Chisa and the Heaven & Earth Band Live in L.A.

CHISA AND THE HEAVEN & EARTH BAND LIVE IN L.A.

— by Charles McCarter

1. Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Oki's Theme (instrumental) 3:44

2. I'm a Pioneer 4:36

Vocal: Yokoyama Chisa

3. Yumemireba Yumemo Yume Janai 3:45

4. Pretty Sammy, the Magic Girl 2:58

5. Instrumental (from Tenchi TV series) 2:20

6. Talent for Love 3:25

(Chisa and Sharyn Scott in English)

7. Crazy for You

8. Tenchi TV series Opening Theme 4:36

(Sharyn in English)

9. Instrumental (from Tenchi TV series) 3:24

10. Baka 3:02

11. Talent for Love

12. Poor Boy Dreams (instrumental) 1:34

13. I'm a Pioneer (reprise) 3:32

(Chisa and Sharyn in English)

Not being one of those lucky enough to attend the live taping of Yokoyama Chisa's Los Angeles concert last fall, I was interested to see what the concert CD sounded like.

The CD starts appropriately with the instrumental opening for the first TENCHI OVA series, arranged for the Heaven & Earth band, and it provides a different take on a now very familiar tune. This version sounds more electronic and makes extensive use of electric guitar. It sounds very different from the previous versions, but it is an enjoyable tune.

The songs on the CD are taken from the entire spectrum of the TENCHI music universe. There are songs from the original OVA series, the opening theme to the second TENCHI OVA series, the TENCHI TV series, and even the opening from (what was at the time) the new PRETTY SAMMY television series.

Needless to say, some of the songs are better than others. I still prefer "Talent for Love" over almost all the other Tenchi songs that have come out since then.

Chisa has a nice voice, but sometimes she sings in her Sasami voice, which I don't find nearly as pleasing. For example, "Pretty Sammy, the Magic Girl," has a sweet, syrupy quality about it, which is in part due to the overly-sweet voice that Chisa sings in. The song in itself is not bad, but I prefer my music to be a little less saccharine. The same could be said for "Yumemireba Yumemo Yume Janai", the opening for the Pretty Sammy television series, as again Chisa sings in her Sasami voice. This song is interesting because of the strong Caribbean flavor that pervades the song. And to her credit, she does a good job of sustaining the rhythm and energy of the song.

In stark contrast to Chisa's gentle, quiet singing is Sharyn Scott's powerful vocals. (She provides the english vocals for most of the Pioneer songs). Track eight, the TENCHI TV series opening theme (which, for some strange reason, wasn't titled on this CD), displays the range and power of Sharyn's voice, as the song requires a tremendous amount of control and stamina. Her version of this song is so strong and full of emotion that it rivals the original Japanese version.

Another interesting song on this CD is Chisa's version of the Madonna song, "Crazy for You." (She does not sing this song in her Sasami voice). Fans of Chisa will want to buy this CD for this song if for no other reason, as it demonstrates a very different side of her musical ability.

Having heard live performances of other voice actors and idol singers before, I knew how bad this CD had the potential to be. I was pleasantly surprised. Chisa sings evenly and solidly and manages to display her energy and enthusiasm throughout the performance. The live band, comprised of experienced musicians who have worked for numerous celebrities in the music business, also helps to bring the music to life, lifting it out of its more traditional arrangements and providing an entirely different feeling to songs that TENCHI fans all know by heart.

For fans of Chisa or TENCHI songs, this is a good purchase, as a wide variety of material is covered on this CD. It also contains several songs that are not on the concert video. Those who are curious about Chisa's singing may also want to give this CD a try, as there is bound to be something on the CD that listeners will like. Those who are not fans of either the TENCHI universe or Ms. Yokoyama will obviously have less of an interest in this CD, but it's still worth a listen.