Bernie Marsden Trio / Marne La Ballee 2018 /1CDR

Bernie Marsden Trio / Marne La Ballee 2018 /1CDR / Uxbridge

Billy Bob’s, Marne-la-Vallee, France 18th February 2018

Click Image To Enlarge

自伝『WHERE’S MY GUITAR』やギター・コレクション本『TALES OF TONE AND VOLUME』を上梓するなど、キャリアの総括に入っていた2018年のバーニー・マースデン。そんな彼のブルース・ロックを現場体験できる新名盤が登場です。
そんな本作に吹き込まれているのは「2018年２月18日マルヌ＝ラ＝ヴァレ公演」。その極上オーディエンス録音です。2005年にM3が解散した後のバーニーはソロに戻り、悠々自適な活動に終始。趣味的にブルースロックを追究し、ライヴと言えば大規模なツアーと言うより散発的なクラブ・ギグ。当時の資料はかなり曖昧（このショウも「２月18日」説と「２月23日」説があったりします）なので整理するのは止めておきますが、そんなキャリアでも2014年ー2019年はわりと活発にステージも行っていたようです。
本作は、そんなクラブ・ギグの現場を真空パックしたライヴアルバム。そのサウンドは、まさに極上の密室感。空気感を含んだオーディエンスらしいサウンドではあるのですが、物理的に狭いクラブだけに間近感も絶大。バーニーが目の前で歌い、ギターを弾いているのは肌感覚で味わえるのです。そして彼を支えるリズム隊もくっきり・はっきり。この日は『TALES OF TONE AND VOLUME』の付属CDでも共演したトリオ編成（盟友ニール・マーレイと元MAGNUMのミッキー・バーカー）で、シンプルなアンサンブルの１音１音が輪郭まで鮮やか。それぞれの演奏が絡み合って１本の荒縄を編んでいくのがよく分かります。
そんな秘匿の密室サウンドで描かれるのは、バーニー流ブルースロックの極地。WHITESNAKEの名曲も交えつつ、ブルースのクラシックスも盛りだくさん。ここで、その内容を整理してみましょう。

●ホワイトスネイク（４曲）
・Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues／Fool For Your Loving／Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City／Here I Go Again
●その他（９曲＋α）
・フリートウッド・マック：Black Magic Woman／Oh Well (With Green Manalishi)
・その他：Oh Boy／Born Under A Bad Sign／Shaky Ground／Sittin’ On Top Of The World／Key To The Highway／Crossroads／Hootchie Coochie

……と、このようになっています。戦前の「Crossroads」「Sittin’ On Top Of The World」から愛するピーター・グリーンの「Black Magic Woman」「Oh Well」まで、各時代の名曲群が次々に繰り出されていく。WHITESNAKEでお馴染みの「Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City」もボビー・ブランドのカバーですので、白蛇オリジナルは３曲「Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues」「Fool For Your Loving」「Here I Go Again」のみ。ブルースに拘りつつも幅広いセレクトは、まるでブルースの歩みをギュッとまとめ上げたような名曲の夕べでもあります。
そして、そんなセットを綴る演奏がとにかく滋味深い。ジャンルがジャンルだけに、勢いよりもニュアンスに重きを置いた演奏スタイルが似合いまくる。変幻自在にグルーヴを操るしなやかなドラムに歌心たっぷりなベース＆ギターが絡んでいく。フレーズ１つひとつが味わい深く、それを重ねれば重ねるほど醸成されていくアンサンブルの妙がたまらないのです。
初期WHITESNAKEの要であり、深い叙情の源泉でもあったバーニー・マースデン。彼の音楽の真髄は間違いなくブルースにあり、それが最も似合っていたのはクラブでした。本作は、そんな密室に肌感覚サウンドで立ち会えるライヴアルバムなのです。バーニーの音楽により深く寄り添える１枚。どうぞ、この機会にじっくりとご体験ください。

「2018年２月18日マルヌ＝ラ＝ヴァレ公演」の極上オーディエンス録音。狭いクラブの密室感が素晴らしく、バーニーが目の前で歌い、ギターを弾いているのは肌感覚で味わえる。ニール・マーレイ／ミッキー・バーカーのリズム隊も１音１音がくっきりハッキリ。WHITESNAKEレパー-トリーとブルースの名曲群たっぷりのクラブ・ギグを現場体験できます。

