KEITH EMERSON

Keith Emerson makes a Christmas album with an 1980s sound. Does not sounds like a happy Christmas to me.

It ain't.

Keith Emerson does all instruments here and gets help from a children choir too. Pass me the sick bag, please. The rest is Keith Emerson playing keyboards over some pretty average melodies with this 1980s sound which was good in the 1980s, but is pretty terrible in 2009. If there was any soul in these melodies, these souls are now on a small boat somewhere in the Atlantic, hoping to seek policital asylum in Iceland. The music is sterile and pretty bad. This is the type of music you get pestered with in a shopping mall. I do not want it in my living room. The whole album is plastic fantastic and nothing more. Bring me some slippers and some kippers.

2 stars (this generosity due to my respect for Keith Emerson and it's Christmas Eve)

Traditional Christmas music - particularly the seasonal carols sung in abbeys across Europe and Britain - is some of the most beautiful and emotional written. Gabriel's Message, Hector Berlioz's The Shepherds Farewell, Boris Ord's Adam lay-ye Bounden, movements of evangelic salvation sometimes composed by men not particularly religious but who admired the music of the Church. Hymns created to warm the soul and lift the spirits during assuredly cold and difficult winters, and to generate worship if only in song. It is that tradition we hear on this album echoing up from not only Keith Emerson's childhood but from centuries of a magnificent ecclesiastic legacy in music. There are better Christmas records to be sure and Keith's fondness for modern recording techniques doesn't always do these interpretations justice, but for those of us who just can't seem to shake our affinity for this crown prince of Prog, this is a very cool release on a par if not better than his first, Honky.

"One Christmas", Emerson recalls in the notes, "I sat at the piano and discovered amongst my manuscripts a book of carols that my eldest son, Aaron, had brought home from school. I began improvising on some of the themes. Most of the Christmas carols I first played around with had a typically simple folk structure. I tested myself first on O' Little Town of Bethlehem and discovered so much joy in turning such a simple theme into an epic, that I was to look for other seasonal material with which to work." That inspiration is what props-up the better work here, both in Emerson's rearrangements of trad. music and the cuts he penned, as 'Snowman's Land' and 'Glorietta'.

A much expanded version of 'Troika' is a surprising treat incorporating Prokofiev's theme in its entirety, complete with yelling Cossacks and a hot guitar. An enormous six-minute variation on O' Little Town is a real pleasure with all sorts of neat modifications including an elegant jazz piano section from Keith, plenty of rock rhythms, and closes on Gloria in Excelsis backed-up by a completely bitchin take on 'We Three Kings' as it thumps in and jazzes out. Killer stuff. Original track 'Snowman's Land' allows Emerson a platform for piano which he eagerly drinks-in all through this great little number, sistered by almost Tarkus-like 'Captain Starship Christmas' tarnished slightly with oration but saved by the urchins of the West Park School Choir. 'Aria' from Bach's Christmas Oratorio is quite good, 'I Saw Three Ships' is a perfectly recorded electronic trudge, and 'Glorietta' pts.1&2 is a neoclassical cathedral-filler that represents the Rosetta Stone of the record, delivering big concert hall sound, booming chord walls, and the scurl of the British Isles as it finishes huge. The show closes with 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' and a drowsy but beautiful gospel for 'Silent Night'.

The enjoyment time-lag for this album may be long but my pleasure with it grows exponentially each time, and it could be the perfect CD for a progster trapped at Holiday party forced to put on something wintry and seasonal but still prog. You say you didn't know Keith Emerson has a Christmas album? Well then Merry Christmas, one and all.

I fell upon this by "luck" (this remains to be seen whether good or bad) in the shelves of my library, and seeing that my weekly pile was a little weak-ly, I threw this on it for good measure. Lordy lordy Lord ?. Uuuuhhh?. I mean Emersony emerson Emerson!!!! ;o)))) I wasn't all that impressed when I first saw it and I figured it would good for laughs. NOT EVEN that!!! OK, hang on, this "thing" isn't catastrophic either?. Just the crystallization of three biggies meeting and maybe having fun, while trying to rake in the dough. Soooo we got Emerson on keys, strangely backed by Roth on keys as well?.. we've also got Bonilla on guitars?.. but strangely backed Wallace on guitars as well?.. and we got Hughes on vocals , but not bass?.. I'd rather have wished it the other way, since I personally think that Hughes is one of the most over-rated singers around and I much prefer him on bass. The good thing is that we don't hear him much, which is just as well. Oh yeah, before I forget: two bassists, but only one drummer?.. go figure!!!

Obviously the material used that night came from the three "tenors"' repertoire and a few covers. Without going too much over the Bonilla stuff, let's see what Emerson brought: Copland's Hoedown, Tchaikovsky's Nutrocker and the big Tarkus, which will probably hold the most interest. On the cover front, Procol's Shade Of Pale is the first number where we hear Hughes singing and he does an apt job, but then again I'm known to be pretty good art that song in the shower as well. There is also the Allman Bros' Dreams, a rather pleasant surprise, but ultimately not reaching the ABB classic level, Hughes being the worst perpetrator. The trio composed a special track, an awful 90's track, obviously impulsed by Hughes' eternal funk influences? it sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of the concert.

