Otis Redding—The Best: See + Hear

Any music collection without Otis Redding is woefully incomplete, and the DVD/CD combo The Best: See + Hear offers a handy starter kit. Redding remained true to his blues/soul roots even after becoming a crossover artist: the proof lies in the fact that fans didn't abandon him (or downplay his legacy) when he appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival or when Top 40 embraced “(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay,” the chart-topper released after the plane crash that took his life at the age of 26. Famed documentarian D.A. Pennebaker shot the footage for the 12-track Remembering Otis DVD, which features Redding live in 1967 at Monterey and in Oslo as part of a Stax/Volt tour with Booker T. & the MG's and Sam & Dave, who back Redding and each perform signature hits (“Green Onions” and “Hold On! I'm A Comin',” respectively). Highlights include both Redding versions of “Shake,” inspiring spirited dancing as audiences are barely able to contain themselves, as well as the rousing “Try a Little Tenderness.” The accompanying 12-track CD compiles studio recordings of Redding's best. A fine introduction to a ‘60s musical icon (with the DVD presented in 5.1 surround sound and the CD in stereo), The Best: See + Hear easily lives up to its name. Recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)