Customer Reviews

Bring on Night

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've bought live albums from countless different bands before, and I must say that this is probably the best one I've ever heard. The recording quality is flawless. Everybody in the 7-piece band sounds great and is mixed very well. I can't speak for the reissued version though; I only have the original version (which like all older double-disc CDs, came in that bulky, older style type of case). The liner notes are very well done too. There are many abstract art paitings of the band members, which look quite striking (albeit a bit "80s") against the black background. Sting comments on each song on the album, explaining their meaning and inspirations.

This live album was made in the time after Sting's first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles. The band includes Sting on lead vocals and 6-string guitar, four musicians that each have a resume to die for (Omar Hakim on drums, Darryl Jones on bass, Kenny Kirkland on keyboard, and Branford Marsalis on sax), plus backup vocals and some percussion provided by Dolette McDonald (who also sang on the The Police's "Syncronicity" tour) and Janice Pendarvis.

There are a total of 16 songs here, including 3 medleys of 3 songs each. 8 songs are from The Police. Instead of going after the hits we've all seen on too many compilations, Sting goes for songs that are more obscure, but none the less great. I'm a die-hard Police fan, and trust me when I say that Sting does NOT butcher these songs -- he digs up these gems and turns them into pieces that sound equally beautiful with a jazz band. The disc starts off with a long but up-beat medley of "Bring On The Night" and "When The World Is Running Down", that just never loses energy. Sting also reforms "Low Life" (a former B-side) and brings a new melancholy to "I Burn For You" (a song from the "Brimstone & Treacle" soundtrack). The reggae sound of The Police's "One World" leads nicely into Sting's "Love Is The Seventh Wave". The pure-jazz madness of "Dream Of The Blue Turtles" flows into fast guitar-driven "Demolition Man". "Driven To Tears" is given a hip latiny feel, while "Tea In The Sahara" is given a new fullness with piano, sax, and back-up vocals.

Of the 8 non-Police songs, 5 are from Sting's solo album. Once again, he doesn't go straight for the hits ("If You Love Somebody", "Fortress Around Your Heart", "Russians"), but rather chooses almost every other song: "Love Is The Seventh Wave", "Consider Me Gone", "We Work The Black Seam", "Moon Over Bourbon Street", and "Children's Crusade". The live versions don't sound drastically different than the studio version, maybe with the exception of Sting's powerful ending vocals to "Bourbon St". But they're all songs that sound just as great live as they did in the studio. The remaining two songs, which you can't find anywhere else in any form are "Down So Long" and "Another Day". "Down So Long" is a 12-bar blues jam, which give some of the musicians a little more spotlight. But "Another Day" is one of my all-time favorite songs from ANY band! Very emotional and well-played. [EDIT: After I wrote this original review back in 2003, I eventually found out that "Another Day" was another obscure B-side from Sting, from the 7" single of "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free". I managed to find the 45rpm on eBay. In my opinion, the live version here is infinitely better than the studio version from the single.]

"Bring On The Night" is, like the documentary of the same title, a great document of this incredible line-up of musicians. I only wish more bands had live albums that captured their essence as well as this one.

