Jackson Browne / Cuyahoga Falls 1978 / 2CDR

Jackson Browne / Cuyahoga Falls 1978 / 2CDR / Uxbridge

Live at Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, USA 7th August 1978

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Jackson Browne in the golden age has a new memory of the miracle mirrored recording “LONG BEACH 1978 (Zion-163)”. A live album that can be called the sequel to that super-famous board is now available.
What is recorded in this work is “August 7, 1978 Cuyahoga Falls performance”. It is the best audience recording. Speaking of Brown in 1978, it was in the middle of the great success of the live album “RUNNING ON EMPTY”. First, let’s look back on the schedule at that time and confirm the position of the show.

● 1977
<< December 6 “RUNNING ON EMPTY” released >>
・ December 31: Inglewood performance
● 1978
・ January 14-29: North America # 1 (9 performances)
・ February 22: Nashville performance
・ March 18-April 21: North America # 2 (21 performances)
・ June 8-11: North America # 3 (3 performances) ← * Mirrored recording
・ August 5-September 2: North America # 4 (16 performances) ← ★ Coco ★

This is the history since the release of “RUNNING ON EMPTY”. There are many vague points in the materials at that time, so please do not believe the exact points such as the number of performances, but I think you can understand the general flow. Under such circumstances, “LONG BEACH 1978” recorded by Mike Millard was a mini section in June, while the Cuyahoga Falls performance of this work is “North America # 4” two months later. It was a concert at the beginning.
This work recorded at such a show is exactly the best audience recording. Mirrored’s “LONG BEACH 1978” had a miracle sound comparable to the official version “RUNNING ON EMPTY”, but I was surprised that this work was not defeated either. I don’t mistake it for a sound board just because of the sound of the hall, but it doesn’t give a sense of distance. A clear and powerful core reaches straight in front of you in the middle of the slightly fluffy air, and the details are also vivid.
On the premise of its clearness, this work is delicious even with the sound that seems to be recorded by the audience. The acoustic sound has a wonderful sense of reality that sounds in front of you, and the spectacle of cheers that spreads throughout the venue while there is no upcoming voice is also exciting. In particular, the pouring feeling of the multiple chorus is as beautiful as the gospel of a church, and it does not hide the touch of the guitar, piano, and violin, yet it has a capacity that surpasses that of other sound boards. It is a very neat and well-known recording that embodies “the beautiful sound of the audience”.
A full show that is different from “RUNNING ON EMPTY” and “LONG BEACH 1978” is drawn with such a beautiful sound. Perhaps those who are interested in this article have already experienced “LONG BEACH 1978”, so let’s organize the set while comparing.

・ JACKSON BROWNE (2 songs): Doctor, My Eyes / Rock Me On The Water
・ FOR EVERYMAN (2 songs): I Thought I Was A Child (★) / For Everyman
・ LATE FOR THE SKY (5 songs): Fountain of Sorrow / Before the Deluge / For A Dancer / Walking Slow (★) / The Late Show (★)
・ THE PRETENDER (5 songs): The Fuse / Here Come Those Tears Again / Your Bright Baby Blues / Sleep ’s Dark And Silent Gate (★) / The Pretender
・ RUNNING ON EMPTY (6 songs): Rosie / Cocaine / Nothing But Time / You Love the Thunder / Running on Empty / Love Needs A Heart
・ Unreleased (1 song): Just Like Forever (★)
* Note: “★” marks are songs that cannot be heard on “LONG BEACH 1978: Mike Millard 1st Generation Cassettes”.

… And it looks like this. Unlike “LONG BEACH 1978”, it’s a little less than the debut work, probably because of the band style from the beginning. Instead, the repertoire of “LATE FOR THE SKY” and “THE PRETENDER” will be expanded, and even the unreleased song “Just Like Forever” will be shown.
A beautiful live album where you can experience the heyday of Jackson Browne on-site. Mirrored has become a legend with a precision of 100 shots, but even a nameless recorder can leave a masterpiece comparable to just one. This work is simply a wonderful musical work, but at the same time it is a masterpiece that lets you enjoy the real thrill of recording such an audience. Please enjoy it so that you can chew it carefully.

