Olivia Newton John / Osaka 2003 / 2CDR

Olivia Newton John / Osaka 2003 / 2CDR / Uxbridge
Live at Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan 7th April 2003

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Olivia Newton-John in 2003, who has been to Japan for the first time in a quarter of a century since 1978. Introducing the precious and superb audience recording.
Included in this work is the performance of “April 7, 2003: Osaka Festival Hall”. Since this is the first time in 25 years for the Japan Tour, he is enthusiastic about involving the general media with the slogan “Welcome back, Olivia”. Pro shots broadcast on TV have also become a staple. Including that, let’s first check the position of the show from the schedule.

・ April 2: Aichi Arts Center
・ April 4: Tokyo International Forum * TV broadcast
・ April 6: Tokyo International Forum
・ April 7: Osaka Festival Hall [this work] ・ April 8: Fukuoka Civic Hall

Above, all 5 performances. The famous TV broadcast was a performance in Tokyo, but the performance in Osaka of this work was a concert that took place three days later. This work that recorded such a show is just the best. Anyway, it’s neat, neat, neat. The direct feeling with almost no sense of distance and the solid core are also wonderful, but the feeling of air that is too clear and the delicate clearness melts my heart. It’s a type that can be called a so-called “sound board”, but if you say so easily, you can’t convey the charm of this work. The bass vibe is so fine that you can see that the floor of the venue trembles, the luster of the midrange is plentiful, and the treble that extends straight and beautifully. Everything is in order as if it was remixed later, yet the unprocessed, natural sound is too dazzling.
The neat beauty extends to the audience. It’s been 25 years since I came to Japan, and I’m the type of customer who listens carefully without making noise, but the clapping of hands is beautiful. While being aligned like Japan, each shot is clear. Since you can see the size of one grain, it creates a sense of perspective and even depicts the spatial spectacle of the site. This feeling is like a classical concert. Of course, the mood of clapping in the song is far from classical, but the elegance of the sound makes me think so. It’s much more beautiful than the unrecorded soundboard, and more natural than the broadcasts and official works that tend to be over-directed. It’s an audience recording that exceeds the official level that you can meet very rarely.
The show drawn with that beautiful sound is too wonderful. Since it’s been a long time since I came to Japan, Olivia himself declared in advance that he would sing a song that everyone loves, but he did what he said. “Have You Never Been Mellow?” Begins when Olivia appears, guided by her instrumental medley. Furthermore, the three barrages following “Xanadu” and “Magic” are suddenly luxurious as if they were Angkor. After that, plenty of hit songs from the 70’s and early 80’s will be sung.
However, it’s not just a nostalgic melody. Two songs have been selected from the return work “GAIA” and the latest work “2” at that time, and the Carpenters cover “(They Long To Be) Close To You” was also shown. Furthermore, her beloved daughter Chloe Rose attracts her ears. Her mother-daughter duet that appeared in “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. And the solo song “Reason To Cry” and the duet “It Takes Two” again, a total of 3 songs, let you hear the youthful singing voice of 17 years old. In addition to Chloe’s “Reason To Cry” and “It Takes Two,” songs such as “I Love You Crazy,” “Sam,” and “I’ll Come Runnin'” are repertoires that were cut on TV broadcasts in Tokyo. You can enjoy the full show including that with the official barefoot sound.

Even so, it’s wonderful. At the age of 54, Olivia’s singing voice became even more lustrous, with her tension and her strength unabated. Speaking of the delicious beauty of “Come On Over” in memory of the late Maurice Gibb who died in January of this year … It’s certainly full of hit songs, but it’s a masterpiece of a live album that impresses more than just nostalgia. Delicate melody, beautiful sound, and beautiful singing voice. Please take a closer look at this work.

1978年以来、四半世紀ぶりの来日公演が実現した2003年のオリビア・ニュートン=ジョン。その貴重な極上オーディエンス録音が登場です。

本作に収められているのは「2003年4月7日:大阪フェスティバルホール」公演。ジャパン・ツアーは25年ぶりということもあり、「おかえりなさい、オリビア」を合い言葉に一般メディアも巻き込んでの熱狂。テレビ放送されたプロショットも大定番となりました。それも含め、まずは日程からショウのポジションを確かめてみましょう。

・4月2日:愛知芸術文化センター
・4月4日:東京国際フォーラム ※TV放送
・4月6日:東京国際フォーラム
・4月7日:大阪フェスティバルホール 【本作】
・4月8日:福岡市民会館

