Biography
The Nice were an English progressive rock band active in the late 1960s. They blended rock, jazz and classical music and were keyboardist Keith Emerson’s first commercially successful band. The group was formed in 1967 by Emerson, Lee Jackson, David O’List and Ian Hague to back soul singer P. P. Arnold. After replacing Hague with Brian Davison, the group set out on their own, quickly developing a strong live following. The group’s sound was centred on Emerson’s Hammond organ showmanship and abuse of the instrument, and their radical rearrangements of classical music themes and Bob Dylan songs. The band achieved commercial success with an instrumental rearrangement of Leonard Bernstein’s “America”, following which O’List left the group. The remaining members carried on as a trio, releasing several albums, before Emerson decided to split the band in early 1970 to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nice
Album & Cover
The “Five Bridges Suite” is a modern piece of music, written in the 1960s, combining classical music and jazz. It was commissioned by the Newcastle Arts Festival in 1969and was released as an album by the Nice as Five Bridges, which achieved the number two position in the UK album charts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Bridges
The front cover came from the five bridges spanning the Tyne river in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, and is a photograph of the Tyne bridge.
Cover Location: The Tyne Bridge Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
Who Did What: Photography – A. Powell/S. Thorgerson. Photography By [Inside Photo] – Eric Hayes
Label: Mercury SR-61295(US), Charisma CAS1014(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
Tracklist
| Side One The Five Bridges Suite Fantasia. 1st Bridge / 2nd Bridge Chorale. 3rd Bridge High Level Fugue. 4th Bridge Finale. 5th Bridge |
Side two Intermezzo ‘Karelia Suite’ Pathetique’ Symphony No. 6: 3rd Movement Country Pie / Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 One Of Those People |
Credits
Conductor – Joseph Eger (tracks: B1 to B4)
Engineer [Recording, Fairfield Hall] – Bob Auger (tracks: A1 to A4)
Engineer [Recording, Fillmore East] – Eddie Kramer (tracks: B1 to B3)
Liner Notes – Keith Emerson
Mixed By – Eddie Kramer, Malcolm Toft
Orchestra – Sinfonia Of London (tracks: B1 to B4)
Producer – The Nice
Words By – Lee Jackson (tracks: A1 to A4, B4)
Written-By, Arranged By [Score] – Keith Emerson (tracks: A1 to A4, B4)
Notes
Released on the Charisma pink scroll label in a matt gatefold sleeve.
