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Bill Evans Tokyo Concert / Live in Tokyo


xybert

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Are The Tokyo Concert and Live in Tokyo the same album? 

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-tokyo-concert-mw0000308131

http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-tokyo-mw0000197493 

 

41AW54FYTBL.jpg 41G1QHfzGeL._SX355_.jpg

Same cover image.

One's on Sony, one's on Fantasy/OJC.

Same track list but slightly different track times.

I might have read it wrong but the Penguin Guide lists them separately and notes that the Sony has a slightly better version of Up With The Lark (unless there is a third Tokyo album that they're referring to).

Anyone able to help clear this up for me?

 

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I'd say pretty much 100% the same material, and that any timing differences are whether or not the productions include applause times or not.  I happen to really like that album (and that trio -- got to know Marty Morrell well after his Evans trio days) and especially the composition "Up With The Lark", which was a staple for the '70s group, but rarely played by other jazz artists.

Also, if I recall, the concert was recorded by a Tokyo radio station for broadcast purposes, and taken up by Fantasy for release.  There are a couple of extra tracks that never came out, I think:  "Emily", "Who Can I Turn To" and "Waltz For Debby", all represented in the Fantasy (and other) vaults.

 

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Thanks Ted. If it is the same show, i guess Fantasy licensed it for release in the states and Sony licensed it for release in Japan, for whatever reason. 

Anyway, i've ordered the OJC (the Sony is being reissued in November but i'm too impatient) so i'm looking forward to getting my hands on it. I'm really enjoying what i've heard from this trio.

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Original Fantasy LPs say "Recorded by CBS/Sony" for whatever that's worth, and give thanks for the cooperation in the production of the original recording to...

I really can't read it past that, but it's on Discogs here: http://www.discogs.com/Bill-Evans-The-Tokyo-Concert/release/4914126

They go so far as to give credit to the original designers of the cover.

Maybe/maybe not relevant is that Milestone had a previous relationship with Japanese CBS/Sony, although with Evans/Keane, that was probably another ballpark.

 

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This gets a mention in the notes to the cd issue of the Bill Evans album.  Keepnews writes that Columbia failed to take up the option of the concert tape and it was subsequently snapped up by Fantasy.  Presumably Columbia had lost interest in Evans by then.

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Interesting info, thanks all.

At least i can rest easy knowing that they're essentially the same album. I know that the Penguin Guide makes the occasional editorial faux pas, which is understandable, but it's quite funny that in the ninth edition they list The Tokyo Concert and Live In Tokyo separately and note that "... both Japanese concerts are straight ahead and flow with ideas; 'Up With The Lark' on the OJC is a marvellous piece, and the Columbia version is almost as good."

Here's some of the publishing history copy/pasted from the Discogs link that JSngry posted:

Title (Format)LabelCat#CountryYear 
 
Bill Evans Live In Tokyo ‎(LP, Album)CBS/SonyCBS/SonySOPM 40, SOPM-40Japan1973 
 
The Tokyo Concert ‎(LP, Album)Fantasy9160-9457Canada1973 
 
The Tokyo Concert ‎(LP, Album, RE)Original Jazz ClassicsFantasyOJC-345, F-9457US1988 
 
Bill Evans Live In Tokyo ‎(LP, Album, RE)CBS/Sony20AP 1831Japan1980 
 
The Tokyo Concert ‎(LP, Album)FantasyF-9457US1974
 
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