ELP Digest 10 November 2006
Volume 16: Issue 8
The "Nuclear Attack" Edition
incorporating the Greg Lake Birthday Edition
Today's Topics:
Breaking News, Rumors, Etc.
- no submissions this issue
Reader Commentary
- Carl from Generation Game on Google Video (November 2, 2006)
- Follow-up on Vivacitas (November 3, 2006)
- Keith and Jazz (November 3, 2006)
- re: Last issue's comments about 'Off the Wall'(November 10, 2006)
Questions (and Answers!)
- Emerson's Scores (November 3, 2006)
ELP-related products, tribute bands, promoters
(The ELP Digest does not endorse, etc.)
- no submissions this issue
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Prelude
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Hi.
Not a lot in this issue (since it's only been a week) but I always
try to recognize Greg's birthday (Happy Birthday, Greg!) with an
issue of the Digest. So, here's what I have.
In this issue, there's mention of a clip of Carl's appearance on
the Generation Game available at Google Video. There's follow on
discussion about last issue's comments about Keith as a Jazz Player.
And some ideas about band scores for ELP music are starting to
trickle in.
Enjoy!
- John -
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Latest News from the Official ELP sites .…
Since we just had a Digest last week there’ nothing much new to
report but, with the holidays coming up, you can consider feeding
the urges of ELP fans and visiting the E, L & P online shops.
Links are at:
http://www.keithemerson.com
http://www.greglake.com
http://www.carlpalmer.com
http://www.emersonlakepalmer.com
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Breaking News, Rumors, Etc.
===========================
No submissions this issue.
===========================
Reader Commentary
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From: David
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 7:45 PM
To: elp-digest
Subject: Carl from Generation Game on Google Video
John,
I don't know if anyone has posted this link before, however I
thought it worth passing forward. Its a video clip of Carl Palmer
as a guest on the BBC's generation game. Quite entertaining : )
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5742523071131354016&q=%22carl+palmer%22
(paste that into a single URL in your browser if it's split across
multiple lines)
Regards
David
---------------------------------------------
From: Roy Henderson
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 4:19 AM
To: elp-digest
Subject: Follow-up on Vivacitas
Dear John and all at the Digest,
I am trying to follow up my own post from a long, long time back and
to pick up on today's comments about Emerson's jazz playing and some
overlooked corners of his repertoire. In his recent book, Ed Macan
expresses his wish that ELP had followed up the 'Take a Pebble' style
of piece and that they might have combined the 'masculine and
feminine/electronic and acoustic' elements of their music in a more
thorough going way.
In a less musically-informed manner I agree with this. Does anyone
else ever wonder if (maybe in a strange symbiosis with us fans)
Emerson has developed some of the less interesting aspects of his
style: -
the Moog ribbon controller shenanigans,
still playing the Rondo/America jam with backwards Bach and whatnot
but not taking the Three Fates piano trio, Infinite Space, Tank,
the 'pop-Bartok' style of Eruption, the fugue in 'Endless Enigma'
forwards?
My wife and I were at the first of the Glasgow concerts with The
Nice (The Vivacitas one). She was bored out her mind. I loved/hated
it. There was a sense of fun from the stage, the quotes from 'Diary
of an empty Day/Lalo, 'So What' and so on were nice touches. But
Honky Tonk Train Blues, Fanfare and the like are well trodden paths
by now. The 'Classic Rock' posturing was embarrassing. (Sorry)
Thus sounds negative. I do not intend it that way. It comes from
having real expectations and genuine affection. How many times have
some us bought ELP albums now?
What might I like to hear? Eruption/Stones of Years with the Jazz
big band (Live at the Stables - BBC Radio 2) a few years ago - that
was fun. Some of 'Emerson Plays Emerson', again very engaging.
What about a piano Tarkus with sax or string quartet?
Piano and harpsichord 'Tank' or Tank-like pieces? The jazzy
electronic rock of 'When the Apple Blossoms....' I love listening
to 'Infinite Space' - it draws me in to itself. And if I can
declare an interest, as a clergyman (ooh er!) I do enjoy the
'church music' aspects of the Emerson/ELP style. Yes, even
'The Only Way'. (Hint, we can take it. The Bible says far more
shocking things.... but that is another subject). I have also
enjoyed the more 'laid back' Emerson of 'Honky'. It seemed to
bring out a looser side to his playing - his 'stride/jazz' piano
often sounds a little stiff to me.
This music means so much to me and gives me such pleasure. The
'Christgau/Bangs, etc' school of criticism hurts and it is time
it was confronted. (Macan is very good indeed on this subject).
