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Keith Emerson's opinion on Jurgen Fritz?

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brainstormer View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote brainstormer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 26 2013 at 21:42
Originally posted by Cactus Choir Cactus Choir wrote:

I've read loads of interviews with Emerson over the years and can't recall him ever mentioning Triumvirat or Jurgen Fritz. The keyboardists he most often talks about are jazz players like Brother Jack McDuff, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson, and on the more rock side of things Brian Auger, Jon Lord and Don Shinn. He did once say the first pianist he ever liked was Russ Conway!


There is something really nice about this playing:


Russ Conway Plays "Sidesaddle" Live


It's very precise melody and a type of classical framework within a pop-song.

You know, a lot of time people who are focused on bigger issues, may say
something out of the side of their mouth because of something else.  Maybe
Emerson didn't give the Bachman comment much thought because he heard
one song he liked and then didn't have time to research much more of it.   Perhaps
that was the only good rock guitar playing he had heard for a long time even
though it was a simple song.  Emerson didn't seem to like guitarists that much 
as far as instrumentalists.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 27 2013 at 02:29
Originally posted by Cactus Choir Cactus Choir wrote:

I've read loads of interviews with Emerson over the years and can't recall him ever mentioning Triumvirat or Jurgen Fritz. The keyboardists he most often talks about are jazz players like Brother Jack McDuff, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson, and on the more rock side of things Brian Auger, Jon Lord and Don Shinn. He did once say the first pianist he ever liked was Russ Conway!

I'm sure he also stated he had a lot of respect for Dudley Moore who was a very fine pianist in his spare time

In rock terms Jon Lord was the one he admired most I think. Lord was probably the most qualified classical styled rock organist.
I believe that Emerson also had respect for Wakeman but didn't talk about him after Rick's 'Keith who?' comment that appeared in a music paper interview. They became friends though years later and were plotting a joint project that sadly has yet to happen.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 27 2013 at 02:36
Originally posted by brainstormer brainstormer wrote:

Originally posted by Cactus Choir Cactus Choir wrote:

I've read loads of interviews with Emerson over the years and can't recall him ever mentioning Triumvirat or Jurgen Fritz. The keyboardists he most often talks about are jazz players like Brother Jack McDuff, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson, and on the more rock side of things Brian Auger, Jon Lord and Don Shinn. He did once say the first pianist he ever liked was Russ Conway!


There is something really nice about this playing:


Russ Conway Plays "Sidesaddle" Live


It's very precise melody and a type of classical framework within a pop-song.

You know, a lot of time people who are focused on bigger issues, may say
something out of the side of their mouth because of something else.  Maybe
Emerson didn't give the Bachman comment much thought because he heard
one song he liked and then didn't have time to research much more of it.   Perhaps
that was the only good rock guitar playing he had heard for a long time even
though it was a simple song.  Emerson didn't seem to like guitarists that much 
as far as instrumentalists.



He has talked about Jimi Hendrix in interviews. The Nice played some gigs as support in the late sixties and or course there were those 'HELP' rumours that he will always be asked about.
When ELP played Barbarian at The Lyceum he dedicates it to Jimi. Emerson always reckoned that Purple Haze had a touch of the gothic east European classic music style about it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 28 2013 at 17:15
Originally posted by Cactus Choir Cactus Choir wrote:

I've read loads of interviews with Emerson over the years and can't recall him ever mentioning Triumvirat or Jurgen Fritz. The keyboardists he most often talks about are jazz players like Brother Jack McDuff, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson, and on the more rock side of things Brian Auger, Jon Lord and Don Shinn. He did once say the first pianist he ever liked was Russ Conway!
 
Keith loved those organists, especially Jimmy Smith and McDuff. Keith said, during one of his old interviews for Keyboard, that ELP played one of their huge arena shows, and afterward Keith hoofed it to a small club downtown (I forget which city exactly) to see Jimmy Smith play. Keith being a white guy, he got noticed fairly quickly. After one piece, Smith himself finally looked in his direction and said "You white people really like this music, don't you?" At that point, Keith threw his hand up and yelled "Check, please!" Keith did remark he knew Jimmy didn't know who he was, nor that ELP had just played to 20,000 people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cactus Choir Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2013 at 09:29
Originally posted by brainstormer brainstormer wrote:



There is something really nice about this playing:


Russ Conway Plays "Sidesaddle" Live


It's very precise melody and a type of classical framework within a pop-song.



