Monday is live music night. Usually just playing it (rehearsal), but tonight I requested that we move rehearsal early so that we could head over to Typhoon to catch the Bruce Lofgren Jazz Orchestra. Now normally I'm not one to chase a lot of live music. A variety of reasons behind that (mostly I'd rather be playing than watching), but I will go out to hear someone special. And tonight, that would be Keith Emerson, sitting in with BLJO.
Keith Emerson with Brian Auger jamming it up
The three of us (me, ST, and Gary, our keyboard player) got there towards the end of the first set. The place was packed and we stood in the foyer and watched/listened. After finishing the tune they were playing, there was some banter, then Emerson started an ominous keyboard drone...and the horns launched into "Fanfare for the Common Man." Holy Crap! Three trumpets, trombone, two french horns (!), four saxophones, bass, drums, percussion, vibes, and guitar. And Keith Freakin' Emerson. And behind Emerson was his wall-of-Moog. One of the few still working/in use/existence.
The first set concluded with a honky tonk thing, then they took a break. We stood outside as the seating guru ("use the spoon!") said she could get us a table when people cleared out. The musicians slowly filed out with plates full of food in their hands and adjourned to a side room. Reminded me of the 4on6 gigs with Kaz when we'd get the kitchen's choice after closing on Sunday nights. At any rate, finally we got a table just behind the divide, ordered up drinks and a few appetizers (I had a quick bowl of cereal for dinner - not much time between work and rehearsal), and settled in.
The second set started with some typical big band stuff and the BLJO's regular keyboard player. Very good players and arrangements. Reminded me of my days with the Caltech Big Band. Then Emerson took his seat behind the keyboard and they launched into an original tune of his that had never been played in public before or recorded. It defied description (as does much of Emerson's music). It wasn't jazz, wasn't classical, wasn't pop - it was everything and profoundly touching. Then Emerson invited his friend Brian Auger up to play, and they swapped back and forth playing keyboards, with Emerson fiddling with the Moog some while Auger ripped it up on the piano/synth.
Then came "Rondo," which is Emerson's arrangement of Blue Rondo ala Turk by Brubeck. Emerson rearranged it from 9/8 to 4/4 back when he was with the Nice (in the late 60's), and this arrangement was horn heavy with rolling round lines trading back and forth between horns and woodwinds. And then Emerson absolutely tearing it up on the piano. They ended the night with an encore swing/blues and Auger coming back up. In fact Auger took the song out, and played a stunning set of riffs while the band sat quiet.
Sometimes you get to hear good music. Sometimes you get to experience a legend. And sometimes you are in the right place to experience a bit of history. This was all of that.
