THE NICE

This is one of those late 60's psychedelic albums that would lead to the progressive rock movement. Like most music of its time, the song writing is basic psychedelic blues rock that everybody was doing. But Emerson's keyboards are really excellent throughout and they make this music bigger, more ambitious and commanding then much of its contemporaries.

Flower King Of Flies is a great opener. A heavy blues rock number with excellent keyboard embellishments from Keith. Imagine this with a slight different arrangement and ELP is not too far away. But the credit does not just go to Emerson, the other bright light in this unit is of course O'List. His sharp Hendrix inspired playing offers the right balance against Emerson's urge to take the spotlight. It is mainly because of him that this is the only record where Emerson works as a band member instead of the ego tripper he usually is. So of course he would kick out O'List after this album and much of the appeal of The Nice would go with him. Just compare this opening track to anything from the ensuing Nice albums. It goes from focussed energy to mindless doodling in just one year. The contrast couldn't be bigger.

On Rondo, Emerson takes a classic twist on things and it forebodes things to come. He rarely matched the raw energy of this track here. Rondo comes in fact very close to what Jon Lord of Deep Purple would be doing in the years following this release. It's an excellent track, both proto-prog and proto hard rock. War and Piece is another instrumental with a great guitar versus organ battle without ever overdoing it.

Like many other tracks on this album, Tantalising Maggie could have come from Pink Floyd's 1967 debut so it's no surprise O'List joined Pink Floyd for a brief stint after being fired by Emerson. Dawn is another highlight: dark and brooding, heavy and gothic, symphonic and theatrical. The Cry of Eugene is another winner

There are many other early examples of prog. The fact that they are mostly from the same year indicates that not just one band can claim to have originated prog. It was something that was brooding in many artists' music from that time. The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack stands as a fine example of that creative ambition of 1967.

Ok, two very detailed reviews here, so nothing too much to add.

I came to this album because of interest to Emerson fresh works: in fact it's new concert/recording based on classic compositions. And big part of them are ELP.

As with ELP discography, starting from some point in time we received endless list of collections/ even more live releases with very limited list of songs, mainly from very early time of their career. Similar situation happens with ex-ELP members ( for example, Carl Palmer's Band few albums).

I listened to two huge Emerson boxed sets of last years, happily there were songs and compositions from all possible styles,but no old ELP materials.

When I found this release, I realise, that Emerson turned to play some clessics as well, but with old The Nice guys! So, I purchased thi Glasgow show - and wasn't disappointed.

OK, it's no "new music",for sure. Whenever The Nice name is more from music history, than from some songs you still remember, most interest was Emerson. But I can confirm, that the band are not just some support musicians, but real Emerson partners in this show.

The repertoir is classic,with very pompastic grand orchestral style ( as in good old ELP times),but sound in common and arrangements are quite different from originals ( at least ,originals I am familiar with). Album in overall makes good impression, interesting refresh of classic songs from professional team of musicians. Just don't wait for any news there - it's classical nostalgy.

Ars Longa Vita Brevis is the second full-length studio album by UK psychadelic/ progressive rock act The Nice. The Nice is often considered as one of the most important proto-prog acts of the sixties because of how they blended psychadelic rock with classical influenced piano, organ and harpsichord playing by Keith Emerson who would later become a member of prolific progressive rock act Emerson, Lake and Palmer. While the debut album by The Nice called The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack (1967) is truly a groundbreaking album the classical influences are much more pronounced on Ars Longa Vita Brevis and fans of Emerson, Lake and Palmer are adviced to take a listen to this album. There´s been a lineup change since the debut album as guitarist David O'List left the band during the recordings leaving The Nice as a three-piece without a guitarist. A real shame as David O'List brought much to their sound IMO.

The first three songs on the album are in psychadelic rock style ( with vocals) and they remind me a bit of the sound Pink Floyd had on their debut album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967). The songs are pretty good without reaching excellent IMO. The last half of the album is much more classical influenced ( with full orchestra parts) and progressive though. Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite is an 8:57 minute long interpretation of a part of the Karelia Suite by classical finnish composer Sibelius. The last song is an 18:20 minute long again classical influenced and mostly instrumental ( there are vocals) piece of music and should be considered the centerpiece of the album. Keith Emerson shows the full arsenal on this one. Pretty impressive for the time.