Sting's 1986 double live set "Bring on the Night" was an ambitious effort, considering that he had released only one album of solo material. Instead, he reworks many lesser, and obscure, Police tunes with his rock/jazz fusion backing band and produces a winner. Sting handles the vocals and guitar, with Omar Hakim on drums, Darryl Jones on bass, Kenny Kirkland on keyboards and Branford Marsalis on saxophone.
The disk starts with a twisty medley of "Bring on the Night/When the World is Running Down You Make the Best of What's Still Around." It's a long title, and a long song, with outstanding vocals by Sting, excellent keyboard solo by Kirkland and a surprise rap by Marsalis.
"Consider Me Gone" is pretty similar to the studio version on "Dream of the Blue Turtles" but it sizzles live with a cool Pacific style jazz beat.
"Low Life" is an obscure Police tune not found on their regular issues, but on the "Message in a Box" set. Nice blues/jazz feel and dark lyrics.
"The Dream of the Blue Turtles/Demolition Man" features a jazz instrumental melded into smoking version of the "Ghost in the Machine" classic, with horns that are not quite as dissonant as the original, and a break-neck pace.
Disc 2 opens with another medley, this time "One World (Not Three)/ Love is the Seventh Wave" and a fantastic multi-vocal introduction. Both songs have similar themes of, well, the world kind of [isn't good], but there's a lot to enjoy, too. The melding of these tunes is seamless. Sting and his band put a lot of thought, and rehearsal, into reworking these tunes.
"Moon Over Bourbon Street" features Sting and his bass guitar, and a little haunting sax in the background. A tribute to Anne Rice's "Interview With the Vampire" and Sting finds a depth to his usually thin/reedy/raspy voice that is not usually heard.
"I Burn For You" is another obscure Police tune that builds to a powerful finale.
I'm not sure where "Another Day" came from, but there is some cool audience interaction. "Down So Long" features Sting showing some blues/jazz chops.
"Tea in the Sahara" closes out the set, trading the desert atmospherics of Andy Summers' studio version for Marsalis' saxophone.
Although Sting is the frontman here, he lets his backing group flash their instrumental chops, making this a very enjoyable collection.

This is one of Sting's early solo efforts (it had only been a few years since the Police broke up) taken from his 1st solo tour. Sting sounds confident on this CD (he sings and plays rhythm guitar) and his band (Darryl Jones on bass, Branford Marsalis on sax, Omar Hakim on drums, Kenny Kirkland on keyboards to name a few) sounds top notch! There's more jazz on this CD than anything else.

"Bring On the Night" is joined with "When the World Is Running Down" and they jam out on that one! He also segues "Dream of the Blue Turtles" (from his solo debut of the same name which got nominated for a Grammy) with the hard rockin' "Demolition Man"! He combines 2 songs with a simmilar reggae beat (and message) "One World"/"Love Is the 7th Wave". "Driven to Tears" is a great political conscientious song- "too many cameras and not enough food". "Children's Crusade", as Sting points out on the liner notes, talks about different eras from the 11th century to World War I to 1985 (then the present). "Another Day" is Sting's characteristically "despondent" side (with its ironic upbeat melody) and "Low Life" is humourous and catchy. "I Burn for You" is featured in the movie Brimstone and Treacle, which Sting both acted in and composed some of the songs (Sting points out that he composed this while he was teaching: "The soundtrack got a Grammy. [My students] got their O levels."). "We Work the Black Seam" is loosely based on a coalmine strike. The CD closes with "Been Down So Long" (a bluesy break from the jazz improvisation, but as Sting says, "the blues is music form indigenious to the coalfields of Northern England") and the Police classic "Tea in the Sahara" (not to put down the original, but this version has reinvinted itself greatly in comparison).

Upon leaving the Police at the height of their fame, Sting embarked on a bold new solo career with a group of expert jazz musicians in this fusion rock band. All of the players are superb: bassist Darrel Jones (Sting played guitar instead in this band), the late keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, drummer Omar Hakim, and famed saxophonist Branford Marsalis, along with some backup singers. This lengthy live album, taken from the band's tour through Europe in 1986, showcases a unique, skillful sound; it also highlights many of the more obscure corners of Sting's songwriting career, breathing new life into many forgotten Police songs. Indeed, it seems ironic that the band's live versions of songs like "Children's Crusade" and "We Work the Black Seam" (from the Sting album "The Dream of the Blue Turtles") are the most ragged offerings here, considering that this same band played them on the studio recordings. Various lengthy medleys are entertaining, although Branford's "rap" during the opening set is slightly embarrassing, as are his occasional bum notes during tenor sax rambling. Be this as it may, when the band turns to odd Police oldies like "Low Life" and "Demolition Man," they cleary improve on the flawed originals. (Don't get me wrong, the Police were one of the finest rock groups I ever heard; rather, this group takes material that the Police had treated as second-rate and elaborates upon it into something better.) Quieter numbers like "Moon Over Bourbon Street" and a drawn-out "Tea in the Sahara" lend themselves very well to this band's jazzy stage sound; in fact, the moody "I Burn For You" is perhaps the highlight of the set, building to an intense climax of longing and menace that is truly frightening. However, the band also proves they can cook with upbeat numbers like "Another Day" and the straight blues of "Down So Long." Overall this recording is worth having. It shows Sting at the peak of his confidence and daring, when he was still riding the forward momentum of a career that has since become more tame. Music fans of many stripes can enjoy this atmospheric collection of lesser-known songs made wonderful onstage. It should also be noted that this CD contains many songs not featured in the concert movie of the same name.

