3 - Rocking The Ritz (emerson, Berry, Palmer)

"I am happy these rare 3 recordings have finally seen the light of day. This group was a transition for Keith, and myself that eventually got us back to Emerson, Lake & Palmer. We had formed "3" with Robert Berry, at the suggestion of Geffen Records and I think we made some pretty innovative music. This live concert proves the energy behind our music was very much alive and it still sounds relevant today. Some might say this was a left turn in our musical journey; but, in the end, the scenery was still enjoyable." Carl Palmer, September 2017 How many times in a lifetime do you get a chance to realize your wildest dreams? For Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer that dream was realized many times. Both Keith and Carl wanted to get back to their roots and tour smaller venues, as Carl had said, "I can connect with more people in a 2500 seat club than I can in an arena. You only see the first 10 rows in an arena." For me, the tour was a continuation of that dream. I remember our show at the Ritz quite vividly; we had played many venues where the ELP fans were checking out their hero's and of course 'the new guy'. But the Ritz was different. Half the audience was the die-hard ELP fan wanting to hear their favorites. The other half was new fans that had heard Talkin' Bout' on the radio and there to see this new hit band. The audience ranged from 16 to 60 years old, it was definitely energizing, and the power of "3" was in full force. I believe you can feel it when you listen to the energy in this great live recording from The Ritz in New York City. We were a true rock and roll band playing our hearts out, hitting it hard and heavy. As Keith told me about a month after our "Live Boston '88", came out a few years ago "Robert I just listened to the new live release and... we were really a good band. Played our hearts out we did". That phone call will be one of my fondest memories forever. See if you agree with Keith. Robert Berry, September 2017