The production and the musicianship are excellent. While Keith Emerson clearly outshines both drummer Brian Davidson and bassist/ vocalist Lee Jackson their performances are very good too. The production is much better than on the weakly produced debut and it means that Ars Longa Vita Brevis welcomes you in and doesn´t push you away like the debut´s sound quality seems to do at times.

Ars Longa Vita Brevis is another rather groundbreaking album by The Nice but personally my enthusiam is a bit lukewarm about the compositions. The album is more interesting than it´s good IMO but I will give a 3 star rating.

The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack is the debut full-length album by UK psychadelic/ progressive rock act The Nice. The band started out as a backing group for soul singer P.P. Arnold who they performed live with during the summer of 1967. The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was recorded during the autumn of 1967 and released in December 1967 through Immediate Records. The Nice is mostly known for featuring one of the most prolific and influential musicians in progressive rock in keyboardist Keith Emerson ( Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

Even though the album is often considered one of the earliest examples of progressive rock, I think that the album belongs more to the psychadelic rock genre. The songs are generally pretty simple psychadelic rock songs but with added classical inspired piano, organ and harpsichord by Keith Emerson. Very original at the time. Even though most songs are simple a song like the instrumental Rondo does stand out as being different ( War & Peace and Dawn also features progressive elements). Some great soloing by guitarist David O'List in that song but Keith Emerson of course steals the show completely with his inventive playing. The musicianship is excellent througout the album but the production is not the best IMO.

The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack is a groundbreaking album from the sixties and it´s hard not to acknowledge that. Personally I find it enjoyable but not really excellent and a 3 star rating is deserved.

Life is short, art long - Hippocrates

Although The Nice tinkered with the classics on their first album, The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack, this second work, released in late 1968 after guitarist Davy O` List was dismissed from the band without being replaced, acquired a more distinct underlying attitude towards the classics and jazz in the context of rock as exemplified by the ambitious juxtaposition of a rock trio and orchestra on the side long title pîece.

Even though the first side contains much more of the same Floydian psychedelia found on the previous record the presence of the ghosts of JS Bach and Jean Sibelius are even more pronounced on the zany Daddy Where Did I Come From and the jazzy Little Arabella which features some of Emerson`s early keyboard layering with the piano and Hammond organ. A sequel to Rondo, Intermezzo from Sibelius`s Karelia Suite once again uses original classical motifs as the Nice continued to blow the simplicities of pop off the graph helping forge the way towards much more panoramic artsy music of the early 70s.

While the showy 20 minute title track Ars Longa Vita Brevis ( Symphony For Group & Orchestra ) with it`s 4 movements has it`s moments it doesn`t jive all the time and the orchestrations don`t always work well with an energized rock ensemble ( as Deep Purple would also find out a year later). If one also can overlook the rather uneccessary drum solo early on (drum solos were never that effective on record) and the weak vocal section, the third and fourth movements which contain the nucleus of the work, a take on Allegro Bach`s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, make the piece a worthwhile listen. Emerson sounds like some sort of possessed madman and conjures up some cool jazz textures on the grand piano switching to the Hammond where he offers some snippets that foreshadow ELP pieces such as Hoedown and Tarkus and is supported forcefully by the powerhouse rhythm section of Lee Jackson and the late Brian Davidson. However, the impact of their neo-classical designs were not to be fully realized until the release of The Five Bridges Suite in 1970 shortly before the dissolution of the band. It is ironic that a band that was so ahead of their time turned the clock back over 200 years for inspiration. Despite the flaws in the extended title "symphony" it certainly did influence other bands into composing longer more complex compositions based on classical motifs that continued to give popular music more depth and sophistication.

It will be remembered that Yes in their infancy actually opened for the Nice in the late sixties and that Steve Howe was even briefly considered as a replacement for O`List. Yes finally consolidated the extended suite-like rock epic with their 1972 Close To The Edge masterwork and without doubt are indebted along with other early seventies prog bands from King Crimson to Triumvirat to the visions of the Nice and their innovative 1968 album Ars Longa Vita Brevis.

