Fanfare For the Uncommon Man: The Official Keith Emerson Tribute Concert finds everyone from Steve Lukather and Steve Porcaro from Toto, Brian Auger, Rachel Flowers, Ed Roth, Eddie Jobson, CJ Vanston and a host of others – including Emerson’s son Aaron – paying tribute to the keyboard maestro. Throughout, the Keith Emerson Band, led by guitarist/vocalist Marc Bonilla, provides much of the backing.
Like the best of Emerson Lake and Palmer, Fanfare For the Uncommon Man is melodic, a little overblown and ultimately lots of fun. Judging from the accompanying video, it was also a blast for the performers. Rather than trying to sound exactly like the inspiration, as so many tribute bands do, here the tribute is personal, by and for the band and guests.
Highlights are many. Philip Saisse’s moody, atonal piano in the early parts of “From The Beginning” gives it a poignant feeling, before he demonstrates his jazz chops without ever going overboard, even throwing in sly quotes from “My Favorite Things.” Keith Emerson surely would have loved it. Bonilla’s husky voice is at first off-putting, contrasting with Greg Lake’s smooth tones, before getting into the heart of Lake’s composition.
“Bitches Crystal,” featuring Eddie Jobson, is bouncier and less heavy-handed than the ELP version. Bonilla’s voice is perfect for this tune, and Jobson’s choices of timbres offers another take on the original. His piano playing is spot on.
“Hoedown” features Ed Roth and Skunk Baxter. It’s as much an actual country-esque hoedown as a blast from Emerson Lake and Palmer’s past, the players taking turns running up and down the keyboard or fretboard. “Touch and Go” from the other ELP (with Cozy Powell subbing for Carl Palmer) features Steve Porcaro doing his best Emerson impression/pastiche.
Brian Auger gives more than a nod to Keith Emerson’s jazz predilections on “Fanfare for the Common Blue Turkey,” interpolating “Blue Rondo a La Turk” in the midst of the ELP take on Copland. Perhaps the most touching piece is the moody original “Tribute to Keith” by CJ Vanston and Michael Fitzpatrick. It’s gorgeous. Vanston’s version of “Take a Pebble” is another highlight.
It’s unlikely anyone who wasn’t already a fan of Emerson Lake and Palmer will be interested in Fanfare For the Uncommon Man: The Official Keith Emerson Tribute Concert – which is too bad. Still, for those who already enjoy Emerson’s pomp and rock, it offers new, loving interpretations of familiar fare.
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