Subjectively, I experience many 'Prog' songs in a very soulful way
and much as I enjoy Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin' On' album, it sounds
icy and cool to me, not soulfuI, I appreciate it like some more
austere classical music. Figure that out.
It would be wonderful to see and hear some fresh and surprising
music from the ELP/Prog stable - not just 'classic rock' moments
and mannerisms revisited. Why revisit our youth when it can be
reinterpreted in a contemporary and mature way?
Of course, I might be out of touch, not having heard the KE Band
since Vivacitas...
Yours, over earnestly... and glad there are people out there
who understand!
Roy Henderson
Glasgow
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From: Peter Wilton
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 4:50 AM
To: ELP Digest
Subject: Keith and Jazz
I couldn't quite believe what I read in the last digest. Does
everyone agree with Simon Reay that Keith can't play jazz piano?
My observations would be:
(1) That "Au privave" and "Walter L" are the two strongest tracks
on the "Off the Shelf" album. They are the main reason for buying
the album; one can see why some of the other material hasn't been
released before.
(2) The use of the Moog with the big band was inspirational; the two
dovetailed so well that I wonder it hadn't been done often before.
(3) Emo's jazz piano (or jazz generally) is probably his strongest
suit: a good sense of melodic and harmonic direction, and often
much more engaging for that reason than much that gets played on
the radio here in the UK. There are many, far duller players who
actually call themselves jazz musicians, rather than rock
musicians. Of the musicians I speak to who are familiar with
his music, I don't hear a word against Keith's jazz playing.
Peter Wilton
The Gregorian Association Web Site:
http://www.beaufort.demon.co.uk
---------------------------------------------
From: A-Digest-Reader
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006
To: ELP Digest
Subject: re: Last issue's comments about 'Off the Wall'
Hi, John …
You know, I may be inspired to write my very first note to the Digest,
unless someone else responds first. This "Off the Wall" note has
really disturbed me. I know I've made similar comments to you about
other letters in the past that have been unnecessarily, uh, rough,
but this one struck a nerve.
Everyone is entitled to have his or her own say, and it's important
for the integrity of this forum that there be diversity of opinion.
However, every time I see someone say this one can't play jazz or
this one can't sing, or whatever, I want to ask them when was the
last time THEY released their own CD with their own singing,
playing, etc?
It's one thing to make an aesthetic comment, such as I don't prefer
this person's performance style, or to complain when there's no new
album or tour, but it's another thing to be personally slamming these
guys. If you don't like Keith's jazz style, fine – but that doesn't
mean he can't play, any more than Greg's hoarseness of the mid-'90s
meant he couldn't sing. As we all well know, these are three
extraordinarily talented artists whose collective output continues
to move each of us, decades into the journey.
I suppose that in the heat of the moment, people may make comments
about the music and performers as if they are addressing inanimate
objects, rather than living, breathing, creative human beings who
have feelings, and who deserve to be treated with the same dignity
and respect we would wish for ourselves. I'm glad the note also
included positive comments about Keith's compositions, but if the
writer felt compelled to say something about their execution, I
really wish he had said he doesn't prefer the jazz piano – a valid
opinion that he is certainly entitled to have – rather than saying
the man can't play. That's nonsense, and completely unfair. It’s
not even worth dignifying the remark with the long list of wonderful
jazz interpretations and references that we have enjoyed from Keith
over the years. What’s more, such remarks don't do a thing to
support the writer’s apparent desire to hear more music from
these guys. Would you feel like getting up and creating something
in the face of such negative reinforcement?
The ELP Digest is a wonderful forum for all of us who have derived
so much pleasure and inspiration from the music over the years, and
who hope to hear more of it in the future – whether that means new
takes on old favorites, or new material entirely. May it continue
to be a way for us to share our opinions constructively and to find
new ways to support the music and the artists who so generously give
it to us!
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Questions (and Answers!)
===========================
From: Chris
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 11:54 AM
To: elp-digest
Subject: Emerson's Scores
Dear John
Thanks for another great Digest.
With reference to the question about arrangements for Tarkus,
it's a long shot but I wonder if there are any copies still in
existence of the arrangement that Keith did for the session
with John Dankworth's band, perhaps 3 or 4 years ago?
best regards
Chris Gardner
===========================
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(The ELP Digest does not endorse, etc.)
===========================
No submissions this issue.
===========================
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Thanks!
End of ELP Digest [Volume 16, Issue 8]
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