Erik Norlander's Fantastic "Hommage"

Erik Norlander "Conquistador"
Erik Norlander "Turn Of The Century"
Erik Norlander "Clasp"

Progressive rock is, without a doubt, the most self-referential of genres, bar none. Musicians jump from band to band like some sort of crazy Rubik’s Cube, usually with impressive results. The genre can boast of some of the most technically proficient musicians in rock & roll, and unlike other musical styles, progressive types aren’t afraid (or ashamed) to wear their artistic influences on their sleeves…which means that cover tunes and musical tributes are not entirely unheard of in prog circles.

Erik Norlander is a well-known figure in both electronic and prog musical circles, releasing some two-dozen albums under his own name and with his progressive rock band Rocket Scientists. He has also produced and played on several albums by his wife, Lana Lane, a powerful vocalist and solo performer in her own right. Norlander’s studio wizardry and musical training are apparent, and it is an interesting dichotomy that Norlander, with an impressive knowledge of audio engineering, has helped design modern synthesizers but still seeks out vintage keyboards and Moog synths to use on stage.

For his latest project, Norlander began with a core band that includes bassist Don Schiff (Rocket Scientists), drummer Gregg Bissonette (Joe Satriani) and vocalist Kelly Keeling (too many impressive credits to mention). Norlander then assembled a mini-orchestra around horns, strings and woodwinds in order to create a “symphonic rock” album of his favorite songs. The talented orchestral players that he recruited – horn players David Schiff, Eric Jorgensen and Jon Papenbrook, and cellist Mike Alvarez – rise to the occasion, imbuing each performance with a grandeur that belies their meager numbers. Rocket Scientists guitarist Mark McCrite came in later and added his six-string magic to the songs.

Norlander’s Hommage Symphonique is the result, an illustration of both pure genius and unbridled inspiration. Although many of the songs here will be quite familiar to the informed prog fan, many of them will not be readily familiar, and therein lays the attraction. In paying homage to his musical heroes – legendary first-gen prog bands like Yes, Procol Harum, ELP and King Crimson – Norlander has not always chosen the most obvious songs to cover. By digging a little deeper into each band’s catalog, he comes up with brilliant choices of material that challenge both the musicians and the listener alike.

The results are quite breathtaking, both in the classic mastery of their performances but also in the range and depth of material. Even with a much smaller “orchestra,” Procol Harum’s “Conquistador” sounds better than the well-known symphonic version of the song from 1972. Accompanied by Norlander’s graceful fleeting piano, Keeling’s wistful vocals on the Yes ballad “Turn Of The Century” echo those of Jon Anderson, creating a quieting, transcendent moment. Jethro Tull’s “Clasp” is punched up with some imaginative synth work and high-lonesome woodwinds while ELP’s “Pirates” evokes a certain visual landscape through the deft use of syncopated sounds, squiggly synthesizer riffing and determined orchestration. Keeling’s chameleonlike vocals sound like Greg Lake in relating this overlooked song from Works, Vol. 1.

Rick Wakeman’s “Sir Lancelot and the Black Knight” is a gimme given Wakeman’s obvious influence on Norlander’s work. Here, though, the song is delivered with more strident instrumentation, the song’s fretboard duel more violent and darkly potent. The choice of covering Chuck Mangione’s “Children Of Sanchez Overture” is not as difficult as it might seem, there being a natural link between the improvisational inclinations of both prog-rockers and jazz musicians. Here, one of Mangione’s better compositions is provided an almost King Crimson-styled remake, the song’s innate ambiance complimented by Keeling’s somber vocals and a vaguely threatening instrumental undercurrent.

The most startling musical transformation, however, on Hommage Symphonique is within King Crimson’s signature “Starless,” evolving here into an ominous extended jam with jazzy overtones, deliciously muted horns and discordant instrumentation. A wild ride across an ever-changing musical turnpike, the song’s tempo changes, movements between stylistic elements and inspired performances by the musicians create a simply spellbinding reading of the title song from Starless And Bible Black.

A talented performer, composer and musician, Erik Norlander may never break from the progressive ranks to find mainstream success but, then again, he doesn’t have to. A respected figure in the prog-rock world, the only constraints on Norlander’s musical fortunes seem to be his own seemingly limitless imagination and artistic ambition. Hommage Symphonique is both a lovingly crafted tribute to Norlander’s musical heroes and a wonderful showcase for the talents of the assembled musicians.

(Click on the CD cover to buy Hommage Symphonique from Amazon.com)