UK - Curtain Call (2015)
UK - Curtain Call (2015)
Blu-ray: MPEG-2 Video 31996 kbps, 1080i, 29.970 fps, 16:9
LPCM 2.0, 48 kHz, 2304 kbps, 24-bit / DTS-HD MA 5.1, 48 kHz, 24-bit
Progressive Rock | Scans Included | 01:57:02 | ~ 36.35 Gb
Blu-ray: MPEG-2 Video 31996 kbps, 1080i, 29.970 fps, 16:9
LPCM 2.0, 48 kHz, 2304 kbps, 24-bit / DTS-HD MA 5.1, 48 kHz, 24-bit
Progressive Rock | Scans Included | 01:57:02 | ~ 36.35 Gb
Short-lived English super group founded in the 70s by John Wetton and Bill Bruford (ex-King Crimson). They were active between 1977 - 1980, and reformed in 2012 with John Wetton, Eddie Jobson, and Terry Bozzio as the main line-up.* * *
The UK reunion period has just about run its course, so this special concert was likely one the last shows we will perform as a group. I thought it would be a good opportunity, for the first time ever, to present both studio albums in their entirety, as well as the three additional songs as the encore, and capture a live performance of our complete catalogue. Let me extend a special thanks to Ward Records and BS FUJI for helping me capture this one-off show in such high quality.
Considerable thanks also go out the extraordinary Alex Machacek and Marco Minnemann for their impeccable performances, and of course to my indispensable writing partner John Wetton - it is a privilege to perform with these musicians, and with one of the classic voices of the entire genre.
Lastly, there are no words that can express my deep gratitude to the fans who have continued to support 'UK' for the past 37 years. It is only due to this support that any of the recent reunion shows have been possible, including this one - which I think of as our "Curtain Call."
EJ
In The Dead of Night
Written at the age of 22 and inspired by the distinctive brassy sound of the very first Yamaha CS80 synthesizer in England, this is probably my most well known piece and certainly the one most performed by other artists. It is also one of the very few famous rock tunes written in 7/4, as well as featuring one of the most iconic guitar solos in all of recorded music, by Allan Holdsworth; a solo graciously reproduced verbatim by Alex Machacek. As with most of the other UK compositions, John Wetton was my writing partner, creating all of the lyrics, many of the vocal lines, and contributing in many other musical ways. Bill Bruford's distinctive drum sound and style also clearly added to this piece's unique character.
By The Light of Day
Written as a lilting 5/4 counterbalance to 'In The Dead of Night.' The original sequencer part was produced on a very obscure synthesizer called a Triadex Muse, which I had received as a gift from the late John Entwistle of The Who. Again, as with every sound and sequencer part in the concert, it had to be recreated from scratch in software and recorded onto a sample. The sweeping CS80 synthesizer tones on this song and on virtually all of the live performances of UK songs, were recreated using Arturia's CS80v software plugin combined with Spectrasonics' Atmosphere software instrument.
Presto Vivace & Reprise
Following on from what we used to call the "big synth tune" and the "CS80 slides," Presto Vivace (meaning 'fast and lively') was written shortly after leaving Frank Zappa's band. I wanted to have a technical keyboard piece with UK that would be as challenging as some of Frank's more gymnastic hand sprints - simply because they were fun to play. The piece was originally written in a fast 7/16 dance rhythm, something like a Yugoslavian folk dance, but was rearranged with the distinctly undanceable bass syncopation as a more 'intellectual' counterpoint. The reprise is, of course, the recapitulation of 'In The Dead of Night' to conclude the full suite.
Thirty Years
The basic beginning and ending song of 'Thirty Years' was written mostly by John, and had first appeared as a contribution to the aborted Wakeman, Wetton, Bruford trio that preceded the formation of 'UK.' Again, the CS80 string sound, considered one of the most realistic up to that point, inspired my rubato arrangement of the beginning song, dubbed the "Delius" section (after British composer Frederick Delius). The instrumental sections were written by me and Allan. Lyrically, John's words are about a mutual acquaintance of ours, a single woman then about to turn 30.
Alaska
A rare piece of music in that the lengthy intro rests mostly on its sonic content, rather than its melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic content, although harmony does play a role. The post-intro rhythmic section, though more of a rock track, still forms a nice stylistic balance of the four musical identities that made up the original UK lineup. It also allowed me to take my new Hammond and Leslie out for a spin.
