RICK WAKEMAN IN CONCERT KBFH

The Cape Crusader strikes Again, now in San Francisco at the Winterland Theater, don't expect new songs but surely new arrangements for old classics of his essential trilogy (Six Wives, Journey and Myths & Legends), this was probably one of his first concerts after he had a heart attack and instead of taking things more calmly Rick is more aggressive and faster than ever before.

I won't make a deep analysis of each track because you can find lots in the original versions of the three masterpieces, instead I will try to focus in the differences and why I like this album so much.

The first part of "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" is less pompous than the original but again faster and with a much more modern approach, well, if you have a couples of horns and trombones instead of the London Symphony Orchestra you need to make something different. What I can't understand is why he insisted with Ashley Holt, he may be a good vocalist but in Journey sounds terrible.

"Catherine Howard" is one of my favorite songs from Six Wives of Henry the VIII and of course Rick was always the star, but in his concert two musicians shine almost as brightly as him, John Dunsterville with the acoustic guitar and a performance in the style of Flamenco classics plus of course the great and underrated Tony Fernandez and his powerful drums, people went to see Rick Wakeman but applauded both musicians also.

"Lancelot & The Black Knight" doesn't have too many new things, it's faster but Rick seems to increase the speed on stage, absolutely respectful of the original version.

"Anne Boleyn" always seems to be the central dish in Rick's menu and this time is no exception, when a person listens him playing the piano sections is hard to believe it's such a complex instrument because he makes it sound easy, again faster but still a masterpiece.

As in "Catherine Howard" the second star is Tony Fernandez, the guy is an outstanding drummer, it must be a nightmare to play with Rick being that Mr. Wakeman is well known for improvising depending in his mood but Tony never misses a hit no matter how complex the music gets, almost a human metronome

"The Forest" is the conclusion of the new version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth I just need to a word to describe this new version "FRANTIC" even Ashley Holt sounds pretty decent.

"Arthur & Guinivere" is a 14 minutes epic that describes the main characters of Myths & Legends, which by the way is my favorite Wakeman album. Again as in Lancelot and the Black Knight, Rick is absolutely respectful to the original version but it's also pleasant to say that Ashley Holt does a good work in this song, creating Medieval Troubadour atmosphere, a style in which he is much more comfortable, the piano sections are wonderful.

"Merlin the Magician" is the perfect song for Rick to show what a good keyboardist he is, fast as almost nobody but without loosing strength and precision, he owns the show and won't let anybody try to steal it from him.

This live compilation recorded in 1975 ends with a strange rendition of "Catherine Parr", he manages to keep the same spirit but more vibrant, the final organ section is unforgettable.

I won't tell anybody this album is an essential masterpiece or to run and buy it because I would be lying, most surely every Prog fan owns of has heard the original versions of this songs but "In Concert" has different and powerful versions of familiar tracks, that's it's greatest virtue.

I normally place this album in the CD tray for long trips, time passes pleasantly with well known songs in a different mood. I will give four stars because Wakeman managed to make the perfect arrangements for a band with a couple wind instruments of music that should be played with full orchestra without a significant loss of quality.