Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

November 2, 1944 in Todmorden, Yorkshire, England

Death

:

March 10, 2016 in Santa Monica, CA

Genre

:

Film

 

 

Keyboard

 

Keith Emerson was born on November 2, 1944, in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a singer. At the age of 14, Emerson won a scholarship to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he studied classical piano and composition. In the mid-1960s, Emerson formed the band The Nice, which combined rock music with classical influences. The band's debut album, "The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack," was released in 1967 and featured Emerson's innovative use of the Hammond organ and Moog synthesizer. The album was a critical and commercial success, and The Nice went on to release several more albums over the next few years. In 1970, Emerson left The Nice to form the progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) with bassist Greg Lake and drummer Carl Palmer. ELP's self-titled debut album was released later that year and featured the hit single "Lucky Man," which was written and sung by Lake. The album also showcased Emerson's virtuosic keyboard playing and his use of the Moog synthesizer, which was still a relatively new instrument at the time. Over the next few years, ELP released several more albums, including "Tarkus," "Trilogy," and "Brain Salad Surgery." The band's music was characterized by its complex arrangements, classical influences, and Emerson's use of multiple keyboards and synthesizers. ELP also became known for their elaborate live shows, which featured pyrotechnics, laser displays, and other theatrical elements. Emerson also composed several film scores during this time, including the soundtrack for the 1973 Italian horror film "Inferno." He also collaborated with other musicians, including guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and drummer Cozy Powell. In the late 1970s, ELP's popularity began to wane, and the band went on hiatus in 1979. Emerson released several solo albums during this time, including "Honky" and "Nighthawks," which featured his work on the Yamaha GX-1 synthesizer. In 1986, Emerson reunited with Lake and Palmer for a one-off performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The concert was a success, and the band decided to reform and record a new album, "Black Moon," which was released in 1992. ELP continued to tour and record throughout the 1990s, releasing several more albums, including "In the Hot Seat" and "Live at the Royal Albert Hall." Emerson also continued to work on solo projects during this time, including the album "Changing States," which featured his work on the Kurzweil K250 synthesizer. He also composed the score for the 1994 film "Iron Man," which starred Jeff Bridges. In 2010, Emerson formed the Keith Emerson Band, which featured guitarist Marc Bonilla and drummer Mike Wallace. The band released the album "Three Fates Project" in 2012, which featured reworkings of classical pieces by composers such as Bach and Mussorgsky. Emerson's final album, "The Three Fates Project," was released in 2017, shortly before his death. The album featured live recordings of the Keith Emerson Band performing with the Munich Radio Orchestra. Throughout his career, Emerson was known for his innovative use of keyboards and synthesizers, as well as his virtuosic playing and complex arrangements. He was also a pioneer in the use of electronic instruments in rock music, and his influence can be heard in the work of many other musicians. Emerson's death on March 11, 2016, was a great loss to the world of music.

More....