Think Deep Purple interpreted by Thelonious Monk. Think Pink Floyd arranged for piano. Think “Midnight Rider” played with the sort of soul that Greg Allman would applaud.
Pianist Ed Roth’s new solo release is titled Can’t Find My Way Home, but this collection finds Roth completely at home when performing numbers like “Smoke on the Water,” Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” and a trilogy of songs from Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
Doors completists take note – this album features Robby Krieger on the title song and on Pink Floyd’s “Us and Them.” The interplay between Krieger’s guitar and Roth’s piano demonstrates how musicians of this caliber can infuse inventive ideas into well-known works.
The presence of the Doors’ guitarist also shows the high level of respect Roth has earned within the Los Angeles music community. Roth’s played studio sessions with Joe Walsh, the Brothers Johnson, Annie Lennox, and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others.
“Ed Roth is one of those hard-to-find musicians who is truly in it for the music,” Krieger has enthused. “He’s one of those guys who really loves to play, and wants to get it right, no matter how long it takes. I love playing with him because of his laid-back feel.”
It’s appropriate that Can’t Find My Way Home ends with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Lenny.” Arranging this guitar showcase for piano is a summation of what Ed Roth is all about. He takes a familiar and often unexpected song, then lets you experience it afresh through his piano mastery.
Tom Wilmeth is the author of ‘Sound Bites: A Lifetime of Listening,’ which has earned raves from the likes of Gary Burton and Hal Holbrook. It’s available now from Muleshoe Press via Amazon
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