Okay, so admittedly, this is a reactionary review because I've seen too many people give misleading and superficial representations of this album (kind of annoying, no?). Onto the review...

It's a great live double-disc set and it is heavily influenced by Sting's band comprised of jazz musicians. But, only one song could be considered jazz (Dream of the Blue Turtles) and that's the one without much of a solo section (very un-jazz-like). This lineup is one of the best I've ever come across in pop music. The keyboard solos on some of these songs are so smokin' I shake my head and laugh sometimes when I'm listening to it.

Another quick thing to clear up. On this album and on Dream of The Blue Turtles, Sting gives up the bass (replaced by Darryl Jones) and plays guitar. He's actually a pretty good rhythm guitar player.

So is it good? Absolutely. And you get to hear quite a few of Sting's solo songs as well as some Police material. It's a great album with lots of color and excitement. You can even appreciate Branford Marsalis doing a mid-80's rap over one of the choruses. It's kind of cheezy now, but given the time period, it was fresh and fun.

So, as a recommendation, let me say that I taped a copy of this CD way back when I didn't have a CD player in my car and would just let it repeat itself over and over in my car wherever I went. I think you'll really dig this album.

Jazz inspired live recordings of songs mainly from Stings first solo album „The Dream Of The Blue Turtles". The musicians are in best form and very playful. Most of all I like the medleys, especially „One World (Not Three)/Love Is The Seventh Wave". The songs are not only coupled to each other, but woven in each other. Mind-blowing! There is also a video of the same title worth seeing, about how this concert tour was made to happen.

OK, let's get the bad news out of the way first. A double CD that weighs in at less than 82 minutes length, and with a running order that leaves something to be desired - kicking off for example, with the near 12 minute medley of Bring On The Night/When The World Is Running Down - plus the annoyance factor caused by culling the tracks from five shows spread over a seventh month period rather than focusing one show. Bit of a dog's breakfast then...?

Well, no, not really. Whereas the Bring On The Night movie concentrated on recording for posterity the birth of a band, this release can be seen as a valuable companion piece. Eschewing the temptation to just issue the performances on the video which were filmed in late Spring 1985, only two of the album's 13 tracks date from this period. The other's come from shows around Christmas 1985, after the band had played more than eighty shows together. No longer the strangers feeling their way that you see on the video, this is a well drilled and extremely talented band that were just awesome on stage.

The choice of Bring On The Night/When The World Is Running Down for opening track is actually a very good one showing just how well the band had gelled and setting out their credentials. Sting's opening chords - this time on guitar rather than bass - quickly lead into a terrific groove provided by Darryl Jones, Omar Hakim and Kenny Kirkland. Bring On The Night segues into When The World so smoothly you could be forgiven for thinking it was the same song, and when Branford Marsalis's weighs in with a terrific rap segment, the song reaches a terrific plateau and just stays there. Awesome stuff.

Hakim's delicious tripping cymbal signals the start of Consider Me Gone, which is quickly richened by a sensual vocal from Sting and some masterful saxophone from Marsalis. The old Police b-side, Low Life, is a real surprise package and is given a bluesy twist that has the Police's hard edges knocked off with more of Marsalis tenor sax, and some complementary backing vocals from Janice Pendarvis and Dolette McDonald. We Work The Black Seam is a little faster than the album version but otherwise remains faithful to the version from Dream Of The Blue Turtles. Driven To Tears suffers from a surprising lack of passion in the vocals and minimal (Branford's sax apart) treatment, but still manages to groove along professionally although at seven minutes long, you feel it's overstayed it's welcome by the climax.

