KEB review

The reviews are ticking in on the telex.

Here is one from today's ELP Digest (back issues and subscriptions available here):

From: MCGLYNN777
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 3:45 PM

Hi,

I just received my copy of "Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla" from Japan, and I was floored - it actually exceeded my expectations, which were already high.

The first 15 tracks comprise a 37 minute conceptual suite "The House of Ocean Born Mary," based on a romantic New England ghost story.

Emerson is in his best form since the early 1970's, but this doesn't sound at all retro. There's plenty of Moog, hammond and pipe organs, but Marc Bonilla's incredible guitars and compositional skills perfectly complement and balance Emo's with an incredible result. Marc's vocals are in fine form, and the lyrics are well done and never trite or contrived.

The remaining four pieces are a mixed bag, but again, very well done.
- "The Art of Falling Down" is an interesting song, and not what I expected from the title.
- "Malambo," from Ginastera's Estancia Suite, is more reminiscent of "Creole Dance", than "Tocatta," although there's plenty of synth - it's not another piano solo.
- "Gametime" is a silly tongue-in-cheek piece like "Jeremy Bender," with plenty of great instrumental work.
- Finally, "The Parting" is a bittersweet ballad like piece, and Marc's vocals are once again, right on.

I should also like to credit the rest of the studio lineup - the incredible Gregg Bissonette on percussion and the outstanding Bob Birch - best known as Elton John's bass player.

The following is a full track listing:

1. IGNITION
2. 1ST PRESENCE
3. LAST HORIZON
4. MILES AWAY, PT 1
5. MILES AWAY, PT 2
6. CRUSADERS CROSS
7. FUGUE
8. 2ND PRESENCE
9. MARCHE TRAIN
10. BLUE INFERNO
11. 3RD PRESENCE
12. PRELUDE TO A HOPE
13. A PLACE TO HIDE
14. MILES AWAY, PT 3
15. FINALE
16. THE ART OF FALLING DOWN
17. MALAMBO(FROM 'ESTANCIA SUITE')
18. GAMETIME
19. THE PARTING

I'm really looking forward to seeing them when they tour the states (early 2009, maybe?).

Enjoy!

John McGlynn

Keep 'em coming!

Psychodelic Soul '67

There are still gems out there in the TV-archives, even if it sometimes just as well should have been radio.

Just take a peep at Georgie Fame Psychodelic Soul show from late 1967, recently put on YouTube. Perhaps in memory of what was possible in Prague before the tanks rolled in 40 years ago.

Hopefully more material will surface, and not from the former Eastern Bloc only. And with a tad or two more modest visual effects.

Alan Price on organ, BTW.

Keith Emerson Band with Bonilla - samples

cdjapan.co.jp has made available 30 seconds samples from each track of KEB latest release.

With this kind of music one of course needs to listen to it in context to get an idea of the developments, tensions and resolutions.

Especially for a rather complex work which developes over time, short samples may easily mislead one to think it is a disjointed and incoherent work.

So far, however, it sounds promising with a rather modern sound - like a mix of his latest film efforts with Tarkus and ELPowell.

Miss Greg a bit, though.

ELP reunion 2009 seems official

At least if we are to believe an interview with Carl in Modern drummer.

The release of The Carl Palmer Band’s Working Live, Vol. 3 will coincide with the group’s 2009 US tour, which could conceivably bump up against an Emerson, Lake & Palmer reunion tour. Add Asia’s Phoenix, the ongoing Shout Factory ELP CD reissue campaign, and Palmer’s clinics for deaf and blind children in the UK, and you have a drummer near the height of his powers, clearly in tune with the past and the present.

It would of course be great if the other guys subscribe to the magazine.

On a serious note, it seems from several sources like they really have been talking and that a conclusion has been made - at least for a tour.

The interesting thing is that it all is mentioned in passing in the interview as a matter of fact. Just like the Declaration of Independence had a subordinate clause on separating from the English.

Hopefully the reunion will be a similiar success.

The original Spinal Tap

Rick Wakeman is another who never has been known to hold back on his barrels.

And he is genuinly funny, as proven by this excerpt from his new book.

As Rick always has been a bit better at composing words than music, this is a threat. Finally it is also official who was the real Spinal Tap (at least stageways). Hopefully the truth will never get out.

So it may be a clever strategy that the editor of the mag so far has not changed the text on picture above from Wakefield to Wakeman.

With stories as below, I had no choice but to go to Amazon.

Of course, back in the Seventies, audiences assumed that whatever happened on the stage was intentional.

In my previous band, the Strawbs, I'd had a Ham-mond organ on wheels. When we were playing the last number of the night I would push this thing across the stage and race after it while playing it.

One evening I pushed a bit too hard and the Hammond went hurtling towards the edge of the stage. I dived on top of it to try to slow it down but organ and organist crashed over the edge. The Hammond was smashed to smithereens and I was cut to ribbons.

I was mopping the blood from my face when a journalist came over. 'Great show, Rick,' he said, 'but how can you afford to wreck a Hammond every night?'

Even if Rick for once didn't provide any retort, it is quite simple: Ask Keith Emerson.