Rick Wakeman was also a big fan of Russ Conway and did a piece paying tribute to him on a TV programme in the UK a couple of years back. He had quite a flashy, technically adept style so it's probably not surprising budding proggers liked him!

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:



I'm sure he also stated he had a lot of respect for Dudley Moore who was a very fine pianist in his spare time

In rock terms Jon Lord was the one he admired most I think. Lord was probably the most qualified classical styled rock organist.

I remember Emerson saying he was really into Dudley Moore, and when you listen to Moore's piano work, Emerson's does sound quite similar.

Rick Wakeman and Jon Lord played together at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. Keith Emerson was meant to be there too but I think health problems prevented it. Sadly of course we will never now see these three keyboard Titans on stage together.Cry







Edited by Cactus Choir - April 29 2013 at 09:30
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2013 at 17:32
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DiamondDog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 30 2013 at 14:39
Keith Emerson only praises anyone who can be viewed at a distance from him. Then again, given the unfair flak he gets for just being who he is, can he be blamed for that?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DiamondDog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 30 2013 at 14:44

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:



I'm sure he also stated he had a lot of respect for Dudley Moore who was a very fine pianist in his spare time

In rock terms Jon Lord was the one he admired most I think. Lord was probably the most qualified classical styled rock organist.

I remember Emerson saying he was really into Dudley Moore, and when you listen to Moore's piano work, Emerson's does sound quite similar.

Rick Wakeman and Jon Lord played together at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. Keith Emerson was meant to be there too but I think health problems prevented it. Sadly of course we will never now see these three keyboard Titans on stage together.Cry





[/QUOTE]
no surprise that Emerson liked Dudley Moore, he was a bit of a swinger himself more than a rocker. Jon Lord's real qualification for being a "Titan" was that he played in a very famous Rock band, not anything he actually did on the keyboards, IMO he was middle order, just a good pro.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 30 2013 at 15:29
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

...
I'm sure he also stated he had a lot of respect for Dudley Moore who was a very fine pianist in his spare time
In rock terms Jon Lord was the one he admired most I think. Lord was probably the most qualified classical styled rock organist.

The only problem is that Dudley was a trained concert pianist ... which Keith was not ... and he had the degrees from a major college, which Keith did not ... but one could say that Keith became more famous for a month or two, but Dudley will be remembered in the movies for many years ... many years ... and probably more than Keith's career in music ever will!
 
I like Keith's music ...   A LOT ... but in many ways, it never really went past the "pop machine" that they ended up representing and becoming ... and that (I think) hurt their music ... not that I did not like the fun stuff like the sheriff and what not, but it took away from the rest of the music and its depth and seriousness. To this day, I still believe so!
 
Not many players spend their time about another player ... in general, that's rude ... they might say they like their music and generally be polite, but there is no need for it ... since so many people do so many different things with the instruments ... it's like asking Keith what he thinks of Vangelis ... useless question and discussion.
 
Strange Department:
Manticore produced Banco and PFM for American releases, though they did not follow up on Banco ... too good musically and esoteric for American audiences! But PFM did really well here! And they did release several albums though they were not in sync with the Italian versions at the start.
 
There are quotes by Keith about the one keyboard player who appreciates him more than many of these we discuss ... and it is with Erik Norlander (Rocket Scientists and/or Lana Lane -- his wife), and these quotes are very flattering and appreciative of the work, btw ... and I think these are the best comments I have ever heard/seen Keith give anyone.


Edited by moshkito - April 30 2013 at 15:29
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote presdoug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 30 2013 at 15:52
^PFM were really big in Canada, too, even flying over at a last minute notice to play a high school in my native Ottawa! (And their live album Cook, i believe was recorded in Toronto.)

Edited by presdoug - April 30 2013 at 15:55
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 30 2013 at 22:58
I saw both of them in concert....Jurgen Fritz had a very similar haircut to Keith's, but I'd say he weighed a good 50 KG heavier!!  

They were both outstanding instrumentalists!  Fritz was a big, strong fella....he manhandled his Mini-Moog on the top of the Hammond Organ as if it were a toy!  

