Prog Virtuoso Rachel Flowers Wails On Keith Emerson’s Moog Modular Synthesizer!

This is the best thing you’re going to see – and hear today.

Rachel Flowers is blind – but that hasn’t kept her from becoming a beast of prog.

The keyboard prodigy recently got permission from Keith Emerson to play on his vintage modular Moog synthesizer.

Emerson was also generous enough to introduce her performance, which quickly moves from heart-warming to face-melting.

You can view the full videos of Flowers’ takes on Trilogy and Hoedown below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib31-TDH05I

Above, Rachel Flowers performs Trilogy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTDRerfrp3E

Here, Flowers plays Hoedown on organ and Keith Emerson’s Moog modular synthesizer.

23 thoughts on “Prog Virtuoso Rachel Flowers Wails On Keith Emerson’s Moog Modular Synthesizer!

  1. I think Moog should built a modular for her… she desearve it! Besides the recording volume problem, the themes were amazing!

  2. Hook this awesome lady up with a synth MOOG! Wow, it’s crazy seeing her find her way around the room so quickly and shredding everything she touches. Her fingers move at the speed of light. This really inspired me. I need to actually develop my ability to physically play all of these synths, instead of programming everything in a sequencer. I play some of it, but of course I got in and edit the crap out of everything. So basically, I suck.

  3. “Emerson was also generous enough to introduce her performance, which quickly moves from heart-warming to face-melting.”

    Consider my heart warmed and my face melted, that the awe inspiring.

  4. I take my hat, and most of my hair, off to her. I would like to see her perform with Flowers, Lake and Barker. Better still, hurl knives at the keyboard and burn a flag during “America”.

    1. Emo’s stage antics are all his. Although she demonstrates proficiency on the modular Moog, she also shreds on much more modern keyboards. Consider Jordan Rudess – a massive Emo fan – yet no shiny armadillo vests nor knife-wielding stage acts.
      Rachel is still quite young, and has yet to find her own style. Whatever trail she blazes will surely be impressive, and totally her own.

  5. “This is the best thing you’re going to see – and hear today.” – I strongly suspect this is the best thing I will see/hear this year! I couldn’t care less that she’s blind although that makes it all the more impressive. Incredibly exactly playing but with heart, this is not just some by-the-book regurgitation of something she’s learned. Insert huge list of superlatives here.

  6. Fantastic!,Unbelievable,I wish I had a tenth of your talent.It’s also wonderful to see such a young person have so much love and respect for music.Oh yeah,you played KEITH EMERSON’S MOOG.
    That easily makes you the coolest in school.Good luck ,Rachel,once again,you are amazing.

  7. Rachel not only do you feel the music as you play it but you fully project the spine tingling power of electronic keyboards and can only be an inspiration to a new generation of progressive players/fans and reinvigorate those from the first time round. Please come and play Scotland sometime soon.

  8. Fro those of us “so called” keyboard players who have listened and studied Emerson’s work, Rachel has nailed the solos and organ work precisely. I spent hours on just a few riffs and still did not get all of the nuances.
    Unreal.

  9. Since finding this video, I spent all night finding and watching other videos of her. I am so impressed, I’m nearly beyond words. If you think this video is impressive, it’s nothing compared to Rachel performing Emerson’s Piano Concerto #1 on piano AND flute simultaneously! To say this girl has talent is just the start. Check out her performance of Tarkus on the piano. She really understands the piece and how Emerson expresses it. She weaves his stylings and her own as if she’s a modern-day extension of Emerson. This young woman has rather masculine stylings – as if she hadn’t learned a feminized voice. Yet the quieter passages in her piano work clearly has a feminine touch.

    If there ever were to be a talent show for prog, she would sweep the awards. So that wouldn’t prove anything. What I’d love to see is a live performance showcasing her abilities. I’m keeping my eye out for Rachel Flowers.

  10. An amazing musical talent does not come around very often and there are few that I have been astounded by in “real time” in my life. Rachel is one. She deserves to be known by everyone. Truly inspiring.

  11. Stumbled on this site while googling Modular Moogs for sale….WOW!!! What an amazing talent Rachel is! I am so very impressed…I had no idea she existed, but now I do. I will be following her on the web to hopefully hear more performances. Bravo!!!

    P.S. Keith’s Moog trumpet sound on Trilogy is everything I remember it being….Fat and fantastic!! My hats off to Keith, Rachel and all the techs and engineers behind the scenes…..I’ve been an Emerson fan / fanatic ever since the early 70’s.

    P.S.S If you need anyone else to try out your Moog, if theres a list, put me on it….can I take cuts?

  12. I can’t believe that no one commented on her playing the bass pedals! I’m not sure if Emerson can and just doesn’t so he’s free to do other things, but to play bass in addition makes her performance all the more impressive for me.

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