WORKS LIVE

"Works Live" is the fifth live album of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and was recorded at the 26 August 1977 at the Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada, which is featured on the album's cover, but it was only released in 1993. It was the later re-released and re-packaged from their third live album "Emerson Lake & Palmer In Concert", released in November 1979, following Emerson, Lake & Palmer's break up. So, we can say that "Works Live" is nothing more than an extended version of "Emerson Lake & Palmer In Concert". "Works Live" has about twice of the tracks of the live original release.

"Works Live" is an album taken from their "Works Vol. 2" live tour, the last live tour released by Emerson Lake & Palmer before the breakup of the band. So, this is a live album that, consequently, features essentially tracks that were released on their two last studio albums, at the time, "Works Vol. 1" and "Works Vol. 2". Both were released in 1977.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer hired a 70's piece orchestra for some live concerts of this live tour but eventually they had to dismiss the orchestra due to budget constraints that almost bankrupted the band. On this live release, the orchestra performs on tracks "C'Est La Vie", on "Fanfare For The Commom Man", on "Knife Edge", on "Abaddon's Bolero", on "Pictures At An Exhibition", on "Closer To Believing", on Keith Emerson's "Piano Concerto No. 1", and on "Tank".

"Works Live" has fifteen tracks. "Introductory Fanfare" is a very short track, composed by Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer. It represents the theme to open the concert and is pleasant enough to introduce the live show to the audience. "Peter Gun (Henry Mancini)" is a version of a classic TV theme song, an American private eye television series which aired from 1958 to 1961. It was never released on any of their studio albums and frequently the band opened with this song on the "Works Vol. 2" live tour. A slightly edited version of this live recording was included on the 1980 "Best Of" compilation and released as a single in some countries. "Tiger In A Spotlight" was released on their sixth studio album "Works Vol. 2". "C'Est La Vie" was released on their fifth studio album "Works Vol. 1". "Watching Over You" was released on "Works Vol. 2". "Maple Leaf Rag" was released on "Works Vol. 2". "The Enemy God Dances With The Black Spirits (Excerpt From "The Scythian Suite" 2nd Movement - Prokofiev)" was released on "Works Vol. 1". "Fanfare For The Common Man" was released on "Works Vol. 1". "Knife Edge (Adapted From Janacek's "Sinfonietta" was released on their eponymous debut studio album. "Show Me The Way To Go Home" was released on "Works Vol. 2". "Abaddon's Bolero" was released on their third studio album "Trilogy". "Pictures At An Exhibition" was released on their debut live album "Pictures At An Exhibition". "Closer To Believing" was released on "Works Vol. 1". "Piano Concerto No. 1 (Third Movement: Toccata Con Fuoco)" was released on "Works Vol. 1". "Tank" was released on "Works Vol. 1".

We can divide "Works Live" in two different parts, the "Works" tracks and the others. "Works Live" was opened with "Introductory Fanfare" a nice introduction to the show. "Peter Gun" is an interesting version, a fresh way of the original theme. About the "Works" tracks, we can say that there is some great material here. So, about all those tracks, we can highlight "C'Est La Vie", "The Enemy God Dances With The Black Spirits", "Fanfare For The Common Man", "Piano Concerto No. 1 (Third Movement: Toccata Con Fuoco)" and "Tank". "C'Est La Vie" is a great track, of the band. This is a Lake's song, one of his best contributions to the band. It's one of the highest points on the album. "The Enemy God Dances With The Black Spirits" is the band's treatment of a Prokofiev's suite. This is a very nice track, a storming and dramatic interpretation by the band. "Fanfare For The Common Man" is a great interpretation of a piece of Aaron Copland re-arranged for a rock band. "Piano Concerto No. 1 (Third Movement: Toccata Con Fuoco)" is a highest point here. I always loved this piece. "Tank" is an interesting remake of the original with an orchestral accompaniment. About the tracks before "Works" albums, "Knife Edge (Adapted From Janacek's "Sinfonietta" is a great piece that showcases with particular emphasis the great bass lines. "Abaddon's Bolero" has a simple structure with a theme that gradually builds a hypnotic climax. "Pictures At An Exhibition" is a nice new version performed with the addition of the orchestra.

Conclusion: As I said before, "Works Live" is a re-released and re-packaged from their third live album "Emerson Lake & Palmer In Concert". As its name indicates and I mentioned above, "Works Live" was released to promote "Works Vol. 2" before the band breakup. So, it's not strange that the focus of this live concert was centred on "Works" albums. And as we know, "Works" albums aren't properly the best and most representative albums of the band's career. Besides, "Works Live" was essentially an obligated release. Even though, "Works Live" is a good live album that presents itself as a showcase of the band, incorporating each member's skill separated and the band working together as a band. And, "Works Live" completes "Emerson Lake & Palmer In Concert". Besides, the addition of the orchestra isn't that bad either, and makes for a great compliment to the band, and adds much needed atmosphere to the band's performance.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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