Time To Kill
Coming out of 'Alaska,' without pause, 'Time To Kill' was probably the most compositionally equal track of the UK repertoire; each of us added something significant to the piece, making it another uniquely original creation that could only have come from the first UK lineup. This was also the first introduction of my electric violin into the landscape of the first album; note the slightly more jazz style of soloing to try to complement and balance the stylistic influence of Holdsworth.
Nevermore
On reflection, 'Nevermore' is probably the most successful melding of the four original band members' diverse styles. Though compositionally leaning more toward the jazz/ fusion camp, no one was compromising their own musical character in the performance of it. Though the instrumental section was mainly improvised, the album version contained measures of difficult guitar/synthesizer doubles; this was accomplished by my learning sections of Holdsworth's improvisations and overdubbing the synth doubles. The difficulty of performing both 'Nevermore' and 'Mental Medication1 live, unfortunately, led to neither piece ever being played in concert by the original group. However, with the ability and willingness of Alex Machacek to replicate the unison runs note-for-note, in between his own improvisations, we were finally able to begin performing this piece in concert just a couple of years ago.
Mental Medication
Bruford's first, and I believe, last attempt at lyric writing. Vocally and instrumentally, this is such a difficult track to perform live with any conviction, that this piece has remained unplayed until this one-off concert. I can say with some assuredness, that it will likely never be played live again. But well done to all for giving it at least one public airing.
Drum Solo
What can I say about Marco Minnemann's drum solos? In my view, Marco is the most technically proficient drummer in the world. So enjoy the show.
Danger Money
The entire 'Danger Money' album, starting with the title track, was written and produced partly with the objective of extricating ourselves from the increasingly insipid jazz/fusion scene of the late 70s. Obviously, with the departure of Bruford and Holdsworth; the addition of Terry Bozzio; the increased focus on my own singular compositional style; and Wetton's more mainstream melodic and lyrical leanings, the UK output would have naturally veered more toward our progressive-rock lineage anyway. But the 'Danger Money' track did emphatically mark the beginning of a return to our original direction; an extension of the writing style begun with 'In The Dead of Night,' and the first real no-compromise compositional outlet for me since Curved Air's 'Metamorphosis.'
Rendezvous 6:02
The piano piece underpinning this song was written in my Hollywood apartment while I was still in Frank Zappa's band. It was never offered for inclusion on the first "U.K." album because stylistically it did not fit. However, the piece was enthusiastically embraced by John during the 'Danger Money' writing sessions, and I like to think that it inspired some of his most atmospheric lyrics. The song has surprisingly turned out to be the closest thing to an unintended "hit" than I ever could have foreseen.
The Only Thing She Needs
Originally performed by the first UK, this track was intended for inclusion on the second album by the original lineup. In many ways though, the track became stronger when arranged more for the keyboard power-trio than the original band. The harmonic and rhythmic strength of the composition is more raw and more exposed than it would have been with Allan's complex modal additions and Bill's lighter rhythmic approach and that, for me, leads to a more emotionally powerful and considerably more exciting piece. In this concert, we are playing the songs in their original album sequence, but normally this song has the role of energetic set-closer.
Caesar s Palace Blues
Usually played as an encore, this perennial family sing-along employs one of the most natural 5/4 grooves since Dave Brubeck - though I say so myself. Always the high-energy violin show tune and a staple of every UK performance.
Nothing To Lose
Was this the first 'Asia' hit? This song, for me, marked the beginning of the stylistic divide in the Jobson-Wetton writing team; John would go on to write or co-write many more songs of this flavor, to great success. Though the song was and is very popular, especially in Japan, it helped define what I did not want to do going forward.
Carrying No Cross
On balance, probably my favorite UK piece and most extensive composition. John's vocal, melodic and lyrical additions result in a song that defines the trio-period UK. This is a track that works even better live than on record, something I can instinctively tell by my comfort level on stage during this piece. Marco does a fine job with the Bozzio parts on this recording.
Waiting For You
This follow-up idea to 'Caesar's Palace Blues' was never fully realized and was still in development when we disbanded. We had, however, performed the song a few times at some of our later concerts and were able to access a live bootleg (no - this is still no justification for this abhorrent and damaging practice) to remind ourselves of the arrangement and unfinished lyrics circa 1979. This is the only performance of the song since the 70s and the first official recording of it.