Really, I could care less what Emerson thought of anyone.  He was a fine talent in his own right, but he had many fine competitors.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 01 2013 at 01:38
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

...
I'm sure he also stated he had a lot of respect for Dudley Moore who was a very fine pianist in his spare time
In rock terms Jon Lord was the one he admired most I think. Lord was probably the most qualified classical styled rock organist.

 
I like Keith's music ...   A LOT ... but in many ways, it never really went past the "pop machine" that they ended up representing and becoming ... and that (I think) hurt their music ... not that I did not like the fun stuff like the sheriff and what not, but it took away from the rest of the music and its depth and seriousness. To this day, I still believe so!
 


ELP were never 100% prog imo. Genesis (early years) , Yes ,King Crimson and VDGG were much more committed to the genre. It could be argued that in essence ELP were a 'Festival Band'. Their birth happened at the IOW and that was fitting. They loved the big shows and that was their soul as a band. After they did the Montreal Gig I believe they could just have stopped there and then. It would never get any better and it didn't. Love Beach was just about fulfilling their contractural duties and Keith more or less admitted that he was quite depressed making that album. The come down from playing with a full orchestra as they did on the Works Tour was just too big. 

Sorry Doug  if  this is turning into yet another ELP discussion thread!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DiamondDog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 01 2013 at 02:01
Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:



Really, I could care less what Emerson thought of anyone.  He was a fine talent in his own right, but he had many fine competitors.  
The most sensible (and fair) comment thus far
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dsitzes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2013 at 22:26
In 2001 it appeared that Fritz was going to record a new Triumvirat album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRHKhx9KK7w and one day there was a live web conference in which he accepted questions from fans. I asked him if he had ever met Keith Emerson, and he said that he did get to meet Emmo backstage before a televised ELP concert.  Emerson's only comment on meeting Fritz was "Oh, you're that guy from that band." And Emerson went right back to warming up for the ELP performance. So Jurgen did get to meet his idol, but it must have been an ego-deflating experience, no doubt. I also asked how to make a Double Dimple, and I was told "have a glass large enough!" After that, nothing came of the new Triumvirat project, but digitally remastered versions of their classic albums were released, so it was not a total loss. 

Edited by dsitzes - December 12 2013 at 22:28
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote presdoug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 13 2013 at 08:24
^Thanks for posting that-i think the time that Fritz met Emerson was possibly during the "RockPop" TV show aired in Germany in 1978. That was during the concert when ELP played a song with a live tiger onstage. Triumvirat played some songs from their then most recent album, Pompeii.
            Some of these are available on youtube.


Edited by presdoug - December 13 2013 at 08:26
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 13 2013 at 17:24
Originally posted by dsitzes dsitzes wrote:

In 2001 it appeared that Fritz was going to record a new Triumvirat album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRHKhx9KK7w and one day there was a live web conference in which he accepted questions from fans. I asked him if he had ever met Keith Emerson, and he said that he did get to meet Emmo backstage before a televised ELP concert.  Emerson's only comment on meeting Fritz was "Oh, you're that guy from that band." And Emerson went right back to warming up for the ELP performance. So Jurgen did get to meet his idol, but it must have been an ego-deflating experience, no doubt. I also asked how to make a Double Dimple, and I was told "have a glass large enough!" After that, nothing came of the new Triumvirat project, but digitally remastered versions of their classic <span style="line-height: 1.2;">albums were released, so it was not a total loss. </span>


More evidence that sometimes you're better off not meeting your idols. Fortunately, it's easier today to garner feedback on certain personalities than to simply rely on hearsay like in the '80s/'90s and further back.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote presdoug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 13 2013 at 18:59
^reminds me of the saying "heroes are hard to find"  His lack of regard and respect for Jurgen is a downer. Makes me wonder if he actually ever heard a Triumvirat record.


Edited by presdoug - December 13 2013 at 19:05
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom Ozric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 13 2013 at 20:23
Now here's an arrogant comment (like comparing chalk and cheese though) - Dave Stewart strikes me as a technically better keyboardist than Emerson. Better sound, better playing - different style, but better in my ears. Heck, I never heard Emerson play like Ratledge (nor Ratledge play like Emerson ).....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 14 2013 at 03:02
Or maybe Emo simply smelled some "competition" in the room.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 14 2013 at 05:41
Keith Emerson 'arrogant'??! I don't believe it!LOL
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