Laura Nyro - Live in Japan

Ours is not to wonder why...

There must be a story behind this 2003 Laura Nyro recording, because its place in the artists catalog is almost non-existant. One year previous to these selections hitting the shelves, the Rounder label released a two disc compendium of Laura solo and with her harmony group in 1993 and 1994, a collection that far outshines the limited production tendered here. And unless there was something wrong with other songs performed for this reserved Japanese audience, one also wonders why only ten tracks, totalling less than thirty minutes, are offered. As far as I can tell there are only two significant differences between this Laura-solo-live and the four other Laura-solo-live releases ('At the Bottom Line', 'On Mountain Stage', 'At the Fillmore' and the two disc 'Loom's Desire'): we have a complete version of Laura covering Burt Bacharach and Hal David's 'Walk On By' (a track available, incidentally, as part of a medley in the 1971 Fillmore East concert), and the rather staid response of the Japanese audience to Laura's work (with the exception of 'Wedding Bell Blues', which elicits immediate applause followed up with a clap-along). So if you're looking for "cleaner" versions of some of Laura's better known tracks, 'Live In Japan' may be the ticket, but none of Laura's audiences will ever get a reputation for being rowdy anyway.

With that cavaet, let me say that the ten songs collected here are very well recorded and very well performed. The first six songs represent some of the finest compositions of the 1960's, among them the opener, 'Dedicated To the One I Love'. Although covered by artists such as The Shirelles and The Mama's and the Papa's, and despite it's engaging melody, don't assume this is a Laura original. The track was penned by Ralph Bass and Lowman Pauling. The second number, 'Ooh Baby Baby' was written by Smokey Robinson, and 'Let It Be Me' (covered by artists as diverse as Bob Dylan and David Hasselhoff) is originally a French song from the 1950's. The three remaining tracks, representing nearly one-third of the setlist (and more than one-third of the total running time), give undue weight to Laura'a late-career productions. Conspicuously absent are selections from Laura's mid-career releases, 'Smile', 'Nested', and 'Mother's Spiritual', the latter two of which appear to be quagmired in legal limbo. Live releases could serve as a way to reintroduce some of this material, but that apparently wasn't a motivation in releasing this disc either. The last three tracks, all of which appear on 'The Loom's Desire', carry considerable political and philosophical weight, favoring women's and animal's rights, and so carry on Laura's favored crusades in her absence.

Aside from the brevity of the recording, and the lack of original material, the most obvious deficiency is the inability of the recording to pick up steam. Be prepared for a beautiful performance, but one that only comes close to bringing you out of your seat (to join our Japanese brethren in support of 'Wedding Bell Blues'). Five numbers are offered with Laura's three member harmony group (tracks one, four, five, nine, and ten), and while those perfomances are richer, they aren't necessarily more scintillating. In fact, the tracks that have some potential for establishing a burning presence, 'And When I Die' (which can be found on three of Laura's four solo-live recordings) and 'Save the Country' (a rare late-career performance) are offered in a subdued format.

If not for 'The Loom's Desire', 'Live In Japan' would help to fill a void in the Nyro catalog, but much of this has been done too many times before to consider the release anything but superfluous. If you're a rabid Laura Nyro fan who must have each and every recording the artist ever produced, then I suppose you'll have to run out and purchase this one. For the more casual fan, unless you absolutely must have that rare, quaint performance of 'Walk On By', ante up a few more George Washington's and cash in on the well-constructed, and well-anotated 'Loom's Desire'. The difference is fulfillment as opposed to wanting more. You can't argue against this one on its merits, but you can argue against it on what has come before. It merits four stars, based on Laura's irrepressible talent, but the fact is you can do better... far too easily. November 27, 2006

This Title Is Actually Called "Live In Japan"

That discrepancy aside, I've heard the whole concert from which this very affordable half-hour distillation is taken from, and these are indeed the best performances from that show. A great value for the buck and the opportunity to hear Laura at the piano alone and, on occasion, with three fine harmony vocalists. Gorgeous. May 29, 2003

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