"Welcome back to the show that never ends, ladies and gentlemen ... Cozy Powell!" Legendary drummer Cozy Powell was born as Colin Trevor Flooks on December 29th, 1947 (and died on April 5th, 1998), he was adopted. At the age of 12 he started to play drums, gradually he made his name by playing with known artists and major rock bands such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Brian May, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Emerson, Lake & Powell and Black Sabbath. He also played with swamp rocker Tony Joe White at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. Cozy Powell appeared on at least 66 albums, with contributions on many other recordings. In January 1974 he had success as a solo artist with the hit single Dance With The Devil, it reached #3 in the UK charts. But for me Cozy Powell is the master on his solo album Over The Top, with Gary Moore, Clem Clempson, Bernie Marsden, Jack Bruce, Don Airey (on the Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer) and Max Middleton. This music is most similar to his work with Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, a dynamic blend of rock and prog with excellent work on guitar and keyboards, and fuelled by an awesome rhythm-section. Now back to the Emerson, Lake & Powell project. Because Carl Palmer was very busy with Asia in the USA they asked Cozy Powell. "When Cozy came in, he really dazzled us. We didn't intend to put the group back together but he was such a good technical drummer and such a good performer, we thought it might be a good idea to go back out with a new version of the band," Greg Lake told the LA Times back in 1986. And so, Emerson, Lake & Powell came to pass. This 3 CD box set includes the band's one and only studio release Emerson, Lake & Powell featuring 3 bonus tracks. Also included is their live album Live In Concert and a CD of rehearsals named The Sprocket Sessions which has previously only been released as a bootleg. All material included in the box set has been re-mastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce. It is also presented with an enhanced booklet with sleeve notes written by Prog Magazine editor Jerry Ewing. Disc 1 : Emerson, Lake & Powell (the studio-album). Emerson, Lake & Powell was released between the ELP studio-albums Love Beach from 1978 and Black Moon from 1992, to me it sounds superior to those albums, way more inspired and exciting. This eagerly awaited album starts very promising with the long track The Score, it sounds dynamic and bombastic with majestic synthesizer flights, often thunderous drums and pulsating sequencing, typical Greg Lake vocals, very exciting. This is trademark ELP but with a strong trademark Cozy Powell contribution. Then two song-oriented tracks entitled Learning To Fly and The Miracle (pleasant distinctive Greg Lake vocals and dazzling synthesizer runs), fat synthesizers in Touch And Go, another song-oriented track entitled Love Blind (spectacular keyboard work), the maverick Step Aside (mellow with boogie-woogie and jazzy piano) and the dreamy Lay Down Your Guns (in the second part more bombastic with a flashy synthesizer solo). Finally the awesome long composition Mars, The Bringer Of War (an adaption from The Planets by Holst), this music matches perfectly with the virtuosic and bombastic sound of the trio, this is Emerson, Lake & Powell a their artistic peak, wow! First sumptuous classical orchestrations and majestic drum beats, and a bombastic synthesizer sound. Next low-pitched choirs and sparkling keyboards. In the second part a compelling mid-tempo with propulsive drum beats, majestic keyboards work and exciting interplay, this is top notch 'classical meets prog'! The bonus tracks: The Loco-Motion (4:40, sounds like bombastic keyboard driven prog, with great drums), Vacant Possession (4:45, a ballad with pleasant vocals and trademark Emerson) and The Score (6:12, single edit version). ***+ Erik Neuteboom (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Disc 2 : The Sprocket Sessions (rehearsals). I am sure the ELP fans are pleased with Emerson, Lake & Powell on The Sprocket Sessions, the trio sounds fresh and inspired, and it is interesting to listen to Cozy Powell and his contribution, powerful, often furious and thunderous (like in Tarkus), a genuine rock drummer. In Mars, The Bringer Of War we can enjoy a varied and powerful drum solo by Cozy Powell. Unfortunately the renditions of Pictures At An Exhibition and Lucky Man are very abridged, but Pirates clocks close to 14 minutes and is one of the highlights on this live recording, with great interplay, and especially Cozy shines and gives an extra dimension to the music with his powerful drum style. ***+ Erik Neuteboom (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Disc 3 : Live In Concert (the 1986 tour). For me Live In Concert is the absolute highlight of this 3-CD box set, what a thrill it must have been to watch Emerson, Lake & Powell! From the very first moment in The Score until the final Medley - Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression / America / Rondo I am impressed by the live performance of this Super Trio, and Cozy Powell shines with his powerful and propulsive drum work. The blend of Cozy his drums and Emerson his sumptuous synthesizer sound often evoke Cozy Powell his solo masterpiece Over The Top (from 1979). Other interesting live tracks are From The Beginning (with Cozy on congas), Fanfare For The Common Man (Emerson with 'keytar' solo and furious drums by Cozy), a spectacular drum solo in Mars, The Bringer Of War and Emerson with his wild stage antics on the Hammond organ, fuelled by an unleased Cozy Powell, in Rondo. Wow, what a Super Trio that was! ***** Erik Neuteboom (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
