Intuitive Music

Keith Emerson

Born in Todmorden, U.K., in 1944, Keith Emerson is one of the most relevant and skilled keyboard players in the history of rock music as well as a pioneer in the use of synthesizers and the progressive rock genre.

Keith Emerson started his musical education on the piano at the early age of 8, becoming an accomplished virtuoso. During his teenage years he developed his pasion for jazz and rhythm and blues, becoming part of different jazz and rhythm and blues bands, including Gary Farr & the T-Bones and The VIPs, where he started gaining a reputation for his skill plaing the Hammond organ.

In 1967, Emerson formed the pioneering progressive rock trio “The Nice”, fusioning classical music with jazz, blues and rock, becoming one of the most innovative and influential bands from the late 60’s.

In 1970, The Nice split and Keith Emerson founded a new trio which became one of the most legendary rock bands from the 70’s: Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. The band, featuring Greg Lake from King Crimson (vocals, guitar, bass) and Carl Palmer from Crazy World of Arthur Brown (drums), created an unique combination of rock with different styles, such as classical music, avant-garde, jazz, honky tonk, country, and rhythm and blues. During the 70’s, Emerson gained the fame of being one of the best keyboard players in the world for his unique technique and virtuosism and was voted the best keyboardist in the magazine polls during years along with Rick Wakeman of Yes.

Keith Emerson at the revolving piano

Influenced by his friend Jimi Hendrix, Keith Emerson became a showman after his extravagant performances where he used to do things such as stabbing the organ, smashing the keyboard stepping on it or bouncing it, playing the piano backwards, burning fireworks, and turning round 180º with a grand piano in the middle of a solo.

In 1971, Keith Emerson commited Robert Moog to buid his legendary modular system, which was the most acomplished ever built by the technician, who became part of the technical crew at ELP’s tours for a while. The system went through a process of constant improvements during more than 20 years.

Keith Emerson has also recorded the solo album “Honky” (1981) and numerous movie soundtracks, including “Inferno” (1980), “Nighthawks” (1981), “Harmagedon” (1983), and “Best Revenge” (1983). In 1976, he reached the UK top charts with his song “Honky Tonk Train Blues”. During the last decades he has leaded the line-up of different versions of Emerson Lake and Palmer, including Emerson Lake and Powell in 1986, and Three, featuring Robert Berry, in 1988.

Keith Emerson’s extravagant and acknowledge use of the synthesizer has influenced to a whole generation of keyboard players, synthesists, and electronic musicians including The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers and Marcel Peelen.