The Concerts In China (40th Anniversary – Remastered Edition)

Jean-Michel Jarre will release a remastered version of his historic live album ‘The Concerts In China’ on November 25. Originally released in 1982, the album served as a document of an historic concert tour Jarre undertook in 1981 - consisting of five spectacular concerts in the People's Stadium of Shanghai and Beijing. It was the first time a Western music artist had performed in the country following the Cultural Revolution.

Jarre said: “To this day The Concerts in China experience remains to be probably the most surreal and poetic of all my experiences. It was an honour to be the first Western musician to play live in the country at that time and it was like visiting another planet for me; and also for the Chinese audience too it seemed to be the same curious awe. I have revisited China very often out of passion for their culture and have performed there since, at The Forbidden City and on Tiananmen Square. I am delighted that ‘The Concerts in China' album has been remastered, as it’s something I’m incredibly proud of and remains a testimony of my ongoing attachment to China.”

The remaster arrives soon after Jarre’s latest studio album ‘OXYMORE’, which was released on October 21 to critical acclaim. The 40th Anniversary remastered edition of ‘The Concerts In China’ will be available as 180g 2LP version with gatefold sleeve, including a collector’s poster featuring unpublished images, and as 2CD version including collector’s booklet, as well as digitally. The track list mirrors the original version of the album, including the beautiful studio recording ‘Souvenir of China’ which closes the album.

One new composition included on the album was ‘Fishing Junks at Sunset’, a new arrangement of a traditional Chinese song known as the ‘Fisherman's Chant at Dusk’, which was performed and recorded with The Peking Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra.

The concert tour was the first time Jarre performed his music with other musicians on stage and featured the first use of a laser harp.