In 2018, Bernie Marsden was on the cusp of his career, publishing his autobiography “WHERE’S MY GUITAR” and guitar collection book “TALES OF TONE AND VOLUME.” Introducing a new masterpiece that allows you to experience his blues rock music on-site.
What is infused into this work is “February 18, 2018 Marne-la-Vallee performance”. This is the best audience recording. After M3 disbanded in 2005, Bernie returned to his solo career and continued his activities in a leisurely manner. He pursues blues rock as a hobby, and his live shows are sporadic club gigs rather than large-scale tours. The materials from that time are quite vague (there are also theories that this show was held on February 18th and February 23rd), so I won’t try to organize it, but even with such a career, it was from 2014 to 2019. It seems like he was quite active on stage.
This work is a live album that vacuum-packs the scenes of such club gigs. The sound is exactly like the feeling of being in a secret room. It’s a sound that is typical of an audience with a sense of atmosphere, but since the club is physically small, it feels very close. You can literally feel Barney singing and playing the guitar right in front of you. And the rhythm section that supports him is also clear and clear. On this day, it was a trio formation (allies Neil Murray and former MAGNUM member Mickey Barker) who performed together on the accompanying CD of “TALES OF TONE AND VOLUME”, and each note of the simple ensemble was vivid to the outline. You can clearly see how each performance is intertwined to form a single rough rope.
What is depicted with such secret behind-closed-doors sounds is the pinnacle of Bernie’s blues rock. There will be plenty of blues classics as well as WHITESNAKE’s famous songs. Let’s organize the contents here.

●White Snake (4 songs)
・Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues／Fool For Your Loving／Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City／Here I Go Again
●Others (9 songs + α)
・Fleetwood Mac: Black Magic Woman/Oh Well (With Green Manalishi)
・Others: Oh Boy/Born Under A Bad Sign/Shaky Ground/Sittin’ On Top Of The World/Key To The Highway/Crossroads/Hootchie Coochie

…and it looks like this. From the pre-war “Crossroads” and “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” to beloved Peter Green’s “Black Magic Woman” and “Oh Well,” masterpieces from each era are played out one after another. “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City,” which is well-known by WHITESNAKE, is also a cover of Bobby Bland, so there are three original White Snake songs: “Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues,” “Fool For Your Loving,” and “Here I.” Go Again” only. While focusing on the blues, the selection is wide-ranging, making it an evening of masterpieces that seem to summarize the history of the blues.
And the performance that spells out such a set is just so delicious. Since it is a genre, it suits the performance style that emphasizes nuance rather than momentum. The supple drums that manipulate the groove in a phantasmagoric manner are intertwined with the lyrical bass and guitar. Each phrase is deeply flavorful, and the more you repeat them, the more the ensemble develops and becomes irresistible.
Bernie Marsden was a cornerstone of early WHITESNAKE and a source of deep lyricism. The essence of his music was undoubtedly the blues, and it suited him best in clubs. This work is a live album that allows you to witness such a closed room with a sound that feels like your skin. A piece that brings you closer to Bernie’s music. Please take this opportunity to experience it thoroughly.

The best audience recording of “February 18, 2018 Marne-la-Vallee performance”. The feeling of a closed room in a small club is wonderful, and you can feel Barney singing and playing the guitar right in front of you. Neil Murray/Mickey Barker’s rhythm section also makes each note clear and clear. You can experience a club gig filled with famous WHITESNAKE repertoire and blues songs.

(77:08)
01. Oh Boy
02. Born Under A Bad Sign
03. Shaky Ground
04. Sittin’ On Top Of The World
05. Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues
06. Key To The Highway
07. Black Magic Woman
08. Crossroads
09. Oh Well/Green Manalishi
10. Fool For Your Loving
11. Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City
12. Hootchie Coochie Man
13. Here I Go Again

Bernie Marsden – Guitar, Vocals
Neil Murray – Bass
Mickey Barker – Drums