The mad cacophony of The Dream Of The Blue Turtles track - sorry, never liked it, or Janice and Dolette's mad dance! - quickly breaks into a storming version of Demolition Man. Jackhammer-like drums and Sting's strong vocals power the song along to a rousing finish. A demonstration of just how adaptable the band are comes on the medley of One World/Love Is the Seventh Wave. The harmonisation on One World is simply beautiful, and all to a perfect reggae rhythm before effortlessly sliding into the lush percussion, sax and keyboards of Hakim, Marsalis and Kirkland.

A sensual version of Moon Over Bourbon Street showcases more terrific saxophone work by Marsalis, before the album's highpoint arrives - I Burn For You. From it's low key beginning, to it's dark and brooding finale, this is simply terrific. Without question one of Sting's most atmospheric songs, with a yearning vocal and that haunting bass riff, this version just ...well, it smoulders please start playing this song again.)

Despite getting the crowd clapping along Another Day suffers in contrast to what succeeded it. Competent, but ultimately disposable it's one of the album's weaker moments before Marsalis and Hakim cut loose on Children's Crusade, where Branford's sax playing is a special treat. The blues standard Been Down So Long gets the full virtuoso treatment - including a lovely piano segment from Kenny Kirkland, and Sting's vocals too are excellent. Sadly, for us, the album ends with our one of our least favourite Police songs - Tea In The Sahara. Andy Summers' shimmering guitar passages are replaced by keyboards, which sadly doesn't work for us, and whilst Sting's vocals are strong enough, the song continues to leave us cold.

The album has to be worth at least four of anyone's five stars. This was an awesome live band as anyone who saw them will tell you, and this release does the band's memory justice. The especially pleasing thing about the album is the lack of obvious crowd pleasing Police favourites - Roxanne, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Message In A Bottle etc, - with Sting instead relying on a mixture of his new material, Police medleys that show of the band's virtuosity, and on long overlooked songs such as Low Life and I Burn For You. Great music played with style and skill - you can't go wrong with Bring On The Night

A great live-release, the sound is great, the songs are great, the performing is great - and yes - Sting is great, performing with his great band at their very best!

Low Life, We Work The Black Seam, I Burn For You and Consider Me Gone are my personal favorites on the album - but as I am sitting here now I feel like I am forgetting something (As these words were spoken, I swear... yes well...)

As mentioned the sound and recording (of course) is nearly perfect - unexpected for the time of this release - and I never get tired of listening to Branford Marsailles (wrong spelled?) perform on I Burn For You, the solo is great - and clear, and just flows into the room when played loud.

Sting was performing with his Blue Turtles on The Dream...-tour, so it is a jazzy-experimental-project "eternalyzed" on the Bring On The Night-release, apparently handpicked songs from different shows on the tour, this is not one Live-show recorded.

He also performs a couple of previously unreleased songs (I think) written in the Police-period (Low Life and Another Day - I hope I'm not wrong here) - other than that he also performs some Police-classics (including a great version of Tea In The Sahara). Of course it includes material from his first solo-album as well.

Are you a fan, but haven't heard this - then do it!

Great! Early solo Sting live double disk. Makes me wish I was at the concert(s). I like that Sting combines Police songs with his solo material. This makes a great segue album from the Police into Sting's solo career. I gave it four stars because although the content is fantastic, Sting leaves himself room for improvement, and improve he consistantly does with every new release.

If you only buy one Sting Album in your life, this should be it. This album is one of my favourite CD's of all time. Not only does the album take "Dream of the Blue Turtles" material but some vintage Police songs are included. Once again if you only buy one Sting CD in your life.... this is it!