Teddy Pendergrass: From Teddy, With Love

Only the most dedicated party poopers could find serious complaint with this inspired performance by soul crooner Teddy Pendergrass. After suffering a serious spinal cord injury in a 1982 car accident, the now-wheelchair-bound singer took the better part of two decades to resume live performances; following a return to the stage in 2001, he recorded this 76-minute, 14-song performance at Los Angeles' Wiltern Theater on Valentine's Day 2002. No, his voice doesn't have the same raw power it had before the accident, but the material is solid (from solo hits like “Close the Door” to a terrific medley of tunes from his days with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes), and Pendergrass' sheer joy at being back in front of an appreciative audience is palpable. DVD bonus features include an eight-minute featurette (with band interviews, rehearsal footage, etc.), and a five-and-a-half minute interview with Pendergrass himself. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)