If the name Keith Emerson doesn’t ring any musical bells, you may be too young to recall the heady days of progressive art rock when instrumental proficiency carried more weight than flashbulb image or red-carpet appearances. After churning out a succession of mediocre solo albums and critically acclaimed soundtracks, the keyboard’s greatest and perhaps most flamboyant player returns with “The Keith Emerson Band featuring Mark Bonilla,” a self-titled CD that stands proudly among his best work with Emerson Lake & Palmer.
Without sounding dated or old-fashioned, Emerson and company jump right into “The House of Ocean Born Mary,” a 15-part suite based on the concept of an old ghost story. Emerson and Bonilla throw in everything but the kitchen sink but still manage to include some infectious themes and virtuoso playing. Hearing Emerson pounding away at the Hammond C3 organ on an epic track like this is a welcome and long-overdue treat.
While it’s mostly Emerson’s show, Bonilla gets plenty of room to stretch his musical muscles on “The Art of Falling Down” and “The Parting,” two of the more traditional tracks on the CD. Equally engaging is the rhythm section of Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, Santana) and Bob Birch (Elton John). Both players hold down the Lake and Palmer seats without missing a beat.
It wouldn’t be a Keith Emerson project without some barrelhouse shakedown piano, this time in the form of the rollicking “Gametime.” In a nod to past glories, the band updates “The Barbarian,” the first song on the very first ELP album (1971), as well as dipping back into the catalog of classical composer Alberto Ginestera for the fiery instrumental “Malambo.” Both songs mix acoustic piano with electronic instruments like the Moog and polyphonic synths, something few keyboard players are willing to even attempt today.
Leave it to Emerson to reinvent himself by taking a genre he practically invented and adding just enough polish to give it a new life. Whether you’ve waited patiently for Emerson’s return to old-school prog or you’re a newbie interested in the music that changed the face of rock, “Keith Emerson featuring Mark Bonilla” is a 5-star recording that won’t disappoint either camp.
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