TRACE

Dutch keyboard-wizard Rick got worldwide recognition with the 'classic-rock formula' from EKSEPTION but he wanted his own band to work out his own ideas. He founded TRACE with bass player Jaap van Eik (CUBY AND THE BLIZZARDS, The MOTIONS, SOLUTION, LIVING BLUES) and drummer Pierre van der Linden (TEE SET, BRAINBOX, FOCUS), a real Dutch supergroup. TRACE sounds like the Dutch equivalent to early ELP but Rick has a wider array of keyboards, including Hammond B3 organ, Hohner clavinet and pianet, ARP - and EMI synthesizers, harpsichord, Solina string-ensemble, Mellotron and church organ. He even used the sound of a bagpipe. The music on the eponymous debut album is a treat for fans from bands like The NICE, ELP, TRIUMVIRAT and early LE ORME. It delivers exciting, often sumptuous, keyboard driven symphonic rock: the mainly instrumental music is loaded with virtuosic keyboard runs, swirling Hammond organ and majestic Mellotron, supported by a powerful and propulsive rhythm-section. The Musea CD-release contains two bonustracks ("Progress" and "Tabu") and the history of Trace with nice pictures. Recommended to all progheads who want to be blown away by 'keyboard pyrotechnics' in the vein of Keith Emerson, Patrick Moraz or Toshio Egawa (from GERARD).