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The Nice
Emerson, Lake & Palmer ♦ Jackson Heights 
 

Gotta Start Somewhere...

P P Arnold
The First Cut Is The Deepest / Speak To Me
Stevens (3:07) / Hurst-Oldham (2:15)
Immediate E-1901, 7/67

 

Note: The Nice were formed as a back-up band for former Ikette Arnold, but soon broke out on their own.
 


Jimmy, meet Keith...

If music critics hammer Jimmy Page's thieving ways, then we shouldn't let Keith Emerson off the hook.

But Keith "borrowed" (mostly) from dead guys†—great composers who have had their classical works adapted into pop hits since the 1920s. Wiki has a section on the music that "inspired " Keith

†OK, so Dave Brubeck wasn't dead and he really should've credited him for Rondo (Dave's Blue Rondo à la Turk)

1/29-2/10/68: Steve Paul's Scene, New York
with One
Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack / Arzial (Angel Of Death)¹
Emerson-O'List (2:40) / Emerson-Jackson (2:48)
Immediate 5004, 2/68

Also their first UK single (Immediate IM-059, 11/67)

The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack
Immediate Z12-52004
2/68 [UK: 12/67]
Back Cover

Side One
Flower King Of Flies Emerson-Jackson 3:56
Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack Emerson-O'List 2:47
Bonnie K Jackson-O'List 3:22
Rondo Emerlist Davjack 8:25
Side Two
War And Peace Emerlist Davjack 5:13
Tantalising Maggie Emerson-Jackson 4:30
Dawn Davison-Emerson-Jackson 5:07
The Cry Of Eugene Emerson-Jackson-O'List 4:30
----------------------------------
Keith Emerson-piano, organ, harpsichord, vocals
Davy O'List-guitar, trumpet (The Cry Of Eugene), vocals (lead on Flower King Of Flies)
Lee Jackson-bass, guitar, vocals
Brian Davison-drums, tympani, tubular bells
§Cover Photo-Gered Mankowitz
Produced by: The Nice

 

America (From "West Side Story")~2nd Movement² / Diamond Hard Apples Of The Moon¹
Bernstein-Sondheim/Davjack (6:20) / Davjack (2:46)
Immediate 5008, 11/68 UK

 

Davy O'List fired during recording of second album, continue as trio


Ars Longa Vita Brevis
Immediate Z12-52020
3/69 [UK: 12/68]
Back Cover

Side One
America/2nd Amendment Bernstein-Sondheim/Davjack 3:55
Daddy, Where Did I Come From? Emerson-Jackson 3:44
Little Arabella Emerson-Jackson 4:18
Happy Freuds Emerson-Jackson 3:25
Intermezzo From The Karelia Suite Sibelius 8:57
Don Edito el Gruva Davison-Emerson-Jackson :13
Side Two
Ars Longa Vita Brevis
   Prelude
   1st Movement - Awakening
   2nd Movement - Realization
   3rd Movement - Acceptance "Brandenburger"
   4th Movement - Denial
   Coda - Extension To The Big Note

   Emerson
   Davison
   Emerson-Jackson-O'List
   Davison-Emerson-Jackson
   Davison-Emerson-Jackson
   Emerson
19:20
----------------------------------
Keith Emerson-piano, organ, harpsichord, vocals
Davy O'List-guitar
Lee Jackson-bass, vocals
Brian Davison-drums
with:
Malcolm Langstaff–guitar (some portions of Ars Longa)
Orchestra conducted by Robert Stewart (Side Two only)
§Cover Photo-Gered Mankowitz
Produced by: The Nice

Note: For the UK release, side two was subtitled: Symphony For Group And Orchestra; America/2nd Amendment added for US issue


Nice
Immediate Z12-52022
10/69 [UK: 8/69] T20
Back Cover

 
Reissue Cover

 
Reissue Back Cover


Same gatefold as the UK release
 
UK Cover

 
UK Back Cover

 
UK Inside

Side One
Azrael Revisited Emerson-Jackson 5:52
Hang On To A Dream Hardin 4:46
Diary Of An Empty Day Emerson-Jackson 3:54
For Example Emerson-Jackson 8:51
Side Two
Rondo '69 Davison-Emerson-Jackson 7:53
She Belongs To Me Dylan 12:15
----------------------------------
Keith Emerson-piano, organ, vocals
Lee Jackson-bass, vocals
Brian Davison-drums
§US Cover Photo-Bill Longcore
Produced by: The Nice

Note: Side 2 recorded live at The Fillmore East, 4/9-10/69; Rondo '69 is based on Dave Brubeck's Blue Rondo A La Turk
Reissued (with new cover - see note) as Everything As Nice As Mother Makes It (Immediate IMOCS-102) the next month (11/69)
when record production changed to Capitol. See the April 2020 update for details
 

 ➜ Live: 12/19-20/69, Fillmore East; released 2009: Live At The Fillmore East December 1969 

Keith forms ELP with Greg Lake (from King Crimson)
and Carl Palmer (from Atomic Rooster)
Lee forms Jackson Heights (see below)

