La Passione (2CD+2DVD+Book)

The description of this product does not really do it justice. What you get here is a wonderfully lush coffee-table book, the same size as Chris Rea's similar formats for the Blue Guitars and Hofner Bluenotes set. The photography is stunning, all about The Ferrari and the racing driver being celebrated, but 2 CDs of the La Passione album that Chris has re-engineered to create the work he always wanted. 2 DVDs are present as well, one a documentary about the driver and the other the actual film that was produced previously.I recently saw Chris Rea on an interview on Vintage TV and is spurred me on to buy this. It is stunning value currently (undrer £30) because the product is so well produced and presented. Chris has done what he has been doing recently and done things his way ... This time though you revisit an album that was always accessible to all, not bluesy, but there is still subtle use of slide guitar, and orchestrations that make this great film music. There is nostalgia, pastiche and just pleasant music.This is a comprehensive reworking on his own terms, more than just a remastering, and the sound quality stands out. I have the cassette and the difference is so striking ... You hear high-end tones, and special effects, the singing is clear (not just Chris' voice, but not Shirley on this version - maybe that track was considered too commercial, but it makes you appreciate the rest of the music.I love this and wish that other artists would perhaps put effort into revisiting their work but produce something deeper for fans. Chris Rea's artwork, concept and influences shines through in a multi-media experience that does not go technologically over the top... Sound and vision are what are prominent.Nice one Chris, keep it up! You remain one of the best artists ever ... And intelligent people appreciate you. Keep on taking us on your journey ... It's amazing what you are teaching us.

Husband is delighted with this iconic dvd and cd package. The book is stunning. Well worth every penny to spend some time entranced in good music.

Chris Rea is a great guitarist, and songwriter that expresses much emotion in his music. His beautiful soothing voice and lyrics are rare to find in today's music. La Passione is music that touches your heart with love and respect for the past era when life was innocent and full of hope. ChrisRea combined his music, Italy, Ferrari's, family, childhood, vintage car race films, a boy, in a wonderful story that let's us feel his early life growing up in grey cold Northern England, as compared to the blue sunny sky of Italy. La Passione is an outstanding combination of genius in music composing, film, writing, and artwork. I admire this man who with all his health problems thru the years has continued to create beauty in many different aspects of The Art's'. He call's himself a musician, his modesty is far beyond reproach.

I purchased this set for my husband & he loves it. Lovely story told by Chris Rea. Fantastic music and fabulous images. Great quality book - if you're a Ferrari Tifosi or just love motorsport, especially F1 (1960's) then this book is for you. It would make an excellent and different Fathers Day gift. Some may think it's a little pricey but you get two CD's and 2 DVD's and a beautiful book so really it's not. It's a keeper, not for reading watching and discarding.It tells the story of Chris Rea as a boy (not an autobiography) and his dreams and fantasies he uses to escape into. He puts it to music beautifully. Especially the car being built from scratch.I'm not a huge Ferrari fan but I enjoyed the experience of watching and listening.

Chris Rea is to my taste, always music is to individual taste.

This is a marmite one for me. I appreciate and like the music and the book and it also sent me off to buy Grand Prix starring James Garner. The era of incidental accidents and deaths at Formula 1 in the 60's takes some understanding but it was an accepted risk for the drivers, which nowadays would be considered insane and have people reaching for their lawyers phone number. Others will be left cold to understand how it was ever allowed.

This is a bit of a reworking of the original La Passione that was released back in 1996 , with pieces of music that have been added and new short films to go with each track. The first DVD has a interview with Chris Rea which is split with the latter aforementioned films . The second DVD is basically a documentary about a German racing driver Wolfgang Von Tripps who lost his life in 1961 whilst driving for Ferrari, with exclusive footage from his own film files . As with most Rea recordings don't expect the familiar slide guitar sounds, this edition is very much classical with some elements of Italian/med sounds. Since I have bought this I have possibly played this everyday .

Until he changed his style to Blues, I was always "passionate" about Chris Rea's music, so already had the original which I deemed one of my favourite albums of his, and wondered how, what I thought was already perfect, could possibly be improved upon, but he has. The first Cd contains all the songs from the film, old and new versions, whilst CD2 concentrates on the instrumentals, which are stunningly beautiful. I must confess that I haven't had chance to play the DVDs yet, but the whole thing arrives beautifully packaged, with the CDs and DVDs cleverly contained in the book itself. A must for all Chris' "original" fans, but his new Blues followers might want to give it a miss.