America-BBC Sessions Review

07/13/2005 6:12 AM, AMG


This collection of previously unreleased BBC session recordings, made from 1967 to 1970, has no better than bootleg sound quality, but fans will enjoy it nonetheless. The performances are good, with Keith Emerson showing off his furious technique, and four songs are featured that the band never released elsewhere. Two are presumably originals, and two are jazz covers; Roy Harper guests on Sonny Rollins's "St. Thomas," singing words he wrote at the session, and the track here called "Sombrero King" is actually a version of Charles Lloyd's "Sombrero Sam." The latter track is the only one in the collection that features guitarist Davy O'List. "Little Arabella" is a pointless inclusion, as it's identical to the album version on Ars Longa Vita Brevis, and "Happy Freuds" sounds like just a remix of its album counterpart, but aside from that this is a worthwhile addition to the Nice catalog. ~ Stephen Raiteri, All Music Guide