Rick Wakeman to play with his sons at Gloucester

Since last year, Wakeman has been publishing about himself playing at a prog festival in Gloucester, in June I think (I may be mistaken). However, it seems there were some situations that made him change his plans for his performances, and he ended up inviting both Adam and Oliver to play with him on keyboards, as well as her daughter Jemma on vocals. Now, I hope some of this is released, for I would very much like to listen to some of this performances.

http://rwcc.com/gorr.asp

Edited by Dellinger - April 01 2013 at 21:35

Too far away for me, but great that he does that!

Within that link there is another link that is the organisers press release

Moogtron III wrote: Too far away for me, but great that he does that!

Too far away for me too

Fortunatley I got to see Wakeman's 6 Wives concert on Hapton Court Palace a few years ago

Edited by Dellinger - April 02 2013 at 22:47

verslibre wrote: Dellinger wrote: Since last year, Wakeman has been publishing about himself playing at a prog festival in Gloucester, in June I think (I may be mistaken). However, it seems there were some situations that made him change his plans for his performances, and he ended up inviting both Adam and Oliver to play with him on keyboards, as well as her daughter Jemma on vocals. Now, I hope some of this is released, for I would very much like to listen to some of this performances.   Ditto. I think Rick will definitely issue something. I've loved Wakemusic for three decades now (scary to think I can actually say that).

I think I've been loving Wakeman music for about half that time. I actually got to know his music before Yes, because some friend in highschool lent me a casette with the Arthur album. Later on, I got interested in Yes because of Wakeman.

Tom Ozric wrote: Dellinger wrote: Tom Ozric wrote: I don't know what material he's focussing on these days, but I've recently re-listened to the original 'Journey.......' and 'Myths and Legends.......' after not having spun them for, literally, years, and blow me away, they are just so exciting.  Wakeman has the best mini-moog sound ever He'll surely be focusing on those two albums and Six Wives. And indeed I love all this three albums, plus a few others he released later on (specially Criminal Record and Out There). Oh yeah !!  Six Wives and Criminal Record are the ones I listen to more often, I've just neglected the other 2 I've mentioned for some reason, and I just love where 'Journey.....' takes me.  Just having another revelation (as I did with Genesis' 'Duke' a while back) - you know - 'always thought it was good but not great...' I've heard several other later albums but they were pretty lacklustre, so I gave up...........I think you have to dig Rick Wakeman's music and style a lot, as opposed to 'Prog Rock', to have any more than, say, a 1/2 dozen of his albums. Though with a back-catalogue like Rick's, there surely many impressive Prog ones he's done that I'm missing................

Check out the "Out There" album I mentioned, specially the song "Cathedral in the Sky", that one's as good as anything he's ever made.

Tom Ozric wrote: Dellinger wrote: Tom Ozric wrote: Dellinger wrote: Tom Ozric wrote: I don't know what material he's focussing on these days, but I've recently re-listened to the original 'Journey.......' and 'Myths and Legends.......' after not having spun them for, literally, years, and blow me away, they are just so exciting.  Wakeman has the best mini-moog sound ever He'll surely be focusing on those two albums and Six Wives. And indeed I love all this three albums, plus a few others he released later on (specially Criminal Record and Out There). Oh yeah !!  Six Wives and Criminal Record are the ones I listen to more often, I've just neglected the other 2 I've mentioned for some reason, and I just love where 'Journey.....' takes me.  Just having another revelation (as I did with Genesis' 'Duke' a while back) - you know - 'always thought it was good but not great...' I've heard several other later albums but they were pretty lacklustre, so I gave up...........I think you have to dig Rick Wakeman's music and style a lot, as opposed to 'Prog Rock', to have any more than, say, a 1/2 dozen of his albums. Though with a back-catalogue like Rick's, there surely many impressive Prog ones he's done that I'm missing................  Check out the "Out There" album I mentioned, specially the song "Cathedral in the Sky", that one's as good as anything he's ever made. I'll look into that eventually - thanks. I listened to 'Journey...' again - I conclude that Rick is a master craftsman.  Yes, it is pompous, but it works.  The way the orchestra blends with the (mainly) Moogs and the band, is pretty tight, and the choir contributes quite emotionally moving parts - I can really feel the epic adventure, the tension, the mystery.  Love the narration. If it weren't for some weak vocals (Holt always bellows, and Pickford-Hopkins sounds tired towards the end) I'd rate this as a 5 star album. Almost as good as Six Wives.........

I have never cared about the so called "pompousess" of Wakeman, and other prog artists, actually, that's in a way the reason I like them. And indeed, the orchestrations of Journey are great, though I like them better on Myths and Legends. The orchestra really fits with the music, instead of being at odds as it might happen with some other orchstral rock adventures. Perhaps you would also like to check out the Return to the Center of the Earth album, that was nice too, though not as much as the 70's ones, but some of the songs are real killers. Also, Rick just released a re-recording of Journey, I haven't heard it yet, but certainly I must get it soon.

