FANFARE FOR THE UNCOMMON MAN

Various CHERRY RED

THERE’S PLENTY OF EMERSON’S SHOWMANSHIP HERE.

Official, all-star fanfare for Keith Emerson.

Tricky things, tribute concerts. At their best, they can be a poignant remembrance capturing the sense and creative spirit of the person in life. At their worst, a bloated, over-indulgence where the object of the event becomes a mere bystander, lost in the all-star crowd.

By and large, this 2016 show hosted by Marc Bonilla’s band stays more or less the right side of the line. During the two-and-a-half-hour running time, an array of heavyweight veterans including Eddie Jobson, Brian Auger, Steve Lukather, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jorden Rudess, Steve Porcaro and others are all there to pay tribute.

Inevitably, perhaps, things are rocked up to the max with Bonilla’s gritty high-powered attack abrading the various pieces they tackle. Occasionally, “Too much, man!” really is just too much. Hoedown, featuring Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter as one of three guitarists trading licks, plods along, and knockabout filler such as Nutrocker and Are You Ready, Eddy are somewhat superfluous while old favourites such as Tarkus, Karn Evil 9, Lucky Man and a reliably chugging Fanfare For The Common Man, here augmented with a substantial brass section, all receive a sleek AOR sheen performed with adrenalised enthusiasm, giving everyone their moment in the spotlight.

Part of what made Emerson tick was his showmanship and there’s plenty of it here. While participants are perhaps only reflecting this aspect of Keith’s psychological makeup, sometimes things can feel a touch ostentatious and gauche.

Elsewhere though, such moments are subtly offset, capturing Emerson’s other personality trait: a composer of power and sophistication. His son, Aaron, performing his own heartfelt composition, Ride, reflects that lyrical sweetness of his father’s work. An instrumental version of all parts of The Endless Enigma with Rachel Flowers’ flawless interpretation of the fugue draws deserved applause, while CJ Vanston’s romantic flourishes during an expansive solo in Take A Pebble add depth and warmth. Though hailing from different ends of ELP’s output, what these performances have in common is that the inner music that spawned the notes really comes through.

Kae Matsumoto’s sensitive rendition of Prelude To A Hope opens the concert and, in many ways, steals the show by stealth, providing ample testimony that, even in his final decade, Emerson’s melodic capabilities remained absolute. This piece on its own, a quiet solo voice in among the jubilant onstage throng, is more than a potent reminder that his passing was such a tragedy and why he’s much missed.