LIVE IN THE WALL

"Music has the power to overcome barriers. It has the power to reach people's hearts crossing the barriers of mind, race, prejudice, and so on. There are more than important things that we need to deliver beyond the walls.
Without You will continue to break through the barriers and convey the precious messages that some of us have to pass on." Chu Kosaka

From the liner notes
On February 3, 2008, a cold and windy winter day, a group of people were carrying full of professional equipment out from a 4 ton truck at a prison.
A total of 20 people of Without You.
Nervousness and determination on each of their faces as they wondered whether they would be appreciated.
For the audience of 1,200 inmates, the equipment prepared for a full-scale 90-minute live performance represented the "weight of thoughts" that they wanted to deliver.

1,200 chairs were tightly lined up in the unheated gymnasium.
In the walls where discipline is highly regarded, the only thing they were allowed was to applaud during the performance.
When the music began, life came back again in their eyes staring at the stage and the expressions on their faces became relaxed, as if their hearts, which had been in the freezer, were gradually melting.
As the small applause eventually turned into a swell, the stage and the audience finally became one.

In Japan, the gospel music boom started around 1997.
Various styles were seen in the boom, however, Without You has been hung up on their unique style from the beginning and keeping on singing in their own words.
This must be because they wanted to convey their message in their own language in stead of English, which is easier to put their heart in their songs.

Without You was not born from the gospel boom.
Since around 1987, the support musicians and singers in Osaka for Chu Kosaka, who is known as the father of Jpanese-Gospel, are the core members of Without You.
They supported various events such as Jericho Japan, Revival Praise Night, etc. and knew the origin of Japanese gospel music.

In 2009, as the 10th year anniversary of the band, they decided to make a documentary CD of their voluntery performances at a prison, which they had continuously done in Kansai for seven years at that time.
This live performance was realized from the donations of goodwill.
Choir feels that this concert is a "mission" for them. They must be led to this prison to share the love.
This is the first live CD recorded in the prison in Japan.
I believe the love will touch your heart.