Robert Berry: The Rules Have Changed

A number of years ago, bassist Robert Berry got together with famed keyboardist Keith Emerson to create a logical extension of the famed group ELP. Ideas and tracks were being put together, but tragically Emerson came to an untimely death, shocking musical fans. This album is the result of Berry’s painstaking effort to put together a fitting swan song tribute to his teammate.  Berry plays Fender bass along with various other instruments including, but nowhere nearly limited to guitars, drums, keyboards, moogs and various other things that go bump in the night, making it nearly impossible to tell what parts belong to whom. The sound is big, full and optimistic, with a fusiony feel. A couple of the pieces like “One By One” and “Our Bond,” have rich piano intros  (obviously belonging to Emerson) that lead into some hard hitting buildups of layers. Acoustic and electric guitars join in with an anthematic chant on the thunderous “This Letter” and he shows how to rock out on “Your Mark On The World.” The arrangements are all concise, fusion, blues, rock and an overdose of energy. Ambitious and uplifting.

www.robertberry.com

 

 

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