Customer Reviews

A Night of Rapture: Live (Mcup)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not very into Anita Baker's music, and i'm not a collector of her. I used to listen to Rapture back in the 80s and i still enjoy it very much. When i found out this live release i decided to purchase it because i like live performances. I'm glad i bought it.
Since i'm not a collector, i didn't have any of the versions here included, so to me this is a wonderful listening pleasure. I understand 3 titles come from the original VHS, 1 is a b-side from a 1989 single (but it is actually another 1986 performance) and the remaining 5 titles come from a japanese EP.
Probably the 5 songs from the japanese EP were gathered from different USA/Europe 7'' and 12'' singles for the japanese market. So, essentially this CD is a b-sides live collection. This fact adds value to the product in my opinion.
That's even the reason why the songs are faded in and out. They are taken straight from the original releases tapes. To me this is a wonderful live collection, and it would be very cool if a real complete concert from that era is issued, too. If only to compare the 2 releases and tell what's best.
Alessandro

When I see a new Anita Baker album, new songs, or best of, I have to have it!!!!! This live album is just fabulous! All of the songs from Rapture sound phenomenal live. And I love the Van Morrison song that she sang to push the album to 44 minutes. The verdict is, Anita was at the top of her game that year when the Rapture album dominated much of 1986 along with Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston having more hits from her '85 debut. She sounded like she had a fun time doing that live show in Washington. The liner notes from that writer makes you feel like you're actually at that show. So while we're waiting for a new Anita album, this album more than makes up for that lost time. Just beautiful!

Moondance is a song that Anita Baker introduced to me!! I have her sing that song on a TV show in the 80's with Mr. George Duke backing her up on the keyboards!!!!! I love that song!!! On this CD, she does a bang up job!!!!!!

Like the other posts, this CD is a compilation of concert dates while she was on tour for "Rapture". I think that for those of us who have not inhaled everything that Anita Baker has done would enjoy this CD. Yes, the songs fade in and out from song to song. That's because the song come from different concerts.
THAT NOT A BAD THING TO ME!! I purchased this CD and immediately turned it up really loud cuz this is good music. And, Anita Baker LIVE is truly awesome!!

Best tracks: Moondance, Been So Long, Mystery ***** 5 STARS**** for Anita !!!

Let me get the fact that I love Anita Baker out of the way first. She's just awesome and can do no wrong. The wrong here, however, is on the part of the music company. This is simply industry greed at work....folks trying to squeeze that last dollar out of an artist. Now that I've purged myself by saying that, I still give the cd 5 stars because Anita's singing is simply flawless. However, these are songs on the original Rapture recording, so nothing new has been added other than an additional song and the fact that she's singing live. This cd is really for fans.

For whatever strange reason their are far too many great lady singers such as Anita Baker, Stephanie Mills, Jean Carn, Mikki Howard, Teena Marie who have gone far too many years outside of the recording studio!! With great works currently out by Teena and Stephanie, it is a relief that this drought is hopefully over!! This great concert treat takes me back to The Greek Theatre when Anita held us spellbound for some ninety minutes with her hyponotic vocals! If you were one of the lucky ones who experienced this legendary singer in concert then you will want this great set for sure!! This will keep me going and warm me up for Anita Baker's new release in the fall which is sure to be a winner!!! Enjoy!!!!

A Night of Rapture: Live is essentially a collection of live versions of tracks from Anita's 1986 Rapture Tour. The venue was Washington DC -- hey, I was there, it was a great show! The songs list from Mystery, Caught Up In The Rapture, and Sweet Love. The disc also includes a jazzy(er) version of Moondance taken from a seperate concert as well as Sweet Love taken from a concert in Japan. As an added bonus, there are two videos on this enhanced CD for your enjoyment.

Which gets me to my rant.....why do record labels treat the buying public like scum? For anyone who is a true Anita Baker Fan, you have probably altready seen the video of this conscert. I would think (I could be naive), that Warner would and COULD have 1) released a full UNINTERRUPTED version of this show, and 2) at least put the songs in the same order as the video which had a true concert flow! Instead we get fade-outs and Anita talking about having two songs left to do when she in fact only does ONE; and it is the Japan concert verson of Sweet Love! Arrrgh!!!

I did think that the enhanced video mode of No One in the World and Sweet Love (from DC? -- I guess the Japan concert had a better take? -- who the hell knows what Warner thinks!)was a good step in the right direction...they give an nice indication of Anita in concert during that period.

