01	Toccata	Gerard					07:37
	02	Birds Medley	Ars Nova					07:50
	03	La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta	Gerard					08:23
	04	Epilogo	Ars Nova					06:18
	05	Catharine Parr	Gerard					06:23
	06	Tarkus	Ars Nova					12:17
	07	Four Holes In The Ground	Gerard					06:06

Keyboards Triangle (Omnibus CD with Gerard)
Keiko Kumagai (Keyboards) Akiko Takahashi (Drums) Mika Nakajima (Keyboards /Voices) Kyoko Kanazawa (Bass on track 4)
[Guests] Noboru Nakajima (Bass on track 2)

1. TOCCATA (EL&P) (Gerard)
2. BIRDS MEDLEY [Bourree ~ First Avenue ~ King Bird] (Trace) (Arsnova)
3. LA CONQUISTA DELLA POSIZIONE ERETTA(Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso (Gerard)
4. EPILOGO (Il Balletto Di Bronzo)(Arsnova)
5. CATHARINE PARR (Rick Wakeman) (Gerard)
6. TARKUS (EL&P) (Arsnova mpeg 822k)
7. FOUR HOLES IN THE GROUND (PFM) (Gerard)
MICA-2004 AVALON







Ars Nova & Gerard - Keyboards Triangle Country of Origin: Japan
Format: CD
Record Label: Musea
Catalogue #: FGBG 4306.AR
Year of Release: 1999
Time: 54:59
Info: Musea

Tracklist: Toccata (7:37), Birds Medley (7:50), La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta (8:23), Epilogo (6:18), Catharine Parr (6:23), Tarkus (12:17), Four Holes in the Ground (6:06)
Ever since their inception in 1970, Emerson, Lake and Palmer have been a major influence on a lot of bands, especially in Italy and Japan. Two bands from the latter country, power groups Ars Nova and Gerard, have recorded a tribute album to honour some of the bands that have influenced them in their own musical careers, on which ELP figure prominently. Not only is the band represented by two songs (Tarkus, from the eponymous 1971 album, and Toccata, from 1973's Brain Salad Surgery), but the CD artwork layout is strongly reminiscent of the Tarkus album and the front cover shows a woman wearing a sweater with the Tarkus machine on it. The music was recorded between 1997 and 1999 and released by Musea in 1999. It has been very difficult to get hold of, which explains the fact that it only now appears in this review column.

For those not familiar with Gerard and Ars Nova, I give here a short introduction: as said, both bands hail from Japan, but the comparisons don't end there. They are both trios, female in Ars Nova's case and male in Gerard's case, and play keyboard dominated music in the vein of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. The bands' line-ups resemble those of ELP, with the exception that there is no "Greg Lake", i.e. no combined bassist/vocalist: Ars Nova's music is completely instrumental, Gerard occasionally uses a session vocalist. Additionally, Ars Nova doesn't have a bass player at all, instead there are two keyboard players. In the studio they are sometimes assisted by outside bass players. Ars Nova have recorded four studio albums with original material, of which Goddess of Darkness is a good introduction. Gerard have also released several albums, of which I sadly know only one, the 1998 version of Meridian.

The subtitle of the album is Keyboards Trio tribute, which could either signify the Ars Nova and Gerard, or the band whose music is represented here. The former seems more likely, since of the bands represented only two feature this keyboard-bass-drums line-up, those being Emerson, Lake and Palmer and The Netherlands' own Trace. The remaining three bands (which are all Italian), Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Il Balletto di Bronzo and Premiata Forneria Marconi all have more or less traditional prog rock line-ups, including guitar players. Sadly enough, I don't know any of these Italian bands' music, but I suppose it must be at least keyboard oriented. Finally, there's Rick Wakeman, and he's off course a one man band.

Even though neither of the two bands play their own music their styles are still easily identifiable, and while not very dissimilar from each other on a grand scale, there are some strong differences. The choice of which tracks to cover by what band was undoubtedly influenced by the two groups' individual preferences.
Most notable of where Gerard and Ars Nova differ is that Gerard's approach is more aggressive. A good example is Banco's La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta, which is fast and furious, with low piano chords, a sawing synth lead and heavy bass. Arsnova's style is more melodious, as portrayed in the beautiful Bird's Medley (Trace). But, to make things confusing, Gerard is perfectly capable of delivering more laid back and melodious music (last part of La Conquista) while Ars Nova perfectly know how to tear out and be loud (Il Balletto di Bronzo's Epilogo).

To summarize, this record is just some delicious power keyboard twiddling by two technically very proficient bands, and with compositions by artists as reputed as ELP, Trace and Rick Wakeman, one can hardly go wrong, and Gerard and Ars Nova have done them justice.

Conclusion: 7.5 out of 10

Derk van Mourik




MICA-2004