Rick Wakeman and Adam Wakeman trade keytar licks on a new Rick Wakeman track, Tudorock.

In case there’s any question, that would be Rick Wakeman in the gold cape!

via YesFanDon:

From Rick Wakeman’s Six Wives of Henry VIII concert on May 2, 2009 at Hampton Court Palace. This is an excerpt from one of Rick’s new songs, called Tudorock, played as an encore.

This concert will be available on commercial DVD soon.

“(Yes) asked Dad if he had anybody he recommended, and he recommended me, which is very nice,” says Oliver Wakeman, 37, who was born the same year one of the most popular Yes albums, “Close to the Edge,” was released.

“I’ve always been a fan of that style of music,” says Wakeman.

“I do distinctly remember being 9 or 10 and having a record player in my room,” Wakeman says. “And the records I had were records that Dad had left behind when he moved out. I remember to this day, there were ‘Six Wives of Henry VIII,’ ‘Tales of Topographic Oceans’ and Styx’s ‘The Grand Illusion,’ and I thought they were great.”

Wakeman didn’t look to his father for advice on re-creating his classic sounds and Minimoog solos.

“He wouldn’t tell me and I wouldn’t ask,” he says. “We never really talk about music, to be honest with you. I just went to the job as if I was any other keyboard player that had gotten the job.”

Wakeman is touring with a rig of about seven or eight keyboards. “We’re very close with a lot of the sounds; they’re pretty authentic. I have a Mellotron sampler, and I use a new Moog (synthesizer) rather than one of the old ones, because the new ones have auto-tuners and things like that that keep them a lot more stable.”

Yes is on a 26-city US tour.

Why did you get into synthesizers and electronic music? 

In most cases, it’s because of a great track, or a incredible performance like this: Rick Wakeman going freakin’ ballistic on two keyboards. 

I’m not a big Yes fan, myself, but I do love to see Wakeman do his thing. 

Let me know what you think of Wakeman’s insane multi-keyboard chops!

Rick Wakeman’s Jane Seymour

Not a lot of keyboardists got away with wearing capes, even in the 70’s, but no one seemed to question it when Rick Wakeman cut loose.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dream Weaver

Gary Wright performs “Dream Weaver”, on Burt Sugarmans Midnight Special 1976.

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Edgar Winter does Frankenstein

Feel ROCK’s majesty condensed into 10 short minutes.

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Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s Lucky Man

Just maybe the most famous synth solo ever.

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Jan Hammer & Jeff Beck – Star Cycle

Hammer demonstrates why he’s the guitarists’ keyboardist.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Genesis-In The Cage

You have to sit through a lot of Phil Collin to get to it, but Tony Banks delivers a classic prog solo.

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Jan Hammer – Darkness/Earth In Search Of The Sun

Hammer never succeeded in making the keytar look as cool as a guitar, but he has always played his ass off. This is a live take of the lead track on The First Seven Days (Synthtopia review).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Herbie Hancock – Chameleon

Herbie Hancock performing Chameleon live in 1975. This video only captures the second half of the song – but it captures the synth solo freakout.

A rock band called Beast Infection makes the fateful decision to fire its keyboardist due to his penchant for indulging in long, luxurious solos. One by one, the band members are picked off by an unseen entity…

It turns out the killer is not who you might expect!

Best quote: “Rick Wakeman and David Lee Roth probably wouldn’t get along. Let’s just leave it at that!”

Starring David Stanbra, Rich Knight, Kali Hawk, Mark Gaddis, Storm Lee, Justin Lee, Katrina McCullough, and Emily Banks.

Music by Austin Meredith

Directed by Matt Thiesen

As one of the keyboard gods of prog-rock, Wakeman carved out his own style. Wakeman surrounded himself with stacks of keyboards, including grand piano, organ, two Minimoogs, two Mellotrons and even a harpsichord. Wakeman used the various keyboards to expand his palette, allowing him to create orchestral-like textures.

Wakeman described the music on The Six Wives of Henry VIII as “my interpretations of the musical characteristics of the wives of Henry VIII.” The liner notes even include brief biographies of each. This heady concept was typical of progressive rock music of the times. At its core, though, the music is not explicitly tied to Wakeman’s concept.

The music is a set of keyboard-heavy prog-rock tracks. Wakeman explores several moods and emotions, mixing the harmonies of rock with late 19th century romantic music. The music is melodic and colorful, but also often has the frenetic, jagged texture of early English prog-rock. Listening to The Six Wives of Henry VIII, one can hear the voice that Wakeman brought to Yes.

Wakeman’s compositions are tightly focused, and the tracks are relatively short for prog-rock. Some of the highlights are the classical organ work on Jane Seymour, and rock organ work on Anne of Cleves. Anne Boleyn is notable, too, for the way Wakeman uses his full range of keyboards to create a variety of textures and conjure up an orchestra of sounds.

At times, The Six Wives of Henry VIII is like a time capsule. The sudden tempo switches, emphasis on virtuosic flourishes, and harpsichord place this music firmly in the early seventies. The early prog-rock musicians used Minimoog primarily to allow the keyboardist to solo like electric guitarists, rather than to create new types of music. On the other hand, Wakeman never fails to ignite the keyboards with his solos, and his multi-keyboard chops are always impressive. When Wakeman cuts loose, the music rocks.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII stands up as some of Wakeman’s best work, and some of the best progressive rock music of the seventies.

Rick Wakeman, piano, Hammond C3 Organ, mini-moogs, mellotrons, electric piano, harpsichord, A.R.P. synthesizer; Mike Egan, guitar; Alan White, drums; Dave Winter, bass; Frank Ricotti, percussion; with Les Hurdle, bass; Chas Cronk, bass; Chris Squire, bass; Dave Lambert, guitar; Steve Howe, guitar; David Cousins, electric banjo; Bill Bruford, drums; Barry de Souza, drums; Ray Cooper, percussion; Liza Strike, vocal; Laura Lee, vocal; Barry St. John, vocal; Sylvia McNeill, vocal; Judy Powell, vocal

Track listing:

• Catherine of Aragon [3:44]
• Anne of Cleves [7:53]
• Catherine Howard [6:35]
• Jane Seymour [4:46]
• Anne Boleyn ‘The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended’ [6:32]
• Catherine Parr [7:06]