Emerson intrudes on piano on Bonilla's White Noise, but let's get to Tarkus: well done, but considering the number of musicians (8) on stage, it's not that great a feat, so with Keith getting some back up, two basses to do Greg's job on bass and Glen trying to come to Greg waist in the vocal dept (and failing badly), the pressure is on the sole drummer Joe Travers, and would you guess it?!?!.... he's in over his head as to playing down pat the way Carl did it, but he's hardly ridiculous either. Overall you'd better not expect too much of this version of the armoureddilldo exploits. ;o)p)))))

Well of course everyone is entitled to make a living and such encounters are normal in a musician's life, but was there a need to immortalize this tour?? I guess some thought there was, but I won't disagree too much either?. I wasn't expecting much, and I got a little more than I expected, but I'm, glad I rented this album, cos I'd be embarrassed of putting it on my trade list. Jus t kidding Keith and Mark, but this is anything but essential.

The partnership with Marc Bonilla brought the best studio effort from the great man (IMHHO). This live album not only brought both men together, but in addition the excellent vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (Purple of course) joined as well for this live set.

Although the release of this old live set might be considered as rather bizarre (what was the need to wait for so long?), the result is quite decent to tell the truth. There are some rarities found here, like a cover from "Procol Harum": the hugely melodic, tender, super- catchy and beautiful "Whiter Shade Of Pale".

Glenn is of course sumptuous during his vocal interpretation. His warm and soulish tone is truly on par with the incredible original. What is quite a deception is that the organ part is quite discreet. Anyone would have hoped a gorgeous play form Keith; but this cover is more guitar oriented. After all, a good cover needs to be different from the original and this one fulfils its purpose (mainly thanks to Glenn).

The bluesy feel is also deeply present during "Cover Me", but after all, Glenn also influenced Mark III with this type of mood. Let's say that these moments aren't the best from this live offering. Just like the instrumental "White Noise".

Let's be fair: each one I guess were thrilled to discover three great ELP moments from this live set. And those ones won't be disappointed. A wild version of "Hoedown", a vigorous and quite different version of the brilliant " Tchaikovsky" interpretation available on "Pictures?". This time, a combination of organ/piano with guitar is being offered: a highlight for sure. I really like this version of "Nutrocker".

And everyone is waiting for the "Tarkus" rendition of course. By far the most legendary song from the great trio ("ELP"). I guess that you won't be surprised to hear that vocal parts are rather more funky/deeper than the Lake ones who were more symphonic/high pitched.

The whole sounds a bit more jazzy, and speedy. And I would lie if I told you that this version is better than the original. There is no better than the great studio original, but this one holds its own merit (the last third portion for instance which is closer to the original).

In all, I was expecting more from this group of musicians; but this album fullt deserves the three star rating. A good album for sure.

I discovered the great man while I was laying in bed in hospital in May 1972. I was listening to a great radio programme (there weren't plenty in Belgium in those days, nor in these ones actually) available late on Saturdays. Believe it or not, the whole of the magical "Tarkus" was aired. And as a twelve years old child, I just succumbed.

This introduction to tell you that I know this exceptional musician for quite a while. I saw the giants live in Brussels (May '74) during their wonderful "Welcome Back My Friends?".

But if you have read some of my reviews, you know by now that a name (being "Yes", "Tull" or "Genesis") does not suffice to allow wonderful ratings. So was it with some late ELP albums, and overall with most of Keith solo outputs.

When I read some reviews telling that Keith is back, that this album is the best of any band member after their break; I just say that it was not difficult. Carl just performed (very) poorly, Greg's solo career is non- existent and Keith was a serious disappointment as far as I'm concerned.

So, this one is indeed the only record which can be seriously taken into account in Keith's solo career.

Great synth parts of course, gentle and classic piano play ("Prelude To A Hope"), some fine added vocals by Marc ("A Place To Hide"), fine compositions, melodic moments, splendid keys performance. What else? Well, nothing else! This is so fine after so many dark and unproductive years.

I can only be rather happy and thankful to the great man to have released such a good album after so many average ones. The fine guitar play from Marc is a true asset to this album as well ("Miles Away, Part 3").

Most of this release is referring to some sort of epic/concept song ("House Of Ocean Born Mary"). It is true to say that the few tracks outside of this "suite" or epic are much less catchy and could have been skipped IMHHO (the worse being achieved with "Game Time"). But we are all acquanited that jewels were sitting along poor stuff on any great ELP works. Right?

This is a solid album which I rate with four stars. Seven out of ten would have been more appropriate but I've been quite harsh on the man so, let's be more optimistic and raise this good work to the next level: four stars. A nice trip back to ancient times. I like it?

