1/10/2011

USTREAM LIVE: Ryuichi Sakamoto: playing the piano | out of noise - korea 2011 09/Jan/2011/Sun - Seoul/Korea - Seoul Arts Center


This was the first trial of RS's public viewing of his concert live via Ustream to the world. Before this trial, RS did some @ his North American tour and UTAU tour in Japan for streaming (RS always tried to do something new no one has not been done before over the net from 90's and this event is a certain kind of the goal (yep, not final anyway).

Regarding the streaming, sound quality was very nice (not for sure what equipments were used, but that's for sure better ones used for this time compare with North American tour) and they provided 3 levels, normal, HQ and mobile.
I plugged my MBP to my audio set and enjoyed the shows very much.

According to PR, 2k2 unique viewers concurrently, total 190k unique access, just incredible and it represented some sort of possibility of the next level of the social activity over the net.
I hope RS will go further as a pioneer and keep surprising us!

Following is the set list and I liked the song best for these shows "undercooled" played with MC Sniper as rap, just acoustic piano with rap, strong enough to move me.

1st show (4pm Seoul/Korea - Seoul Arts Center)
01.glacier
02.improvisation
03.hibari
04.still life
05.in the red
06.nostalgia
07.a flower is not a flower
08.mizu no naka no bagatelle
09.tango
10.bibo no aozora
11.bolerish
12.high heels
13.the last emperor
14.merry christmas mr.lawrence

encore 1
15.behind the mask
16.tibetan dance
17.thousand knives

encore 2
18.undercooled with MC Sniper

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2nd show (8pm Seoul/Korea - Seoul Arts Center)
01.glacier
02.improvisation
03.hibari
04.still life
05.in the red
06.nostalgia
07.a flower is not a flower
08.bibo no aozora
09.tango
10.mizu no naka no bagatelle
11.before long
12.loneliness
13.the sheltering sky
14.merry christmas mr. lawrence

encore 1
15.behind the mask
16.happy end
17.thousand knives

encore 2
18.undercooled with MC Sniper

encore 3
19.aqua

Instant live will be only available iTunes Music Store in Japan, but maybe can distribute outside Japan since management side seems to address this issue.
I purchased 2nd show only and found bit rate is 256kbps and it means higher quality than previous instant live source and it's true :)

Among the songs played, I liked the song "undercooled" since this is the 1st time I heard this song playing live and it's so emotionally moved me much.
Rap + Acoustic Piano, usually regard it's like water + oil and never collaborated, but that's not the case this time anyway.
Currently "undercooled" is available with it's originally release from the album "CHASM" worldwide and acoustica edition from the album "/04" probably only available in Japan.


1/01/2011

RIVER the joni letters HERBIE HANCOCK HiRes 96/24

I happened not to purchase this album till recently just because I've been Joni's fan since 1977 and I thought it was a cover album, thus not so interested when it was released in 2007 even though it's won the album of the year @ Grammy Award 2008.
So the motivation of purchasing this album is that I recently bought Norah Jones ...Featuring and found cover version of "Court & Spark" is really nice one, and HDTracks sent me the mail offering15% discount code just valid through 12/31/2010.

This album is basically consisted of Joni's songs, but "Solitude" and "Nefertiti" are exceptions.

Track Listing
  1. Court and Spark (featuring Norah Jones)
  2. Edith and the Kingpin (featuring Tina Turner)
  3. Both Sides Now
  4. River (featuring Corinne Bailey Rae)
  5. Sweet Bird
  6. Tea Leaf Prophecy (featuring Joni Mitchell)
  7. Solitude
  8. Amelia (featuring Luciana Souza)
  9. Nefertiti (2007)
  10. Jungle Line (featuring Leonard Cohen)
Produced by Larry Klein (Joni's husband) and Herbie Hancock and probably the last recording session for Wayne Shorter.

As I have been said regarding HiRes recording, the difference you can hear quite distinctive when to compare with CD sound is the sound of acoustic instruments, especially instrumental solo.