Customer Reviews

Live at Chene Park

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

 

 

If you've listened to perhaps 30 of JLP's works,
most live in studio, you know how unique and
special those compositions can be...although they
always bring the violin to the fore-front.

On this CD, which I held off buying for a long
time, you can hear live performances of many
of JLP's numbers, spanning perhaps 10 years, from
the 1980's to the 90's. The band's playmanship
and cohesiveness is very impressive, as is the skill
in JLP in hitting the right notes, and keeping the
concept of each song faithful from start to end. The
delivery overall, band, numbers, JLP's skill, music
instruments and sound...and live interpretations....
really makes this a fantastic, must-have CD, if you
have heard at least 5 or more of JLP's more essential
CD's. This is even better than the Rite of Strings,
in some aspects, that also was recorded live, although
strong too. Much, much better than Life Enigma, which
dates from some years after this recording.

It has taken me a few listenings to distinguish all the songs on this release. Every one is good and the band is excellent. The sound quality is exceptional. I saw Ponty ten years ago on the 'Storytelling' tour and was suprised to hear Ponty's long-time associate, Jamie Glaser, sound like a rock guitar hero. Not that I mind such things, but it did not quite fit in with the tastiness of the rest of the performance. Fortunately, he is more disciplined here and sounding better than ever. Baron Browne's bass playing is a continous thunder which always holds the fort while Michael Barsimanto's drumming is rock solid. For those of you unfamiliar with Ponty, this is fusion, not straight, jazz. The keys of Chris Rhyne are as smooth and tight as can be, often supporting Ponty and Glaser, but worth listening to in their own right. Ponty's own playing is perfection itself. I am always astounded by his use of sequencers and delays. Some criticize him for his techinicality, calling it cold, but I find it energizing and uplifting. I have been a Ponty fan for 20 years now and am gratified his music is as strong as ever.

Though missing the rock pyrotechnics that gave Jean-Luc Ponty incredible cross-over appeal with fans throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the smooth fusion before an enthusiastic audience (maybe a tad over-miked, though) at the Chene Park Amphitheater in Detroit, Michigan, has some hot highlights.

The beautifully textured Eulogy for Oscar Romero is truly heartfelt, with Infinite Pursuit, The Amazon Forest and A Journey's End solid up temp numbers. Add some lyrics by Donald Fagen to After the Storm and The Story Teller and there would be a pair of solid Steely Dan-styled songs.

Ponty continues to shape his sound through the musicians on tour and in the studio, though his distinctive artistry on violin remains absolutely phenomenal. This auto did not leave heavy tire tracks in the Motor City, but showed style by gliding along like a well-manufactured luxury ride.

I'm a band member's nephew and he gave me this CD free and personally i love it! it has smooth enticing beats and it's a shame more people aren't buying it. my uncle is now in the band called vital information and he's still makin' music!

Anything Jean Luc Ponty I'd say is incredible and inspiring...except this CD. I was very dissappointed in the performance of the music in this live CD!! And it's not the fault of Jamie Glasier, Jean Luc Ponty, Baron Browne, nor the keyboardist. It's the drummer!!! Chris Barsimanto. I read the review stating that his drumming is rock solid. I have to kindly disagree. He can't keep up!! Listen to the intro of "After the Storm" and you'll know what I mean. I'm glad he wasn't on any other recordings with Jean Luc Ponty. I don't recommend this CD because the music sounds labored and unfocused. I do recommend the Live Concert recently put out on DVD. That band is phenominal!! If you like the songs in "Chene Park", I suggest you buy the originals because this one just doesn't live up to Jean Luc Ponty's standards.

This was recorded in Boston in June 1996. It is seventy minutes long. The sound quality is very good but not perfect. The violin can be a little fuzzy at times.

The biggest problem with the sound is the audience cheering. The audience volume is cranked way up at the end of every solo and the end of every song. Also, there is a 50 second introduction by some woman trying to charge up the audience. It sounds more like what you would hear at the beginning of a heavy metal concert.

The performance is nice but not spectacular. It starts out promising, but goes nowhere. One track just seems to blend into another. It is all mechanical with no emotion. There are a few good guitar solos here and there, but it isn't enough to carry the ablum. The keyboard solos are rather bland.

What is really surprising is Ponty's playing. While it is also nice enough to hear, there is no innovation or spark on this album. He has played with more energy both live and on studio albums.

This is nice, pleasant jazz fusion. It makes good background music. But having an uncle on the band, or seeing Ponty 20 years ago or having to play this 20 times to start to appreciate it is no reason to give this particular album 5 stars.

If you really want to hear Ponty at his best, search out King Kong or any of his late seventies, early eighties material or his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra or his work with Frank Zappa.

The drummer on this CD, Michael Barsimanto, is much better when playing rock music. He seems to not know the music very well here, also. His playing is very sloppy, especially when he tries to use fills to accent the solos, often ending before the beat. Very sloppy indeed. I find this album hard to listen to for this reason especially, but also for the terrible mix. The drums are too loud in the mix, and the audience sounds as if it were added in later.

Ponty's solos seem tired on this CD. The only standout soloist is Jamie Glaser this time around. Chris Rhyne (on keys) doesn't even sound like the Chris Rhyne of old - he just goes through the motions, playing forgettable jazz cliches on piano.

I love Ponty's output - except for this one. Much better is his first live album for Atlantic - simply titled, "Live". Pick it up!