NRBQ: One in a Million

NRBQ has, in its long history, embraced just about every popular music style--from rhythm and blues, to jazz-rock, to alt-country--often before these genres became well known. This too-brief 1989 Montreal concert finds band members Terry Adams (keyboards), Joey Spampinato (bass), drummer Tom Ardolino, and guitarist Big Al Anderson (long-gone founding guitarist Steve Ferguson is not on hand to perform his magnum opus "Flat Foot Flewzy") serving up nine tunes, including signature selections such as "I Got a Rocket in My Pocket," "Girl Scout Cookies," and "12 Bar Blues" in 5.1 surround sound. (What?!? No "RC Cola and a Moon Pie"? Oh well.) The performances are energetic and loose, with the musicians obviously enjoying themselves (even after decades of touring and recording to little if any chart success) and the band's iconic laidback professionalism imbues the entire package, which also includes "It's a Wild Weekend," "Little Floater," "You're So Beautiful," "Crazy Like a Fox," and the band's show stopping rendition of "Shake, Rattle & Roll." DVD extras include a bonus 2004 music video for "Dummy," a slideshow with biographical sketches of band members, and Dave DiMartino's (who wrote for the late Creem) highly informative essay on the band and its Miami, Florida roots. Great stuff from a historically significant pop music act, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Tribby)