the power of two
John McLaughlin- guitar
Jonas Hellborg- bass
Nightstage
Cambridge, Mass. U.S.A.
August 10,1987
(2 mostly different shows)
performance quality: A (a solid show throughout!)
recording quality: B+
runtime: 1st show 82:50
source: master audience tape
lineage: Naka. CM-100 (or AKG D-190E?) microphones >
Sony D-5 (or Sony 158?) cassette deck (dolby off) >
Maxell XLII-S cassettes >
soundforge 4.5 (to WAV) > FLAC 6 > torrent.
setlist: (pathetic excuse for one)
1: electric dreams
2: follow your heart > are you the one? medley
3: trilogy
4: ?
5: ?
6: ?
7: blues for L.W. (Lech Wolensa)
8: encore break with commentary
9: encore
2nd show 79:45
1: stage introduction and tuning
2: follow your heart
3: ?
4: ?
5: end cuts
6: ?
7:
8: encore break
9: encore
It's another entry in glasnostrd19's Jazz Masters Series.
Masters of jazz from master audience tapes. This one is a
You Are There production, because that's the only place I
want to be at a John McLaughlin concert. (same for you).
In other words, it sounds like you're right there.
comments:
I think this is the only duet concert I've ever seen, and
maybe the only one I'd want to see (except maybe Simon and Garfunkel
about 39 years ago). Nightstage is a great place to see a show and
this was one of the best I ever saw there (both this and 88 trio
shows here were very nice). These sets were almost entirely different,
they did do Follow Your heart twice but it sounded very different each
time. I was not the least bit disappointed that they would choose that
song to duplicate since I've never heard John play it before this show,
and it is a very nice song. They do a very nice version of Trilogy, and
it's not a reader's digest version either. There were 2 shows, but I think
most or all who paid for the 1st show (including me) were allowed to
stay for second show. Very cool to even see 1 show (by anyone) at
Nightstage. It was a very pleasant place to see and hear a show. Good
sound system, and room acoustics in there. Too bad Nightstage has been
closed (being unused for years). If you like I tend to think a duet
concert just doesn't sound complete, you may still feel a little
differently if you hear this one. It's all from my master, and I think it
came out very well. I'm not entirely sure if it was with the Naka or the
AKG microphones, but I'm certain it wasn't with the Realistic lapels or
twinhead. This is the kind of music the AKG's handle well. It was recorded
in what amounts to the front row of the balcony, which is only about 25 feet
from (and directly facing) center stage and you can hear when John or Jonas'
hand slides on the strings. I have a faint memory of borrowing Doctor
Stud Muffin Productions' mikes (Naka. CM-100's) and Sony D-5 deck to record
this concert, but I think that was in 1988. I even bought his D-5 from him
and used it for awhile, maybe including this show. Not sure if that was
the 87 or 88 one, but both of them came out very well. Both are ready for
uppage. 2nd time I ever saw Hellborg live and he was a real treat.
Probably my favorite McLaughlin bassist since Rick Laird. So good in fact
I need to up (at least) 2 McLaughlin shows with Jonas, to let people hear
what a fine player he is. I almost didn't go to this show, because almost
any show needs a guitar and a drummer to hold my interest, and this had no
drummer. (that problem was resolved very nicely in 88) Turns out I'm very
glad I went. I've listened to this a few times, and come to put Hellborg
near or at the top in great bassplayers. This has to be the most exciting
duet concert I've ever heard. Almost 3 hours of splendid playing here and
you're not likely to find a better recording of it anywhere unless someone
recorded it off the sbd. It really sounds more like one long show, needed
a TON of ICPVR (individual clap peak volume reduction) in some spots between
songs but you'll never notice that now. (All been done.) That's why I do it.
I did not put any fadeins or fadeouts into this except at the beginning and
end of each set. The encore track begins with a couple of seconds of silence
before they begin playing, so if you're saving to DAT, there is no loss
of continuity in set 1. Set 2 fits on 1 disc. Nothing has been edited out,
no dolby or noise reduction processing of any kind was used for this.
Do not sell this recording.
Trade freely and losslessly.