Joe Jackson: 25th Anniversary Special

Musical chameleon Joe Jackson--who burst on the New Wave scene with the aggressive punk pop masterpiece Look Sharp! in 1979, then subsequently drifted into reggae, blues and jazz before recapturing the world's attention with the cool, Latin-flavored 1982 blockbuster Steppin' Out (after which he went on to release albums that were stylistically all over the map--including a symphony)--is in moderate form in this 2002 concert in which he is backed by original band member Graham Maby on bass, and others on drums, percussion, keyboards and cello for a 13-song set. Of that baker's dozen, a full five tunes are from Jackson's less-than-stellar 2000 release Night and Day II ("Hell of a Town," "Happyland," "Stranger Than You," "Glamour & Pain," and "Just Because"), while the remaining tracks are culled from releases from 1979-1991, including the hits "Is She Really Going Out With Him?," "Another World," and "Stranger Than Fiction." Unfortunately, many of Jackson's best songs are missing ("Steppin' Out," "Breaking Us in Two," "Home Town," "Down to London," etc.), and since the eight-minute behind-the-scenes interview shows the band rehearsing "Steppin' Out" and Jackson himself assures the audience they're in for a good two-hours-plus worth of music, it appears that half of the show has been left on the cutting room floor. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, the disc includes one other notable--and quite entertaining--extra, a 22-minute author reading, as Jackson serves up the first chapter of his acclaimed memoir No Cure for Gravity in the rather unusual setting of a rock concert venue. Optional. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)