My verdict? The music is first rate, the recording is first rate, the packaging (with extra trakes) are ok.....the attitude of the record label: 2nd rate! I would recommend this CD for die hard fans only who do not have the video. The rest of us should uncover that VHS version of this concert and crank it up on our HT systems and savor the love!!!

When you listen to this recording you get the full measure of Anita. By that I mean, you will find that what she does and is best at, is not by benefit of any studio technical wizardry.

In many ways this recording is the equal of "Rapture" for it's directness, it's straight to the point delivery. Anita's voice is rich with big, rich tones. Those exhortations and unique vocal embellishments holds you transfixed.

The band is first rate and she is backed inobtrusively by a band of some exceptional musicians, most notably James Bradley, Jr. and Gerald Allbright.

For me, "Mystery" and "(Caught up in the ) Rapture" actually surpass the studio versions because Anita is just so much more direct in concert. Nothing gets in the way.

This is an enhanced CD with three MPEG files from the accompanying video which I also have.

This is an excellent concert recording. She even attempts Van Morrison's "Moondance" which has now become a standard especially within the jazz world. This is where the more contemporary band gives it a perfunctory performance but Anita transcends this and captures the jazzy feel of the piece, somewhat faithfully. It's the one departure from what we all know is the Anita Baker repertoire.

A truly compelling concert recording.

I do agree with the other reveiws I have read for this CD about it being poorly edited with older material, shame on the record company, but I am always pleased to hear Anita Baker. It's been way too long hearing new material so it was refreshing to hear live tracks of some of her most popular material. Anita's voice is strong, clear and emotionally reviting. Hearing this CD has made me hungry to hear Anita's newewst CD My Everything arriving in Sept.(2004).

I sometimes hear older artists as a way to feel a sense for what seems to be real in the industry. However, live records from these artists also can't make but can break very well. That does as the case for so many acts, especially acts that haven't been in the industry for such a period of time, they're treated as the label under oldies. That does seem to be the case with Anita Baker. Largely, because she hasn't released a studio album out since 1994 with the hugely soulful Rhythm Of Love. Still, I do understand the methods and soulfulness of her music. Unfortunately, that isn't today, where manufactured artists that have to be a size zero to steal the spotlight like Britney Spears and Beyonce' Knowles from Destiny's Child. I think it is a shame because the industry only is geared towards that area of population.

A Night of Rapture: Live, is a collection of live versions of all 8 of the tracks from her hugely acclaimed landmark album, Rapture, the 1986 that launched Anita's career to the mainstream. All in all, the record does focus in on all different times the songs were recorded from Washington D.C., all the way to Japan. The songs here are like a fresh reminder of what Anita's voice is like, with a sexy hint of soul. The live cuts range very well from Mystery, Caught Up In The Rapture, and Sweet Love. The album also includes a Jazzy remake of Van Morrison's signature song, Moondance, the only new song to the mix here. It does seem very much a beautiful welcome to anybody who hasn't heard it from Van Morrison, but also a new welcome to old fans of Anita Baker.

This twist is nothing new here, but it does still seem like there is a dissapointment. the album doesn't really focus in on her debut record, the Songstress. It could've focused in on her later records, Compositions, Giving You the Best That I Got, and Rhtythm Of Love. Well, that couldn't make it into the release, because it the tracks were recorded from 1986, and not anytime that focused in on her later records, a exact same move that other artists have done. Even The Beatles did that recently with Let It Be: Naked, as a less symphonic version of their final record. Still, I do suggest this album, only because of two reasons: there isn't a lot of contemporary soul in the industry right now, and the fact that Anita inked a deal with Blue Note Records, the same label that Norah Jones is on, and is expected to make her studio return soon.

This album is really for die hard Anita Baker fans, and for newcomers to her music as well, but not for people who want to hear the original twist of rapture. As for Anita Baker, her voice is still as beautiful as it was years ago, and this album proves it, live or in the studio. A Night Of Rapture: Live is a great lively record, but short enough to enjoy from Anita Baker.

Well, I had the pleasure of seeing her twice in one year, back in 2002. I had to video (which should be remastered, because of the lack of color) This CD captures her tour for Rapture, which is her second album, I thought it was her first. The sound is great. There are interviews in between the songs. It's a piece of history. I'm sure I had the lightest skin, when I saw her outside of Chicago, but we were all there for one reason. Oh, the CD also has three videos taking from the DVD. Thanks.