There won't be too many updates on the blog for the next while due the World Cup grabbing all my attention! It's been a terrific tournament so far, I won't be missing one second of it.
But to keep everyone going I'll post this YouTube clip that may be of some interest. Both of these guys have played on Elton albums and have had very successful careers in their own right. Anyone who has kept up with the blog for the past year will know that I have high regard for David Paton. His work on the mid 80's albums and on the 85/86 World Tour and the subsequent Tour De Force is legendary.
Rick Wakeman...younger readers may be familiar with him on Watchdog or even on Countdown a few years back...but he's one of the keyboard greats. The old debate of Wakeman versus Emerson kept many a prog head up all night slugging it out about who was the greatest. My opinion on that topic is not that important. But consider this, Keith Emerson was asked to replace to Wakeman in Yes for the Relayer (1974) album. Point being, somebody somewhere considered them both on a par. Wakeman's albums with Yes in the 70's are all top class. His solo albums, especially the studio (1973) and live version (2009) of The Six Wives of Henry VIII are incredible pieces of work. Check out the credits on both those albums, plenty of Elton connections on them. Ray Cooper appears on both for example.
As you can see and hear on this clip, David is a terrific six string player. He has a fine touch and musically is incredibly interesting. Traits he brought to his bass playing. Wakeman is sometimes critiqued in some quarters as being too flashy. Not in my eyes or ears. He merely makes the music sound grander. And no grander piece than Eleanor Rigby. David playing the familiar melody and Wakeman introducing a flamboyant arrangement. Two masters playing a classic form two masters.
No comments:
Post a Comment