Five Bridges
Mercury SR-61295
7/70 BB [UK: 6/70] T20
Back Cover

 
Inside Cover

Side One
Fantasia: 1st Bridge Emerson-Jackson 6:08
2nd Bridge Emerson-Jackson 3:59
Chorale: 3rd Bridge Emerson-Jackson 3:30
High Level Fugue: 4th Bridge Emerson-Jackson 1:02
Final: 5th Bridge Emerson-Jackson 3:34
Side Two
Intermezzo "Karelia Suite" Sibelius, arr Eger-Emerson 9:00
"Pathetique" Symphony No. 6, 3rd Movement Tchaikovsky, arr Eger-Emerson 9:27
Country Pie/Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 Dylan/Bach 5:40
One Of Those People Emerson-Jackson 3:08
----------------------------------
Keith Emerson-organ, piano
Lee Jackson-bass, vocals
Brian Davison-drums
with:
Sinfonia of London Orchestra, Joseph Eger-conductor
§Cover Art-Hipgnosis (Tyne Brodge)
Produced by: The Nice

Note: The five bridges honored are those at Newcastle, UK spanning the River Tyne. The piece was arranged by Keith and Joseph.
Side One and first two tracks on Side Two recorded 10/17/69, Fairfield Hall, Croydon
Side Two, track three (Country Pie..) recorded 4/10/69, Fillmore East
 

Isle of Wight Festival(8/29/70) ELP
Country Pie-Brandenburg Concerto #6-Part 1³ / One Of Those People
Dylan/Bach (2:48) / Emerson-Jackson (3:08)
Mercury 73114, 9/70

as by: Keith Emerson With The Nice

Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Cotillion SD-9040
1/71 T20 [UK: 11/70] T20
Back Cover

Side One
The Barbarian Bartok, arr Emerson-Lake-Palmer 4:27
Take A Pebble Lake 12:32
Knife Edge Emerson-Frazer-Lake 5:04
Side Two
The Three Fates:
   Clotho(Royal Festival Hall Organ)
   Lachesis(Piano Solo)
   Atropos(Piano Trio)
Emerson 7:46
Tank Emerson-Palmer 6:49
Lucky Man Lake 4:36
----------------------------------
Keith Emerson-organ, piano, celeste, moog synthesizer
Greg Lake-guitar, bass, vocals
Carl Palmer-drums, percussion
§Cover Painting-Nic Dartnell
Produced by: Greg Lake

Note: No, that is not Spirit's Ed Cassidy in the back painting. Read Nic's explanation @ wiki
The Barbarian is an adopation of Bela Bartok's Allegro Barbaro (1911).
 


King Progress
Mercury SR-61331
2/71 [UK: 10/70]
Full Cover

Inside Cover

Side One
Mr Screw Harcourt-Jackson 3:17
Since I Last Saw You Harcourt-Jackson 7:00
Sunshine Freak Harcourt-Jackson 4:49
King Progress Harcourt-Jackson 3:27
Side Two
Doubting Thomas Harcourt-Jackson 4:12
Insomnia Harcourt-Jackson 5:00
Cry Of Eugene Emerson-Jackson-O'List 7:52
----------------------------------
Lee Jackson-acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocals
Charlie Harcourt-electric guitar, piano, organ, harpsichord, mellotron, Spanish guitar, vocals
Mario Enrique Covarrubias Tapia-bass, Spanish guitar, vocals
Tommy Slone-drums, congas, triangle, percussion
§Sleeve Design, Photography-Hipgnosis
Produced by: Lee Jackson

 

Lucky Man / Knife Edge
Lake (4:36) / Emerson-Frazer-Lake (5:04)
Cotillion 44106, 3/71 BB

 

Elegy
Mercury SR-61324
4/71 [UK: 4/71] T20
Back Cover

 
UK Full Cover

 
UK Inside Cover

Side One
Hang On To A Dream† Hardin 12:43
My Back Pages Dylan 9:12
Side Two
"Pathétique" Symphony No. 6, 3rd Movement Tchaikovsky 7:05
America† Bernstein-Sondheim 10:27
----------------------------------
Keith Emerson-piano, organ, vocals
Lee Jackson-bass, vocals
Brian Davison-drums
§Cover Art-Hipgnosis
Produced by: The Nice

Note: †recorded 12/19-20/69, Fillmore East
 

4/21/71: Thiel College, Greenville, PA
ELP's US debut at a small college (<1000 students)

Tarkus
Cotillion SD-9900
6/71 T20 [UK: 6/71]  #1 
Full Cover

 
Inside Cover

Side One
Tarkus:    
   Eruption Emerson 2:43
   Stones Of Years Emerson-Lake 3:43
   Iconoclast Emerson 1:16
   Mass Emerson-Lake 3:09
   Manticore Emerson 1:49
   Battlefield Lake 3:57
   Aquatarkus Emerson 3:54
Side Two
Jeremy Bender Emerson-Lake 1:41
Bitches Crystal Emerson-Lake 3:54
The Only Way (Hymn)† Emerson-Lake 3:50
Infinite Space (Conclusion) Emerson-Palmer 3:18
A Time And A Place Emerson-Lake-Palmer 3:00
Are You Ready Eddy? Emerson-Lake-Palmer 2:09

Keith Emerson-Hammond organ, piano, celeste, Moog synthesizer, pipe organ at St Mark's Church, Finchley†
Greg Lake-bass, guitars, lead vocals
Carl Palmer-drums, percussion
§Paintings-William Neal
Produced by: Greg Lake

Note: Album notes for The Only Way (Hymn): Themes used in intro, and bridge only - Tocata in F and Prelude VI, Bach
Are You Ready Eddy? is a jam based on The Girl Can't Help It. Too bad they didn't credit Dr Early (Bobby Troup).
More about the armadillo with tank treads @ wiki
 

Stone Of Years³ / A Time And A Place
Emerson-Lake (2:44) / Emerson-Lake-Palmer (2:58)
Cotillion 44131, 9/71

 

Links!

The Nice web site
Official Keith Emerson web site
Official ELP web site

 


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