Jeff Beck / Philadelphia 1999 / 2CDR

Jeff Beck / Philadelphia 1999 / 2CDR / Uxbridge

Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA, USA 16th March 1999

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Jeff Beck of the “WHO ELSE!” era made a brilliant comeback from the unfortunate 1990s. A new masterpiece that allows you to experience the best of the scene is now available.
What is inscribed in this work is “Philadelphia performance on March 16, 1999”. This is a beautiful audience recording. The press new masterpiece “DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999 (Wardour-578)” and “CINCINNATI 1999 DAT MASTER (Uxbridge 2020)”, which will be released simultaneously this week, are sister works by the same recording artist collection, but this work alone has a different personality and position. (slightly) different. I’ll leave the summary of the activities at that time to the explanation of both works, but here I’ll narrow it down to the “North America #1” leg that produced three simultaneous releases, and check the positional relationship of each work.

●Details of “North America #1”
・March 15: Washington D.C. performance
[“WHO ELSE!” released on March 16th] *March 16th: Philadelphia performance ←★This work★
・March 17th + 19th (2 performances)
*March 20th “WHO ELSE! IN USA”
*March 21st “WALLINGFORD 1999 SOUNDBOARD” and others
・March 22nd + 23rd (2 performances)
*March 24th “DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999”
・March 27: Columbus performance
*March 28th “CINCINNATI 1999 DAT MASTER”
・March 30th – April 18th (13 performances)

This is a total of 22 performances of “North America #1″ held just before coming to Japan. “DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999” and “CINCINNATI 1999 DAT MASTER” released at the same time were sister works that were just one week apart, but the Philadelphia performance of this work was the second performance apart. It was also the day of the release of “WHO ELSE!”.
This work that conveys such a show is a new excavation master that was recently released. The person who recorded it has not been confirmed, but it is a masterpiece transferred from the original DAT clone that used the famous Schoeps. In fact, the sound is detailed and delicate. It’s not the type that would be mistaken for a sound board in terms of tone, but its core is dense and doesn’t feel sparse, and it’s full of enveloping power rather than thrusting power.
Of course, if the sound was bouncy and blurry, it would be unreliable, but this work is different. It is also a type of instrument that has a thick sound with detailed details that make each note stand out. Moreover, this work is a top-of-the-line updated album that has refined that flavor through meticulous mastering. After analyzing each band, the balance was adjusted, and the heavy bass that was a little too strong in the original sound was corrected. Thanks to that, the ensemble situation became clear and clear. The more details and contours are brought to life, the more dynamism the sound becomes. The dynamic movement of the ensemble and the dynamism of the dynamics create a huge swell, stirring up the emotions of the listener.
Such a dynamic sound depicts a full show that is longer than usual. Let’s organize it while comparing it with two press masterpieces representing 1999.

●Who Else! (9 songs)
・What Mama Said／Psycho Sam／Brush With The Blues／Blast From The East／Declan／THX 138／Space For The Papa／Angel (Footsteps)／Even Odds
●Classics and others (11 songs)
・There and Back: Star Cycle/The Pump/You Never Know
・Guitar Shop: Savoy/Where Were You (★)/Big Block/Sling Shot (★★)
・Others: A Day In The Life/Led Boots (★)/’Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers/Blue Wind
*Note: Songs marked with “★” cannot be heard on the soundboard super masterpiece “DEFINITIVE TOKYO 1999”. In particular, the songs marked with “★★” were not even on the press new masterpiece “DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999”.

…and it looks like this. The Japanese performance soundboard, which is a symbol of the “WHO ELSE!” era, was also an edited work that matched the broadcast time frame. In this work, you can also enjoy “Led Boots”, “Where Were You”, and “Sling Shot” that cannot be heard there. In particular, “Sling Shot” is a limited song that was only played at limited shows even in 1999. It’s also a delicious song that isn’t even on this week’s new press album “DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999.” Of course, the increase in songs reflects Jeff’s own ambition. The performance that runs through the whole story is also a wonderful show where the motivation is transparent.
“WHO ELSE! Tour” where the best masters were discovered one after another as if competing with each other. Of course, start with this! ‘s masterpiece is the new press album “DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999”, but all three series are must-listen masterpieces. This work is one of the longest releases of such new masterpieces all at once. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.

★Beautiful audience recording of “Philadelphia Performance on March 16, 1999”. This is a masterpiece recording using the famous Schoeps, and is detailed and delicate. The core is dense and doesn’t feel sparse, and is full of enveloping power rather than thrusting power. The band has been balanced through careful mastering, and the ensemble situation is clear and clear. You can also enjoy “Sling Shot” which cannot be heard on the press new masterpiece “DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999” from the same period.

