Jean Michel Jarre - Jarre in China [2xDVD9] (2004)

Video: MPEG2 Video 720x576 (16:9) 25fps[V: mpeg2 main, yuv420p, 720x576]
Audio: Dolby AC3 48000Hz 6ch 448kbps[A: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), 448 kb/s]
Audio: DTS 48000Hz 6ch 1536kbps[A: dts, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), 1536 kb/s]
Audio: Dolby AC3 48000Hz stereo 224kbps[A: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, 224 kb/s]
Audio: Dolby AC3 48000Hz stereo 224kbps[A: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, 224 kb/s]

In 1981 Jean Michel Jarre was invited by the Chinese government to become the first western musician to perform in the People?s Republic of China. Performing 5 concerts in Beijing and Shanghai the tour encountered numerous problems including arriving at an arena to find only one power socket and having to buy back concert tickets from stone-faced VIPs and redistribute them free to the Chinese public. October 2004 and Jarre returns to Beijing with 70 tonnes of equipment to open China?s "Year of France" cultural exchange with an outdoor concert. Choosing a picturesque location at Wumen Gate in the Forbidden City, Jarre performed with both modern and traditional Chinese Orchestras, choir, opera singers, and several guest musicians including Chen Lin, and guitarist Patrick Rondat. Jarre was prevented from performing with China?s Cui Jian whose songs were sung by student demonstrators in 1989.

Filmed in high definition and presented in 5.1 DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound (both at the concert and on DVD) the complete concert is presented. It looks and sounds fantastic, in no small part due to the THX mastering, a first for a music DVD. Jarre makes extensive use of new photographic projections on giant 3D inflatable screens, the laser harp, Theremin, and midi flute. The music is varied but would have benefited from band musicians on stage as the music sounds all too similar to the recent "Aero" album apart from some Chinese instrumentation. Jarre looks lonely on stage and recounts a similar track listing from the last 8 years. Highlights include "Voyage to Beijing" as well as the essential "Souvenir of China" and a highly orchestrated "Rendez Vous 2." Straight after the concert in the Forbidden City, Jarre travels by motorbike through the audience to Tian?anmen Sqaure where he played a small number of songs to the expectant Chinese crowd. A great idea to play a second concert, but a missed opportunity to play some better tracks like "Eldorado" or "Chronologie 4." Instead of remaking Edith Piaf?s "La Foule" in Chinese, a better choice might have an adaptation of Jarre?s own "C?est La Vie."

DVD-1 - Forbidden City
01. Forbidden City
02. Aero
03. Oxygene 2
04. Oxygene 4
05. Geometry of Love
06. Equinoxe 8 - Small Band in the Rain
07. Equinoxe 4
08. Journey to Beijing
09. Chronology 6
10. Zoolookology
11. Aerozone
12. Aerology
13. Chronology 3
14. Vivaldi - Winter
15. The Concerts in China Fishing Junks at Sunset
16. Rendez-vous 4
17. Souvenir of China
18. Rendez-vous 2

DVD-2 - Tian'Anmen Square
1. Arrival
2. Aerology (Remix)
3. La Foule (Tribute to Edith Piaf)
4. Tian'Anmen
5. Oxygene 13

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