TREASURE CHEST VOLUME 2 - THE OSCAR CONCERT

Ricochet has said it all. Read his review for the nuts and bolts of this album.

But I'm going to disagree and give this four stars. This is an extremely good performance by Rick solo. The classics that Rick interpret on his own sound great (well, except for Guinevere/Lancelot and the Black Knight, where Rick really misses having musicians backing him.) The off the cuff reinvention of the concert is impressive (even though it is restricted mostly to the in between song stories) and the spur of the moment improvisation Classical Doggy in the Window absolutely amazes me.

Great sound, great songs, great performance. It's hard to ask more from a live album. 4 stars. But keep in mind that this is Wakeman "live" and "solo." Without those provisos, 4 stars would be overrated.

My favorite of the Treasure Chest series. Who can resist the story of anyone (in this case Rick Wakeman) turning an occassion for anger and vexation into an opportunity. Wakeman turns a poorly promoted and lightly attended concert in the UK into a brilliant evening ... a concert for a dog named Oscar, who is sitting up front at the concert. And that is what Wakeman fans want this album for; the stories and Wakeman's interaction with the fans and Oscar the dog. The way things are arranged you get the feeling of actually being at the show, unlike most live albums where there is a clear sense of distance from the actual event.

The song list tells you what to expect and all are delivered as brilliantly as a one man show could hope to deliver them. A nice addition to any Rick Wakeman collection.