不遇の90年代から華麗な復活を果たした『WHO ELSE!』時代のジェフ・ベック。その現場を極上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「1999年３月16日フィラデルフィア公演」。その美麗オーディエンス録音です。今週同時リリースとなるプレス新名盤『DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999（Wardour-578）』と『CINCINNATI 1999 DAT MASTER（Uxbridge 2020）』は同録音家コレクションによる姉妹作でしたが、本作だけは個性もポジションも（チョット）異なる。当時の活動概要は両作の解説に譲るとして、ここでは同時リリース３作を生み出した「北米#1」レッグに絞り込んで各作品の位置関係を確認してみましょう。

●「北米#1」の詳細
・３月15日：ワシントンD.C.公演
《３月16日『WHO ELSE!』発売》
＊３月16日：フィラデルフィア公演　←★本作★
・３月17日＋19日（２公演）
＊３月20日『WHO ELSE! IN USA』
＊３月21日『WALLINGFORD 1999 SOUNDBOARD』他
・３月22日＋23日（２公演）
＊３月24日『DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999』
・３月27日：コロンバス公演
＊３月28日『CINCINNATI 1999 DAT MASTER』
・３月30日ー４月18日（13公演）

これが来日直前に行われた「北米#1」の全22公演。同時リリースの『DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999』『CINCINNATI 1999 DAT MASTER』は一週間と違わない姉妹作でしたが、本作のフィラデルフィア公演だけは離れた２公演目。『WHO ELSE!』発売の当日でもありました。
そんなショウを伝える本作は、最近になって公開された新発掘マスター。録音者は確定されていませんが、名機Schoepsが使用された大元DATクローンからトランスファーされた銘品なのです。実際、そのサウンドはきめ細やかで繊細。音色的にもサウンドボードと間違えるタイプではないのですが、その芯は密度たっぷりでスカスカ感がなく、突きつける突進力よりも包み込む包容力に溢れている。
もちろん、ボワボワ・ボケボケなサウンドだったら元も子もありませんが、本作は違う。厚めの鳴りの中にしっかりとディテールが描かれており、１音１音がキラキラと浮き立つタイプでもある。しかも、本作はそうした旨みを細心マスタリングで磨き込んだ最高峰更新盤。帯域毎に分析した上でバランスを整え、原音そのままではやや強すぎた重低音を整理。そのお陰でアンサンブル事態がすっきりとヌケ良くなったのです。そして、細部や輪郭が活きるほど鳴りの厚みはダイナミズムに転化する。アンサンブルの躍動や強弱ダイナミズムが大きなうねりとなり、聴いているこっちの感情をグイグイと掻き立ててくれるのです。
そんなダイナミック・サウンドで描かれるのは、普段よりも長尺なフルショウ。1999年を代表するプレス名盤２種と比較しながら整理してみましょう。

●フー・エルス！（９曲）
・What Mama Said／Psycho Sam／Brush With The Blues／Blast From The East／Declan／THX 138／Space For The Papa／Angel (Footsteps)／Even Odds
●クラシックス他（11曲）
・ゼア・アンド・バック：Star Cycle／The Pump／You Never Know
・ギター・ショップ：Savoy／Where Were You（★）／Big Block／Sling Shot（★★）
・その他：A Day In The Life／Led Boots（★）／’Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers／Blue Wind
※注：「★」印はサウンドボード超名盤『DEFINITIVE TOKYO 1999』では聴けない曲。特に「★★」印はプレス新名盤『DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999』にもなかった曲。

……と、このようになっています。『WHO ELSE!』時代の象徴でもある日本公演サウンドボードは放送枠に沿った編集作でもあった。本作はそこで聴けない「Led Boots」「Where Were You」「Sling Shot」も楽しめます。特に「Sling Shot」は1999年でも限られたショウでしか演奏されていない限定曲。今週のプレス新名盤『DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999』にもない美味しい１曲でもある。もちろん、曲の増加はジェフ自身の意欲を反映したもの。全編を貫く演奏もその意欲が透ける素晴らしいショウなのです。
競い合うかのように立て続けに極上マスターが発掘された“WHO ELSE! Tour”。もちろん、まずはコレ！の代表作はプレス新名盤『DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999』ではありますが、３連作いずれも必聴の名作揃いです。本作は、そんな新名盤の一挙リリースでも最長を誇る１本。どうぞ、存分にお楽しみください。

★「1999年３月16日フィラデルフィア公演」の美麗オーディエンス録音。名機Schoepsが使用された銘品録音で、きめ細やかで繊細。芯は密度たっぷりでスカスカ感がなく、突きつける突進力よりも包み込む包容力に溢れている。細心マスタリングで帯域バランスも整え、アンサンブル事態がすっきりとヌケ良い最高峰更新盤です。同時期のプレス新名盤『DEFINITIVE TORONTO 1999』で聴けない「Sling Shot」も楽しめます。

Disc:1 (49:49)
1. Intro
2. What Mama Said
3. Psycho Sam
4. Brush With The Blues
5. Star Cycle
6. Savoy
7. Blast From The East
8. A Day In The Life
9. Declan
10. THX 138
11. The Pump

Disc:2 (58:26)
1. Led Boots
2. Drum Solo
3. Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
4. Space For The Papa
5. Angel (Footsteps)
6. Even Odds
7. You Never Know
8. Blue Wind
9. Band Introductions
10. Where Were You
11. Big Block
12. Sling Shot★

Jeff Beck – Guitar
Jennifer Batten – Guitar & Guitar-Synthesizer
Randy Hope-Taylor – Bass
Steve Alexander – Drums

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