In 1963, a young Keith Emerson who would later find
recognition with his work with The Nice, ELP, and as a solo artist. He’s the
bee’s knees of the founders of the Progressive Rock genre. But this rare and
unearthed recording which was taken place at Emerson’s parents living room as a
teenager. It shows his Jazz roots featuring him on piano along with Godfrey
Sheppard on Bass and David Keene on Drums.
This rare recording was released previously in early of this
year by Record Collection as a limited vinyl release. Now released in early
November of this year on CD and on download, you can get to experience the
young Emerson at his Jazzier sound resembling Vince Guaraldi, Oscar Peterson,
and Thelonious Monk at his earlier prime. The recording which was done on an
acetate, it’s not in the best condition, but you can imagine being in awe of
what he will about to become.
The trio really take it down into the roots of Jazz and the
Blues genre. For example, Winkle Picker
Stamp in which it was based loosely on Earl Guest’s Honky Tonk Train Blues (which Keith later cover the track on Works Volume 2 in 1977) B-side, Winkle Picker Stomp is an homage to
Earl’s music, but with a touch of B. Bumble and the Stingers Bumble Boogie with a shuffling groove.
Godfrey plays a walking bass line that gives it a wonderful
12-bar blues line as if you are driving in the Mojave Desert set in the ‘50s
that you can imagine Keith giving him a chance to shine. He is playing the
styles of Paul Chambers (Miles Davis) and Jimmy Garrison (John Coltrane) with Teenies Blues. There’s a bit of Freddie Freeloader and the Ramsey Lewis
trio thrown in there.
Elsewhere, the Monk inspirations and Wynton Kelly, are
thrown in there which I’ve mentioned earlier, he would later show those pieces
with The Nice’s Five Bridges Suite. And
it’s evidential on the Hank Mobley composition, Soul Station. The trio really bring the Blues to work and between
the improvisations of Keith and Godfrey along with David Keene’s drumming,
shows teamwork and having a great time.
Emerson brings his classical chops into the whole of 56 Blues. Not only the classical sound
but he goes into town on the piano with the soul sounds thrown in there. And I
can hear some essence of The Nice thrown in there which he would later bring
the flaming fire on the Hammond Organ. He’s shows no sign of stopping on his
composition as if he’s nailing the instrument down with a thunderous roar and
with the romantic turned beautiful driven wonders of There Will Never Be Another You.
His attempt on Floyd Cramer, who was the architect of the “Nashville
sound”, shows a lot of the thumping and essences of Charlie Parker in there, is
a cooking combination between the two with You’ve
Came a Long Way from Saint Louis. It’s a downtown rhythm that you can dance
to for this short little number that I wish there was more of the improv’s of
the trio.
This is my third time listening to The Keith Emerson Trio.
And I have to admit, I’m very impressed of hearing an early Keith going into
the Jazz roots before finding the recognition's with The Nice and ELP. It shows
that listening to these unearthed recordings that he was about to set both the
Jazz, Psychedelic, and Progressive Rock world by storm in the late ’60s and the
golden-era of the 1970s. Again, even though it’s not in the best condition of
the acetates, it’s a great discovery to go back and digging more.
I would highly recommend it for the essence of Thelonious
Monk, John Coltrane, Vince Guaraldi, Miles Davis, and The Ramsey Lewis Trio.