This is about as eclectic a collection that you could find. It has classical, Abbadon's Bolero, Pictures At An Exhibit, jazz, Au Privave, Rhythm-A-Ning, blues Walter L, southern honky tonk rock Straight Between The Eyes, Kenny G style fusion Asian Pear, romantic piano solo And Then January, Broadway America, and some unexpected cover songs.

In all of this, Emerson shows his versatility, excelling at any of the styles he undertakes.

The only really low point is his 1980's recording of excerpts from Pictures.... Like watching Ian Anderson in recent concerts struggling to hit notes that used to come easily to him, in this recording, you can hear Emerson simplifying many of the passages, to accomodate his wrist problems.

It's fun to hear an old recording of The Nice, playing an excerpt of Zappa's Lumpy Gravy. And the inclusion of Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is so odd, it's funny.

This is not so much as Keith Emerson album as it is a showcase for Emerson Hughes and Bonilla.

There are two new songs on the album, Cover Me, by Hughes and Bonilla, and ans Middle Of A Dream, by all three featured artists. Both of these songs are completely forgettable. Hughes is passable on a nice cover of Procol Harum's classic Whiter Shade Of Pale. Emerson is surprisingly laid back on this track. I actually like it better than the original, where I find the organ arrangement annoying.

White Noise originally from Marc Bonilla's EE Ticket album, which featured Emerson, is a boogie fusion tune that demonstrates just why Emerson enjoys playing with the guy.

But the real reason for owning this album are the three ELP songs. Hoedown is okay, but I would prefer the actual bluegrass hoedown section (with Emerson playing harmonica) would have gone on longer. When I saw Emerson and Bonilla in concert a couple of years ago, they extended that section for a long time, and it was fantastic.

Nutrocker Suite is better. Emerson has added an intro from Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, and an ending from Rimsky-Korsakov's Sabre Dance, which add quite a bit to this crowd pleaser.

Tarkus. Now this version is great, despite Hughes' vocals. Bonilla does some nice fills on his guitar. But again, Emerson & Bonilla have since expanded on this piece in their live shows. Consider this just a taste.

I never could understand why so many people dislike this album. Sure, it's not as heavy as Karn Evil 9, or Tarkus, but this is a solo album.

Honky starts out on the right foot with a trio of track dedicated to the famous Sailor's Hornpipe. I've always like the tune anyway, and Emerson does a fine job. The slow intro is nice, the piano interpretations are incredible, and the rock version is just cool.

Salt Cay revisits some of the themes used in ELP's Pirates from the Works album. And Green Ice is an okay fusion piece, made better by Emerson's keyboard playing.

After a quick reminder of why Emerson rarely sings, we get the obligatory honky-tonk song (I've always liked these, even the silly ELP songs), and some boogie-woogie. Chickcharnie should be familiar to those with the Nighthawks soundtrack, as it was used as the title song. It's much better without the vocals.

Luckily, the gospel song Jesus Loves Me is at the end, making it easier to skip.

Without the last track, this would be a solid four stars. With it, 3.5, but I'll be generous and round it up.

I can easily say that this is the best of Keith Emerson's solo albums. Finally, after all these years, he seems to be back to putting out the kind of bombastic keyboard albums that his fans have been waiting for.

The songwriting, for the most part, is not up to the level of theclassic ELP albums, but it sounds like Keith has finally overcome the wrist problems that have been plaguing him for decades. His attack on the ol' Hammond is as ferocious as it's ever been.

The main piece on the album, a suite of songs called The House Of Ocean Born Mary has some very good sections, but like Porcupine Tree's The Incident, it doesn't always flow well from one section to the next. It sounds like many small songs slapped together to create an "epic". And some sections, most notable Marche Train drag a bit.

Guitarist Marc Bonilla adds some great guitar, especially in Finale, and his voice often sounds, probably deliberately, like a young Greg Lake.

The absolute highlight, predictable is a Ginastera (Emerson aficianados all know that Keith loves this composer's work). Here is the piece that's as great as the old ELP works, and better than ELP's Works.

This is not a bad CD. It's not a great one either. But for Keith Emerson fans, it's a treat. And it features Kevin Gilbert. That makes it a double treat. It also marks (as far as I know) the first appearance of Marc Bonilla on an Emerson album (Emerson had previously appeared on one of Bonilla's disks).

The result, while nowhere near as spectacular as the better ELP albums, is still a good listen. The two poppier songs, Shelter From The Rain and The Band Keeps Playing are not bad, but the chorus section of the latter song is a bit too cheesy for my tastes. The remainder of the song are typically eclectic for an Emerson album. There is a tasteful piano piece, Ballade, a nice jazz cover, the wonderful take on Summertime, and the reworked classical piece, Montagues and Capulets, the Prokofiev work later recorded by ELP.

But the highlight here is the rocked out version of The Church, originally from one of Emerson's sountrack projects. This great song would have fit very well on any of the classic ELP albums.

In progness and quality, I would put this below the classic ELP disks, but before anything that ELP did since Welcome Back My Friends....

I'd rate this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.