I got GAZZO'S new DVD over the weekend and have watched it twice and really enjoy it. It's shot at Gazzo's new pitch, and what a pitch. Gazzo has found busker heaven. You can see a huge cruise ship docked about 40 yards from him. The crowds are ready made for a comedy magic show: tourists right off the boat, literally. He's working every day. He's looks great, too, by the way. He's dropped a bunch of weight. There are three different performances on the dvd. They picked three performances over a two week shoot that show different times of day, but also different types of shows--different crowds, different crowd energy--to show how Gazzo deals with this, which is something we all face.
The performances are limited to the cups routine--which is what dvd is all about. I selfishly would have loved to see his whole show. I love seeing Gazzo's hat lines and the whole post-show hat segment of the show. (The show's not over till the hat is full.) And Gazzo proves this. This alone is worth the price of the dvd for any would be busker.

The dvd is not limited to people who want to busk however. The teaching segments of dvd are terrific. You see Gazzo walk a newbie through the cup rountine, and you really learn along with his student. Gazzo really shines in this segment of the dvd. For people who have never seen this side of Gazzo, it will be a revelation. Gazzo is impressive to say the least. You see the real Gazzo, the lover of magic, who sees every little nueance of handling, who gives all he knows to his students unselfishly and with total patience and ready compliments when they get things right. "Well done!" You see the whys and the wherefores and it's a great education. If the cups and balls is the standard for a magician, then Gazzo's teaching of his routine is a metaphor for learning all other magic. Included in this segment is also the best teaching of a widely-used cup move that I have ever seen explained before. In other sources, this move is usally glossed over, but, after seeing Gazzo's exhastive explaintion and demonstrations, I am going to change my handling. Thank you, Gazzo. (It's the simple move of falsely loading a cup from the front.)

As a surprise to people who own Gazzo's other tapes will be the new gags and lines that never made it onto his other tapes. Again, the hat segment is facinating. This is also true of Gazzo's current performance of his cups and balls routine. IT HAS CHANGED FROM WHAT HE DID FOR YEARS. He's doing it differently now. This is also very interesting. I asked Gazzo why he's made the changes and he told me that's just the way he's doing it now.

Overall, the dvd is extrememly slickly produced. The titles are top level professional, the dvd authoring is easy to access. Everything is a click away. gets my highest recommendation. Thanks, Gaz.
Your student,
Jersey Jim

Thanks JJ for the writeup.
is penquin the only place one can get this?

It is a Penguin exclusive.

It is very good, the best of Gazzo yet.
Mario

You can also find it at Hocus Pocus now. Penguin must have been willing to sell a lot at wholesale.


Curt

So. . . even if I get it from Hocus Pocus, Penguin eventually gets my money. hmmmmmm. Still tempted, but still thinking about it.

Raven

Hey, they're trying to clean up their image. The quality of this DVD shows they're making progress. I'm willing now to support their efforts.

I don't understand the big deal about buying from Penguin. But they sent me 25 dvd's. As you know, I am not lecturing anymore, so if you want one of these copies and don't want to buy from Penguin, the first 25 people to send me a PM will be offered a free copy. However, you must pay shipping. I don't need 25 copies of my dvd, so I'll be giving them away free of charge.

That's so great. Anyone dare say thanks? Methinks he's hushed the crowd. You crazy limey.

Don't get cocky Mr. Eric Evans...

Gazzo
Just wanted to say thanks for your kind offer!

No dis intended Johnny. My remark was one of admiration. The nuance is source to misinterpretation however so I thank you for pointing that out. Crazy is good, and I always wanted to call someone a "limey" for some reason or other. My apologies if I offended.

I was forunate enough to meet Gazzo a few weeks ago at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. He is a close friend of one of my best friends (Randy Hermoso), and for years I've heard nothing but praise of him, so you couldn't possibly imagine how thrilled I was to know that Gazzo was going to be less than an hour from my home. Here are some pictures if anyone is interested:
http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c167/JontonofSpades/Magic/

After his show, I immediately ordered a copy of Read Between the Lines, then a few days later, ordered my first ever set of cups and balls along with Gazzo's Street Cups Book, the Street Cups DVD, and the School for Scoundrels production of Gazzo Uncensored. A copy of Gazzo on Tour is headed my way as we speak.

Call me obsessed, but these resources contain a plethora of information for anyone who would even consider making it out on the streets. I thank Gazzo for spending the time and devotion of puting his life work on DVD for the rest of the magic world to enjoy.

It's now my turn to share my praises of Gazzo.
Jonathan

PS: There was one thing that Gazzo never answered on the DVD. He said that he would say where to buy a hat like his. He said it was called a Memory Hat, but never said where one like it could be purchased. Does anyone know?

Last I heard he was wearing the Nils Poll juggling hat. It's triple weight, and is flexible enough to grip the melon through the hat during the load.

I bought a rigid bowler, not knowing the difference, and if I chose to do his melon load I'd pretty much destroy the shape of this hat.

Any soft hat will do. A fedora doesn't have as much room due to the creases, but if you look hard enough you'll find the one that suits you and your performing style.

Yes Dave, you're correct. I was just PMed by the person that bought the hat for him and he told me that it is the Nils Poll Bowler hat from http://www.dube.com/

Thanks...
~Jonathan

Gazzo,
What a generous offer giving those dvds away. Could you send me a few... so I can sell them on ebay? Thanks.

Jim

I missed out on the freebies, but I did some searching and found that the DVD is available from Murphy's. However, if you want the sweet deal on the DVD and the book, order it from Penguin. They will sell you the book and the DVD for about the same as a retailer would have to pay Murphy's for them.

Seems to me Penquin already GOT the money from Hocus Pocus, you getting the DVD from them doesn't help or hurt Penquin in any way.

Got the DVD last night. And I have to say that for those who think that what Gazzo does is basic, maybe you are right in magic terms. But in terms of entertainment he is ading alot.

People come to the show to be entertained and that is what they are gettinga big helping off. I love the sqeakers. The gotcha with that is priceless....

It only reinforces the concept that people want entertainment. He is performing for laypeople and they are the ones with the money. Give'em a show and they give you money... works for me.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a "basic" routine done well. I saw experienced magicians stumble and fumble with this routine during his master class. I know this because I was one of them. Sometimes we get ourselves all tangled up in thinking that more complex is better, when in reality we're nowhere ready for it yet.

Gazzo's routine works in part because it is basic. No frills or complications to distract people, just good, solid magic presented in an entertaining fashion.