以上、全5公演。有名なテレビ放送は東京公演でしたが、本作の大阪公演はその3日後に行われたコンサートでした。そんなショウを記録した本作は、まさに極上。とにかく端正で、端正で、端正。距離感のほとんどないダイレクト感やしっかりとした芯も素晴らしいのですが、それ以上にあまりにも透き通った空気感と機微まで繊細なクリアさに心が溶ける。いわゆる「まるでサウンドボード」と呼べるタイプなのですが、そうカンタンに言い切ってしまうと本作の魅力が伝えきれない。低音ヴァイヴは会場の床が震えるのも分かるほど微細ですし、たっぷりとした中音域の艶やかさ、そしてどこまでも綺麗に綺麗に真っ直ぐ伸びる高音。すべてが後からミックスし直したかのように整っており、それでいて加工感のない自然な鳴りが眩しすぎる。
その端正さな美しさは、観客にも及ぶ。25年ぶりの来日でもあり、騒がずじっくりと聴き込むタイプの客層なのですが、沸き起こる手拍子まで美麗。日本らしくビシッと揃いつつ、その中の1打1打までクッキリ。1粒の大きさまで分かるためにそれが遠近感を醸し、現場の空間スペクタクルまで描いているのです。この感覚はクラシック・コンサートかのよう。もちろん、曲中でも手拍子が起こるムードはクラシックとはかけ離れておりますが、サウンドの気品がそう思わせる。録りっぱなしのサウンドボードより遙かに美しく、演出過多になりがちな放送やオフィシャル作品よりもナチュラル。ごく希に出逢える公式超えのオーディエンス録音というやつなのです。
その端麗サウンドで描かれるショウがまた素晴らしすぎる。これまた久々の来日ということもあり、事前にオリビア自身が「みんなの大好きな曲を歌う」と宣言していましたが、まさに有言実行。インストの代表曲メドレーに導かれてオリビアが登場すると「Have You Never Been Mellow?」が始まる。さらに「Xanadu」「Magic」に続く3連発は、いきなりアンコールかのような豪華さ。その後も70年代・80年代初期のヒット曲がたっぷりと歌われます。
しかし、ただの懐メロだけでもない。復帰作『GAIA』や当時の最新作『2』からも2曲ずつセレクトされていますし、カーペンターズのカバー「(They Long To Be) Close To You」も披露。さらに耳を惹くのが愛娘クロエ・ローズ。「Somewhere Over The Rainbow」で登場して母娘デュエット。そしてソロ曲「Reason To Cry」や再びデュエットの「It Takes Two」と、合計3曲で17歳の若々しい歌声を聴かせてくれる。このクロエの「Reason To Cry」「It Takes Two」の他、「I Love You Crazy」「Sam」「I’ll Come Runnin’」といった曲は東京公演のテレビ放送ではカットされたレパートリー。それも含めたフルショウをオフィシャル裸足のサウンドで楽しめるのです。

それにしても素晴らしい。当時54歳にして張りも力強さも衰えを知らず、さらに艶やかになったオリビアの歌声。この年の1月に亡くなった故モーリス・ギブを偲ぶ「Come On Over」の滋味深い美しさと言ったら……。確かにヒット曲だらけですが、単に懐かしい以上の感動をくれるライヴアルバムの大傑作です。繊細なメロディ、端麗なるサウンド、そして美しい歌声。ぜひ、本作でじっくりと噛みしめてください。

Disc 1(60:57)
1. Instrumental Medley
(If You Love Me (Let Me Know)/Let Me Be There/Please, Mister, Please/Have You Never Been Mellow?/Sam/Hopelessly Devoted To You/You’re The One That I Want/Summer Nights/A Little More Love/Xanadu/Suddenly/Physical/Magic/Don’t Cut Me Down/Not Gonna Give Into It/I Honestly Love You/Physical)

2. I Honestly Love You(Intro)/Have You Never Been Mellow?
3. Xanadu
4. Magic
5. Band Introduction
6. I Love You Crazy
7. Sam
8. Acoustic Set Medley(If Not For You/Banks Of The Ohio/Let Me Be There/Please, Mister, Please/Jolene)
9. Physical
10. I’ll Come Runnin’
11. Not Gonna Give Into It
12. Don’t Cut Me Down

Disc 2(56:08)
1. Somewhere Over The Rainbow(with Chloe Lattanzi)
2. Reason To Cry(Chloe Lattanzi)
3. It Takes Two(with Chloe)
4. Take Me Home Country Roads
5. (They Long To Be) Close To You
6. Don’t Stop Believin’
7. Suddenly
8. You’re The One That I Want
9. Hopelessly Doveted To You
10. Summer Nights/You’re The One That I Want
11. Come On Over
12. I Honestly Love You

Olivia Newton-John – Vocals Andy Timmons – Guitar Dane Bryant – Keyboards
Lee Hendricks – Bass Dan Wojciechowski- Drums Warren Ham – Harp, Horns, Vocals
Steve Real – Vocals,Percussion Marien Landin-Chapman – Vocals

Uxbridge 977

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