Night After Night
The title track of our celebrated live album, the music for this piece was written in a Los Angeles hotel suite about two weeks before traveling to Japan to perform what would turn out to be our last set of public concerts, at least for the next 32 years. After a quick rehearsal and the addition of the vocal melody, John had just a few days to come up with lyrics, and after two-and-a-half years of steady touring, 'Night After Night' was what he came up with for the title. On a technical note, the 32nd-note intro runs are later modified to be one beat each of a quintuplet (5/16), another quintuplet (5/16), a septuplet (7/16), and an octuplet (8/32). On a sonic note, the CS80 sound on this song was my first use of a new, more modern-sounding custom patch later used extensively on The Green Album.
As Long As You Want Me Here
The second of the two songs written in the L.A. hotel specially for the 1979 'Night After Night' Japanese tour. As with many of my other compositions, this song works perfectly well performed with just piano and voice - which is how we concluded our special "Curtain Call" show.~ Booklet info
UK - Curtain Call (2015):
UK - Curtain Call (2015)
Tracklist:
In The Dead Of Night
- In The Dead Of Night (Jobson, Wetton)
- By The Light Of Day (Jobson, Wetton)
- Presto Vivace and Reprise (Jobson, Wetton)
Thirty Years (Wetton, Jobson, Bruford)
Alaska (Jobson)
Time To Kill (Jobson, Wetton, Bruford)
Nevermore (Holdsworth, Jobson, Wetton)
Mental Medication (Holdsworth, Jobson, Wetton)
Drum Solo
Danger Money (Jobson, Wetton)
Rendezvous 6:02 (Jobson, Wetton)
The Only Thing She Needs (Jobson, Wetton)
Caesar's Palace Blues (Jobson, Wetton)
Nothing To Lose (Jobson, Wetton)
Carrying No Cross (Jobson, Wetton)
Waiting For You (Jobson, Wetton)
Night After Night (Jobson, Wetton)
As Long As You Want Me Here (Jobson, Wetton)
Musicians:
Eddie Jobson - keyboards, electric violin
John Wetton - vocals and bass
Alex Machacek - guitar
Marco Minnemann - drums
Disc Title: EDDIE_JOBSON_UK_LIVE
Disc Size: 36 721 446 146 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: No
BDInfo: 0.5.8
Notes:
BDINFO HOME:
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INCLUDES FORUMS REPORT FOR:
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PLAYLIST: 00000.MPLS
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QUICK SUMMARY:
Disc Title: EDDIE_JOBSON_UK_LIVE
Disc Size: 36 721 446 146 bytes
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Playlist: 00000.MPLS
Size: 0 bytes
Length: 1:57:02.015
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Video: MPEG-2 Video / 0 kbps / 1080i / 29,970 fps / 16:9
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Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitle: Japanese / 0,000 kbps
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PLAYLIST: 00002.MPLS
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<–- BEGIN FORUMS PASTE –->
QUICK SUMMARY:
Disc Title: EDDIE_JOBSON_UK_LIVE
Disc Size: 36 721 446 146 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: No
Playlist: 00002.MPLS
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Length: 0:01:34.994
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Video: MPEG-2 Video / 0 kbps / 1080i / 29,970 fps / 16:9
Subtitle: Japanese / 0,000 kbps
Disc Size: 36 721 446 146 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: No
BDInfo: 0.5.8
Notes:
BDINFO HOME:
Cinema Squid
http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/tools/bdinfo
INCLUDES FORUMS REPORT FOR:
AVS Forum Blu-ray Audio and Video Specifications Thread
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1155731
WARNING: Report is incomplete because: Scan has not been run.
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PLAYLIST: 00000.MPLS
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Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
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QUICK SUMMARY:
Disc Title: EDDIE_JOBSON_UK_LIVE
Disc Size: 36 721 446 146 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: No
Playlist: 00002.MPLS
Size: 0 bytes
Length: 0:01:34.994
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UK - Curtain Call (2015)
UK - Curtain Call (2015)
UK - Curtain Call (2015)
UK - Curtain Call (2015)
UK - Curtain Call (2015)
All thanks go to tatuk