E L & P Emerson, Ake & Parmer / Iowa, Usa 1977

Although it was the highlight of the “WORKS TOUR”, only a limited number of records remain of the concert with an orchestra. This precious new excavated live album is now available. The collaboration with the orchestra, which began with the album “WORKS VOLUME 1”, was a major project that realized Keith Emerson’s dream of touring, and even changed the fate of EL&P. However, not all of the “WORKS TOUR” was a collaboration with an orchestra. This fact is well known, but the specific dates of the concerts are surprisingly unknown. This is a good opportunity, so let’s start by looking at the full picture of the collaboration with the orchestra.・May 24th + 25th 1977: Louisville (2 performances)・May 29th 1977: Cincinnati・May 31st + June 1st 1977: Detroit (2 performances)*・June 4th 1977: Chicago・June 5th 1977: Milwaukee*・June 7th 1977: Indianapolis・June 9th 1977: Madison*・June 11th 1977: Minneapolis*・June 12th 1977: Des Moines [This work]《Approximately 15 trio performances》・July 7th – 9th 1977: New York (3 performances)*《Approximately 30 trio performances》・August 26th 1977: Montreal*(* denotes performances confirmed on audio recordings)In this way, there were a total of 15 performances with the orchestra. Although the concert records at that time are somewhat vague, the “WORKS TOUR” had around 145 performances (all in North America). It’s not strict because there were trio performances between the concerts, but the flow was roughly “Orchestra Co-Performance 11 → Trio 15 → Orchestra Co-Performance 3 → Trio 30 → Orchestra Co-Performance 1 → Trio 80”. This work is an audience album of the final day of the 11 orchestra co-performances, “Des Moines Performance on June 12, 1977”, which opens the album. The greatest attraction of this work is the sound. Although this recording itself has been known to a limited number of enthusiasts for some time, the source of this work was digitized directly from the master cassette in recent years. The freshness is outstanding, and the musical tones that reach straight ahead are thick and clear without any muffled or distortion. It is also nice that the bass, which tends to be a weakness in audience recordings, is powerful. The key to performing with an orchestra is a sense of depth, so if the bass is weak, it becomes insincere, but the deep bass of this work is perfect. The spectacle of the cheers is also wonderful. Although there is no sense of distance, that is not a drawback but a beauty. The space is crystal clear, and the audience also holds their breath for the magnificent orchestra performance. Even if the applause creates a sense of huge scale, it does not get in the way at all, and the applause that rises after each song has a rock-like heat and is as detailed as a classical concert. Not only the performers but also the audience embodies “rock + classical”. We have been reporting on orchestra performances in masterpieces such as “DETROIT WORKS” and “MSG 1977”, but the quality of this work is undoubtedly top class among precious orchestra performance records. Unfortunately, since “Knife Edge” has a head cut due to a tape change, it cannot be said to be “ultimate”, but it will definitely be a candidate. It is a masterpiece that has been vividly revived after 39 years. The orchestral collaboration depicted by the sound is amazing. EL&P’s true strength lies in the dynamism of the trio, but the confrontation of that dynamism with the huge orchestral sound. They create a world together in “Piano Concerto No.1”, beautifully color “C’est La Vie”, carry “Tank” to another dimension, and clash with the original in “Pictures At An Exhibition”. In particular, “Closer To Believing” depicts the height of beauty with the orchestra, opera chorus, and young Greg Lake’s singing voice… This beauty goes beyond the dimension of EL&P and is the crystallization of Greg’s neat aesthetic sense that has continued since “In the Court of the Crimson King”. When it comes to orchestral collaboration, Keith always attracts attention, but this project was also the pinnacle of Greg’s. Although the collaboration was realized in the album “WORKS VOLUME 1”, the real strength of the orchestra is live performance on stage. The sympathy of the sounds exchanged on the spot, and the impression of the space that fills the venue, is a sound world that can only be experienced with audience recording. A historic orchestra concert that has only been left in an incomplete form even in the official version. This is a masterpiece of a live album that allows you to be present at the scene and fully experience the magnificent and beautiful fantasy world. This is an exquisite piece that blows out the atmosphere of the scene that the master cassette directly sucked in from the speakers. Live at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, Des Moines, Iowa, USA 12th June 1977 (with Orchestra) TRULY AMAZING/PERFECT SOUND Disc 1(69:00) 1. Karn Evil 9 1st Impression Part 2 2. The Enemy God 3. From the Beginning 4. C’est La Vie 5. Pictures At An Exhibition 6. Piano Concerto No.1 1st Movement 7. Piano Concerto No.1 3rd Movement 8. Closer To Believing 9. Lucky Man 10. Tank Disc 2(35:00) 1. Knife Edge 2. Pirates 3. Fanfare For The Common Man incl. Rondo 4. Finale