The Nice was the first band I ever saw live. Made quite an impression on my 11-year old mind seeing that crazy organist stabbing knives in between the keys and then actually tap dancing on the abused instrument ... with some actual musical results! Made my next couple of concerts a bit humdrum by comparison (the Ides of March and a bogus Archies, if you must know). However, a seed had been planted that the Nice required my further attention. That resulted in my grandmother buying me their then-new album Five Bridges.

Another seed was also planted in kindling my interest in classically-minded rock bands playing with concert orchestras. So few of those cross-cultural attempts ever met with much success in my eyes, but the Nice's Five Bridges actually manages to pull it off. Composer and said crazy organist Keith Emerson seemed to compose the piece with both entities well in mind so as not to emphasize the difference between orchestra and electric rock band, but indeed their cooperative powers.

Melodically, Five Bridges may be a highwater mark for Mr. Emerson that he didn't reach again until the Fugue that separates the two Endless Enigmas on ELP's Trilogy. Lee Jackson's considerable vocal limitations are well noted, yet even he rises to the occasion here. Jackson's tender vocal on the Chorale (3rd Bridge) is a genuine highlight of the piece, really driving the beautiful melody along with the orchestra before Emerson's insane piano duet with himself in the High Level Fugue. Jackson's bass playing, almost always neglected in the Nice reviews I've read, really needs to be singled out for its inventiveness, particularly in its chordal execution vary unique among bass players, especially in the '60s.

The Sibelius and Tchaikovsky interpretations (both with orchestra) are just wonderful. And the Dylan-meets-Bach of Country Pie successfully keeps the rock/classical flag flying, with a sly sense of humor as well. The inclusion of the studio outtake One Of Those People is the only bum note here, as it sounds like a leftover from, say Ars Longa Vita Brevis rather than of more timely vintage. There were some other live recordings made at the same Five Bridges concert that really should be here instead of this track. (Indeed, several of them showed up on the Here Come The Nice Immediate box set a few decades later.)

The last track nonewithstanding, Five Bridges is one powerful note for the Nice to go out on. The sidelong Five Bridges piece itself is truly one of Keith Emerson's great accomplishments and deserving of much more exposure to those many ELP, Nice and Emerson fans who've doubtlessly never heard it.

What did Newcastle do to deserve this ?

The opening minutes of classical music is a very nice and pretty much sets the standard here. A mix of classical music and the magic music of Keith Emerson. Yes, that guy who later joined Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The seeds of most of their output can be found on this album, in my view. The Five Bridges album is a tribute to Newcastle, England. Only God knows why. The music is truly symphonic with a mix of classical instruments and moog. It has a lot of good pieces which fascinate me and keep my interest high. Songs like the whole 5 Bridges Suite (spread out on 4 tracks), Intermezzo Karelia Suite and Country Pie.

All of the original album is really classical music merged with Keith Emerson's rock. Unlike the dismal attempts from the Dutch band Ekseption, The Nice manage to merge these two styles. Mainly because Keith Emerson knows what he is doing. What he is doing is putting his personal touches to every tone on the album. For example Intermezzo Karelia Suite could be a mess of classical music and some rock. Not a chance with Keith Emerson around....... The result is nine minutes of Keith Emerson improvisations over classical music. Which makes a superb track !

Regarding The Nice versus ELP........... I regard Five Bridges as the forewarning of things to come (ELP). I believe (source is the Keith Emerson biography) that this album was recorded through the first week of ELP's being. But ELP was never this classical music focused as Five Bridges is. There are eleven minutes here of pure classic music. Which is a pretty decent percentage of the total album.

Most of all; Five Bridges is weird and wonderful. It has some superb tunes. It is really an album to enjoy. Give it your full attention and you will enjoy it. Listen without prejudice.