Tom Ozric wrote: Dellinger wrote: Tom Ozric wrote: Dellinger wrote: Tom Ozric wrote: Dellinger wrote: Tom Ozric wrote: I don't know what material he's focussing on these days, but I've recently re-listened to the original 'Journey.......' and 'Myths and Legends.......' after not having spun them for, literally, years, and blow me away, they are just so exciting.  Wakeman has the best mini-moog sound ever He'll surely be focusing on those two albums and Six Wives. And indeed I love all this three albums, plus a few others he released later on (specially Criminal Record and Out There). Oh yeah !!  Six Wives and Criminal Record are the ones I listen to more often, I've just neglected the other 2 I've mentioned for some reason, and I just love where 'Journey.....' takes me.  Just having another revelation (as I did with Genesis' 'Duke' a while back) - you know - 'always thought it was good but not great...' I've heard several other later albums but they were pretty lacklustre, so I gave up...........I think you have to dig Rick Wakeman's music and style a lot, as opposed to 'Prog Rock', to have any more than, say, a 1/2 dozen of his albums. Though with a back-catalogue like Rick's, there surely many impressive Prog ones he's done that I'm missing................  Check out the "Out There" album I mentioned, specially the song "Cathedral in the Sky", that one's as good as anything he's ever made. I'll look into that eventually - thanks. I listened to 'Journey...' again - I conclude that Rick is a master craftsman.  Yes, it is pompous, but it works.  The way the orchestra blends with the (mainly) Moogs and the band, is pretty tight, and the choir contributes quite emotionally moving parts - I can really feel the epic adventure, the tension, the mystery.  Love the narration. If it weren't for some weak vocals (Holt always bellows, and Pickford-Hopkins sounds tired towards the end) I'd rate this as a 5 star album. Almost as good as Six Wives......... I have never cared about the so called "pompousess" of Wakeman, and other prog artists, actually, that's in a way the reason I like them. And indeed, the orchestrations of Journey are great, though I like them better on Myths and Legends. The orchestra really fits with the music, instead of being at odds as it might happen with some other orchstral rock adventures. Perhaps you would also like to check out the Return to the Center of the Earth album, that was nice too, though not as much as the 70's ones, but some of the songs are real killers. Also, Rick just released a re-recording of Journey, I haven't heard it yet, but certainly I must get it soon. Oh yes - I have 'Return....' on CD.  Haven't listened to that one for ages, but it was decent from memory.  I'm curious as to what his updated rendition of Journey will be like.  You hit the nail right on the head when you say how well the orchestra fits within the framework of band-play, as opposed to your more 'regular' group and orchestra things (which usually have the band, then orchestra, then band, the orchestra - The Nice, Moody Blues and Deep Purple come to mind). The orchestra (and the choir, musn't forget the choir) on Journey indeed absorbs into the band to create the breath-taking, massive sound.  Myths And Legends is pretty good, I love Rick's mini-moog solos throughout. I just raided my sister's record collection (there's quite a few RW albums there I haven't bothered with) so I can soak some more Rick-Rock up !!

Well, if you find something interesting in those CD's, be sure to share.

Tom Ozric wrote: My sister's ex left all his old vinyl when he left - he was big on Yes and Queen - lots of goodies in those crates, I tell you. Anyway, I borrowed 'Live At The Hammersmith', which turned out to be very good. Provided you like to hear Journey or 3 of the 6 Wives done almost on Korg synths (with his backing band) it's not a bad listen. 'No Earthly Connection' was not exciting at all.  I have held off for more than 20 years to listen to it. And a soundtrack, 'The Burning', which had both impressive stuff and some fairly average parts but not too bad overall either. I have seen many of Rick's albums at record fairs and 2nd-hand record shops and some look *really* cheesy - 'Rhapsodies' and especially 'Rock & Roll Prophet' (though I surmise he had just got hold of a Prophet synth....).  I know many are just piano albums.He really has tried almost everything - given that he has done much session work over the years.

From the ones you mentioned, the one that I do have is "No Earthly Connection"... and I must say I was rather disapointed with it when I got it. The main long song has got lot's of great ideas, but kind of disjointed for my taste... if he had unified some of those ideas and made more solid songs I think it would have been great. The Prisoner I think is the best song on this album, and I already had it on a compilation. Plus, there is a version of a Medley of this album on the live album "Out of the Blue" that really nails all the best parts of the album... I usually dislike Medleys, but in this case I think he nailed it.

Yeah, I really love Criminal Record too; indeed the first 3 songs are great, but the Judas Iscariot is just magestic too (though perhaps a bit overlong). As for Journey and Myths... I easily like better Myths. And about the comedian thing for Wakeman... I've been wanting to make a thread about funny prog facts (similar to the little known prog facts thread that's been going on for a while now)... starting with some Wakeman facts that I find really hilarious... but I haven't gone aroung to it. There's this piano DVD in which he tells the story of the day he went to play a concert... being drunk. He really messed up that one. And the response of the press the next day was the most amazing thing.