奇跡のミラード録音『LONG BEACH 1978(Zion-163)』の記憶も新しい黄金時代のジャクソン・ブラウン。あの超名盤の続編とも言うべきライヴアルバムが登場です。
そんな本作に記録されているのは「1978年8月7日カヤホガ・フォールズ公演」。その極上オーディエンス録音です。1978年のブラウンと言えば、ライヴアルバム『RUNNING ON EMPTY』の大成功による一大全盛のド真ん中。まずは、そんな当時のスケジュールを振り返り、ショウのポジションを確かめてみましょう。

●1977年
《12月6日『RUNNING ON EMPTY』発売》
・12月31日:イングルウッド公演
●1978年
・1月14日-29日:北米#1(9公演)
・2月22日:ナッシュヴィル公演
・3月18日-4月21日:北米#2(21公演)
・6月8日-11日:北米#3(3公演) ←※ミラード録音
・8月5日-9月2日:北米#4(16公演) ←★ココ★

これが『RUNNING ON EMPTY』リリース以後の歩み。当時の資料には曖昧な点も多く、公演数など厳密な点は信じないでいただきたいのですが、おおよその流れはご理解いただけるのではないでしょうか。そんな中でマイク・ミラードが録音した『LONG BEACH 1978』は6月のミニセクションだったのに対し、本作のカヤホガ・フォールズ公演は2ヶ月後の「北米#4」。その序盤にあたるコンサートでした。
そんなショウで記録された本作は、まさに極上のオーディエンス録音。ミラードの『LONG BEACH 1978』は公式盤『RUNNING ON EMPTY』にも匹敵する奇跡のサウンドでしたが、本作も負けていないから驚き。ホール鳴りも吸い込んだ音色だけにサウンドボードと間違えはしないのですが、それが距離感になっていない。うっすらふわっとした空気感のド真ん中をクッキリと力強い芯が目の前まで真っ直ぐに届き、それに伴ってディテールも鮮やかなのです。
そのクリアさを大前提とした上で、本作はオーディエンス録音らしい鳴りまで美味しい。アコースティックの響きは目の前で鳴る現実感が素晴らしく、間近声が皆無でありながら会場中に広がる喝采のスペクタクルも胸を熱くする。特に多重コーラスの降り注ぎ感は教会のゴスペルのように美しく、ギターやピアノ、ヴァイオリンのタッチを隠さず、それでいてそんじょそこらのサウンドボードを凌駕する包容力を聴かせてくる。まさに「オーディエンスだからこその美音」を体現してくれる端正を極めた名録音なのです。
そんな美なるサウンドで描かれるのは、『RUNNING ON EMPTY』とも『LONG BEACH 1978』とも異なるフルショウ。恐らく本稿に目を留められる方はすでに『LONG BEACH 1978』を体験されていると思いますので、比較しながらセットを整理してみましょう。

・JACKSON BROWNE(2曲):Doctor, My Eyes/Rock Me On The Water
・FOR EVERYMAN(2曲):I Thought I Was A Child(★)/For Everyman
・LATE FOR THE SKY(5曲):Fountain of Sorrow/Before the Deluge/For A Dancer/Walking Slow(★)/The Late Show(★)
・THE PRETENDER(5曲):The Fuse/Here Come Those Tears Again/Your Bright Baby Blues/Sleep’s Dark And Silent Gate(★)/The Pretender
・RUNNING ON EMPTY(6曲):Rosie/Cocaine/Nothing But Time/You Love the Thunder/Running on Empty/Love Needs A Heart
・未発表(1曲):Just Like Forever(★)
※注:「★」印は『LONG BEACH 1978: Mike Millard 1st Generation Cassettes』では聴けない曲。

……と、このようになっています。『LONG BEACH 1978』とは違って冒頭からバンド・スタイルなせいかデビュー作からは少なめ。その代わり、『LATE FOR THE SKY』『THE PRETENDER』のレパートリーが増量し、さらに未発表曲「Just Like Forever」まで披露してくれるのです。
ジャクソン・ブラウンの全盛期を現場体験できる美しきライヴアルバムです。ミラードは百発百中の精度で伝説となりましたが、名も無き名録音家も一作だけなら匹敵する名作を残し得る。本作はシンプルに素晴らしい音楽作品でもありますが、同時にそんなオーディエンス録音の醍醐味も味わわせてくれる大傑作。どうぞ、じっくりと噛みしめるようにご堪能ください。

Disc 1 (63:46)
1. Intro
2. The Fuse
3. Fountain Of Sorrow
4. Here Come Those Tears Again
5. I Thought I Was A Child
6. Your Bright Baby Blues
7. Before The Deluge
8. For A Dancer
9. Just Like Forever
10. Rosie
11. Cocaine

Disc 2 (63:05)
1. Doctor My Eyes
2. Walking Slow
3. Rock Me On The Water
4. Sleeps Dark And Silent Gate
5. For Everyman
6. Nothing But Time
7. You Love The Thunder
8. Running On Empty
9. Band Introductions
10. Love Needs A Heart
11. The Late Show
12. The Pretender
13. The Load Out / Stay (Intro only)

Jackson Browne – Vocals, Guitar, Piano,
David Lindley – Guitar, Piddle, Vocals
Craig Doerge – Keyboards
Jim Gordon – Drums
Bob Glaub – Bass
Rosemary Butler – Vocals
Doug Haywood – Vocals

Uxbridge 1357

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