Josh Groban in Concert [CD & DVD] - Groban, Josh (CD 2002)

I have had my Groban DVD/CD set for about 3 months now. I must say that this guys voice and poise impressed me from the very beginning. I had first heard of Josh about 2 years ago when he filled in for the ailing opera tenor Andrea Bocelli at a Grammy rehearsal. At the time, I believe he was 17 yrs old, and his voice was phenominal (for his age). At one point during the rehearsal, Celine Dion (who was the duet partner in the song Josh was filing in for) quit singing altogether because she couldn't believe the abilities of the young kid standing next to her. This DVD, recorded a couple years after his first public appearance, shows what 2 more years of practice can do to an already spectacular voice.

Most of the other reviews tell the tracks of the DVD, so I'll go into a more personal review. To the general public, there are really on 2 songs on this DVD that are played on current adult contemporary radio stations:

"You're Still You," which was from an episode of Alley McBeal, and "To Where You Are," a song about losing someone close to you. Both of these songs are very well written, and hit home to people who listen to lyrics that move you to be one with the music.

There are a few other track on the disc that are also top-notch:

"Gira Con Me" is one of my personal favorites. Sung in italian, this song is Josh's personal favorite, as well as the favorite of his producer David Foster. The meaning behind the song is the singer's want or need to experience a dance with someone to whom he has a crush on. A truly exquisite song, even for those who can't speak the italian language.

Some of the other songs on here that I must watch every time I put it in the dvd player are Canto Alla Vita (a duet with the lead singer of the multi-platinum group The Coors...Andrea Coor), Broken Vow, Vincent (Starry Starry Night) an excellent remake of the somewhat popular song by Don McLean, The Prayer (originally recorded by the great tenor Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion), and a great rendition of the classic Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring. My only disappointment with this entire dvd is the rendition of The Prayer, to which I admire greatly when performed by Josh and Charlotte Church, or the original Bocelli and Dion. On this disc, this song is performed by Josh and a woman named Angie Stone, whom I had never heard of before. I was greatly disappointed by not only her voice, but by her performance in general. Her ability to sustain a long note seems non-existant, and her voice seems very windy and raspy. That's just my opinion, but compared to other versions of the song I have heard, this one came in last. By no means do I think it's Groban's fault, because he performed flawlessly. I just would have had a different duet partner for that song.

The rest of the dvd is also enjoyable, but I have described all of my favorites. It is amazing to see the power that this young man contains in his voice, and it's scary to think that he will probably only get better. I currently own many great concert dvd's, including Elton John, Roy Orbison, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, Rod Stewart, Everly Brothers, and the heavy metal band Rage Against the Machine. After listening to any of these concerts and Josh's back to back, there is absolutely no comparison. His voice (even though young) has a far superior quality of tone and inflection. You almost feel as if you are part of every song. The quality of the dvd itself is A-1 also.

I recommend this dvd to any music lover, from classical to pop-rock sounds. It is by far my favorite dvd I own, and have a feeling this young man has only seen a glimpse of his talents soon to come.