[News] Keith Emerson, Carl Palmer and Robert Berry as “3” present “Rockin’ the Ritz: NYC 1988”

Formed in 1987, “3” was a short-lived Progressive Rock band comprising Emerson, Palmer and Berry which released one studio album for Geffen Records and two posthumous live recording.

One of those live recordings, “Rockin’ the Ritz: Live 1988,” will make its vinyl debut November 17 from Liberation Hall.

RockBeat Records is set to fulfill the hopes of vinyl collectors with the first-time LP release of “Rockin’ the Ritz: NYC 1988″ by Progressive Rock supergroup 3. The double-vinyl set is released November 17. RockBeat is a subsidiary of Liberation Hall with distribution by MVD Entertainment Group (USA) and Wienerworld (UK). 
 
The short-lived 3 was formed in 1987 and its lineup included keyboardist Keith Emerson, drummer Carl Palmer, and singer/multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry. Emerson and Palmer had previously been members of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), the ground-breaking Rock trio who earned nine RIAA-certified gold record albums in the U.S. and have sold an estimated 48 million records worldwide. After one album, “To the Power of Three” (Geffen Records, 1988), 3 split up. A pair of live albums were released on CD many years later – “Live Boston ‘88″ (2015) and “Rockin’ the Ritz: NYC 1988″ (2017) – both on RockBeat Records. 
 
Rockin’ the Ritz: Live 1988″ is now slated to make its vinyl debut, once again on RockBeat. In addition to original compositions by 3, the set includes favorites from the Emerson, Lake & Palmer songbook as well as covers of “Eight Miles High” by the Byrds, “Peter Gunn” by Henry Mancini, and “Standing in the Shadows of Love” by the Four Tops.  Due to the time limitations of the LP format, two selections (“Lover to Lover” and “Runaway”) have been trimmed from the tracklist of the still-available CD. Palmer and Berry have each contributed remembrances to the jacket artwork. Emerson died in 2016. 
 
“I am happy these rare 3 recordings have finally seen the light of day,” said Palmer in 2017. “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.”
 
Pre-Order 3’s “Rockin’ the Ritz: Live 1988″ on Amazon.
 
Carl Palmer has North American concert dates scheduled for November. Visit carlpalmer.com for details. 
 
3 (Emerson, Palmer & Berry)  – “Rockin’ the Ritz: Live 1988” (Double LP, ROC-3449)
DISC 1/A: Fanfare for the Common Man | Desde La Vida
DISC 1/B: Band Introductions | Hoedown | You Do or You Don’t | Talkin’ ‘Bout | Dream Runner
DISC 2/A: Creole Dance | On My Way Home| Standing in the Shadows of Love
DISC 2/B:  | America /Rondo/Carl Palmer Drum Solo/Fugue in D Minor BMV 565 | Eight Miles High/Peter Gunn

Author: Jacopo Vigezzi

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