The CD version comes with five bonus tracks. All of them well known The Nice standards. They enhance the album greatly...... but my review is only based on the original album consisting of Fantasia 1st Bridge / 2nd Bridge, Chorale 3rd Bridge, High Level Fugue 4th Bridge, Finale 5th Bridge, Intermezzo, 'Karelia Suite', Pathetique Symphony No.6. 3rd Movement, Country Pie/Brandenburg Concerto No.6 and One Of Those People (3:09) .

4 stars.

When The Nice was not borrowing to some classic composers, they were playing some covers to ensure that their weakness in writing some own and good material shouldn't be too obvious.

The band is now even improving this technique. They are covering a cover! And since there was really little material to make a full album, they will almost triple the length of Tom Hardin's Hang On To A Dream in comparison with their prior release! It will be the showcase for Keith to demonstrate his skills on the piano during a long solo.

The Nice also proposed another Dylan song (they already did this on their previous studio album) and even if Keith is excellent again on the organ, this song is not a jewel of music to say the least.

And it goes on like this till the end of this album. Some classical inspiration for the Third Movement - Pathetique and another excellent live version of America from Bernstein (although the last couple of minutes is quite chaotic).

Now, the worst of all is that the last two are extremely well played and the noticeable dominance of Keith Emerson is just a confirmation that he has always had a dominant position in The Nice (although his band mates were very good musicians IMO). At the time of release of Elegy, he had already embraced his ELP career.

The bonus tracks hold an old B-side track from '68 (Diamond Hard Blue Apples Of The Moon) and material spread over their earlier releases already of which the very special Dawn is not without interest.

In all, this is an average album and the taste of the Nice to serve the same meals several times is just whispering to me to downgrade it to two stars.

I am rather embarrassed with this third "Nice" album.

If song writing has never been a major asset of the band, they quite surpassed themselves in this one which is only their third album. We are used to experience this characteristic while a band has recorded several albums and that they don't have the same amount of inspiration or that they change from musical style to be in-line with the ambient environment.

But this can absolutely not be the case for "The Nice". They only recorded two albums prior this one (of which half of "Ars Longa" is based on a classical theme) and they actually invented a genre on their own. Creativity should have been at its peak.

Unfortunately, all that we get here are some covers (even if "Hang On To A Dream" holds a fine melody), some existing songs in another format and two (yes 2) new compositions which are only remarkable for Keith's work. He saves whatever could be saved (even if his two band mates are quite skilled as well).

Vocals are mostly dreadful and destroys partially a track as For Example which has definitely some good merits.

The live part of this album is the one I prefer the most; probably because it shows how performing and wild "The Nice" could be during a live performance. This "Rondo" version is quite a ride and should please any ELP fan but to be honest, the Dylan cover ("She Belongs To Me") can't be considered as a great moment of music. Improvised, loose and way too long (but this is a good example of all the excesses that prog will generate later on). A good jamming effort for sure, but that's all.

This is not a very "nice" album and I can't reasonably go higher than two stars for my rating.

This first ELP album mainly prevails thanks to the two reworked classical themes Karelia Suite and the title track Ars Vita Longa Brevis.

They hold everything one loves (or hate) from the later works of the and. Self indulgence from dear old Keith; but not only. After an obviously pompous "Prelude", the next "Awakenings" holds a drum solo which was probably not the best musical idea that the band has ever had.

There is nothing to say about the musicians of course, the drumming from Palmer is excellent. What! It is not Palmer, hum.Davidson? Are you sure? Oh, it is an album from "The Nice" and not an ELP one. I'm sorry about that! I guess that you got the idea.

Realisation holds all the pomposity of the later trio as well as weak vocals. The "Acceptance" part is way better, and offers a very pleasant interplay between each band members while "Denial" is my favourite section of this long suite. Great keyboards playing from the master and strong backing from the rhythmic as well.

In all, I consider the title track as the best part of this album.

From the first three songs of this "Ars Longa." only "Daddy..." is worth a mention. A fine psychedelic track well in line with those late mid-sixties and strongly early Floyd oriented. The jazzy Little "Arabella" and the childish "Happy Freuds" can be considered as pure fillers IMO.

This album is just a rehearsal of some pictures at an exhibition. But very pale in comparison. Still, it must be considered as highly innovative at the time of its release. Five out of ten but I upgrade it to three stars.