!"
