I must admit that Jewel (real name Jewel Kilcher) barely blipped my musical radar back in the 1990s. Not surprising, given it was jammed by other confessional songbirds like Tori Amos, Tracy Bonham, Paula Cole, Sheryl Crow, Ani DiFranco, Lisa Germano, Lisa Loeb, Sarah MacLachlan, Alanis Morissette . . . you get the idea.
Luckily, Image Entertainment's Jewel: The Essential Live Songbook demonstrates what I've missed. Collecting a pair of concerts recorded for WTTW Chicago's Soundstage in 2007, the DVD showcases an engaging live performer who deserves another listen.
Image Entertainment Presents Jewel: The Essential Live Songbook on DVD
Soundstage recorded a pair of Jewel shows for this DVD: the first in the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas the second at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Illinois. Both gigs follow a similar format. Jewel plays most of the show accompanying herself on a pair of Taylor acoustic guitars (one tuned standard, the other in open-D) and bringing on backing musicians for the last part. For the Dallas show, she used her road band while a chamber orchestra accompanied her for the Joliet gig.
Jewel is formidable onstage. A combination of model-caliber good looks, a versatile voice that jumps from a breathy little-girl tone to a full-throated wail plus Dylan-esque wordplay in songs like "Stephenville, TX," Jewel knows how to keep her audience. She's also very engaging with the audience, handling minor problems like a runaway in-ear monitor with aplomb. It's no surprise that she's managed to maintain her fanbase for so many years.
While the crowd loves her, more critical listening brings out a few flaws. Her breathy little-girl voice was charming during the start of her career but it's increasingly out of place on a performer who won't be seeing her 32nd birthday again. Also, a more critical look at her set lists would have been a good idea, since "Foolish Games" always precedes "You Were Meant For Me" on both gigs: no biggie at each show but glaring when collected on DVD.
The solo girl-with-acoustic-guitar schtick starts to wear out its welcome after a while. Successful solo performers (Tori Amos comes to mind) can pull it off because their instrumental skills are on par with their singing. While Jewel's vocal control is spectacular, her strum-and-pluck guitar playing is no better than what you'd see at an open stage on Monday night. That makes her lengthy unaccompanied sets a drag. "Where You Are," featuring Jewel on dulcimer, would have been a better fit earlier on.
But the true forehead-slapper goes to whoever thought using Pachelbel's Canon as the intro to "I'm Sensitive" was a good idea.
Jewel: The Essential Live Songbook DVD Extras
Jewel doesn't hold back during a bonus interview which features so many shots that you're wondering when they the crew will stick a camera up her nose. In addition, there's 4-song footage from a concert at Colorado's Red Rocks Ampitheatre, plus a music video for "Stephenville, TX."
Jewel: The Essential Live Songbook DVD a Great Re-Introduction to a Forgotten Performer
If your only memory of Jewel is a dusty copy of Pieces of You on cassette, give this DVD a spin. It gets a 4/5.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
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