FIVE BRIDGES SUITE

This is a good album, including some orchestral work recorded live "Five Bridges Suite", "Intermezzo - Karelia Suite", "Pathetique", "Country Pie/Brandenburg Concert No. 6", showing Emerson's ambitions of fusing classical and rock music. Is he successful? Yes and no. For the "yes" part of things, "Country Pie..." is an amazing cover of a Bob Dylan track, with Bach's "Brandenburg Concert" sliding into it as an organ solo, showing Emerson's amazing talent, and "Karelia Suite" is far superior to the version featured at "Ars Longa Vita Brevis". For the "no", "Five Bridges", although is a great composition, does not blend classical and rock as well, showing orchestra and rock trio as opposites (a problem that also plagues Deep Purple's "Concerto for Group and Orchestra"), with only a few moments that they play together. The real treat in this CD is the bonus tracks, all featuring the original 4-piece The Nice, with David O'List on guitar. Emerson's fans will probably like this album, as proggers interested on symphonic rock will; all others will not find much for their money.