The Nice was an English psychedelic rock band with keyboardist Keith Emerson. In 1968, they scored a UK hit with “America” and released two albums on Immediate Records: The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack and Ars Longa Vita Brevis.

In 1969, The Nice released a self-titled third album (aka Everything as Nice as Mother Makes It) and performed a classical work, Five Bridges Suite, at Fairfield Halls with backing by trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and the Sinfonia of London. It appeared on Charisma–Philips in June 1970, several months after Emerson disbanded the group to form Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Members: Keith Emerson (keyboards), Lee Jackson (vocals, bass, guitar), Ian Hague (drums, 1967), Davy O’List (guitar, vocals, 1967-68), Brian Davison (drums, 1967-70)

1967

September 1, 1967 Big C, Farnborough, ENG

September 16, 1967 Disco Blue, London, ENG

September 17, 1967 Brady, ENG (with Gerannium Pond)

September 21, 1967 Klooks Kleek, London, ENG

September 28, 1967 Southampton, ENG

October 2, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Nite People)

October 16, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (with Studio Six)

October 18, 1967 BBC session

October 19, 1967 BBC session

October 23, 1967 Palace Theatre, Manchester, ENG

October 24, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (supporting Jimi Hendrix Experience)

October 27, 1967 Middle Earth, Covent Garden, London, ENG (supported by Eyes Of Blue, Limousine & West Indian Steel Band)

October 30, 1967 Isle of Wight, ENG (Festival)

November 6, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (with Herbal Mixture)

November 12, 1967 Saville Theatre, London, ENG (with T.Y.A., Granny’s Intention, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, Span)

November 13, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Open Mind)

Package tour with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Move, Pink Floyd, Amen Corner, The Nice, Outer Limit & Eire Apparent

November 14, 1967 Royal Albert Hall, London, ENG

November 15, 1967 Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, ENG (2 shows)

November 17, 1967 City (Oval) Hall, Sheffield, ENG (2 shows)

November 18, 1967 Empire Theatre, Liverpool, ENG (2 shows)

November 19, 1967 Coventry Theatre, Coventry, ENG (2 shows)

November 22, 1967 Guildhall, Portsmouth, ENG (2 shows)

November 23, 1967 Sophia Gardens Pavillion, Cardiff, WAL (2 shows)

November 24, 1967 Colston Hall, Bristol, ENG (2 shows)

November 25, 1967 Opera House, Blackpool, ENG (2 shows)

November 26, 1967 Palace Theatre, Manchester, ENG (2 shows)

November 27, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (not part of the tour, with The Sensory Armada)

December 1, 1967 Central Hall, Chatham, ENG (2 shows)

December 2, 1967 The Dome, Brighton, ENG (2 shows)

December 3, 1967 Theatre Royal, Nottingham, ENG (2 shows)

December 4, 1967 City Hall, Newcastle, ENG (2 shows)

December 5, 1967 Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow, SCOT (2 shows)

December 11, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (with (with Jon)

December 18, 1967 Marquee, London, ENG (with (with Zeus)

December 1967 First European tour (with no other groups)

December ?, 1967 Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, DEN

December ?, 1967 Copenhagen (suburb), DEN

December ?, 1967 Liseberg, Gothenburg, SWE

December ?, 1967 Stockholm, SWE

December 23, 1967 Esplande Pavilion, Isle of Wight, ENG

December 27, 1967 Top Rank, Brighton, ENG

“The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack”

On November 3, 1967, The Nice debuted with “The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack,” an upbeat psych singalong with brass, harpsichord, and organ; backed with “Azrial (Angel of Death).” Both songs are credited to ‘Emerlist Davjack’ — a combination of their four surnames: Emerson, O’List, Davison, and Jackson.

1968

January 1, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Mabel Greer’s Toyshop)

January 8, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Human Instinct)

January 12, 1968 Middle Earth, Covent Garden, London, ENG (supported by Limousine, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Exploding Spectrum)

January 15, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Open Mind)

January 17, 1968 BBC session, ENG

January 22, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by Granny’s Intentions)

January 24, 1968 Chasham, ENG

January 26, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with London)

January 27, 1968 Newcastle University Student’s Union, Newcastle, ENG

January 29-February 10, 1968 The Scene, New York City, NY (with One)

February 15-18, 1968 Whiskey A Go Go, Los Angeles, CA (one or more shows with Grand Funk Railroad)

February 22, 1968 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (with The Who, Cannonball Adderley, The Vagrants)

February 23-24, 1968 Winterland, San Francisco, CA (with Big Brother & the Holding Company)

February 26, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with London)

The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack

The Nice released their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack, on March 1, 1968, on Immediate.

“Flower King of Flies” (Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson) – 3:19
“The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack” (Emerson, David O’List) – 2:49
“Bonnie K” (Jackson, O’List) – 3:24
“Rondo” (Dave Brubeck, Emerson, O’List, Brian Davison, Jackson) – 8:22
“War and Peace” (Emerson, O’List, Davison, Jackson) – 5:13
“Tantalising Maggie” (Emerson, Jackson) – 4:35
“Dawn” (Davison, Emerson, Jackson) – 5:17
“The Cry of Eugene” (Emerson, Jackson, O’List) – 4:36

Keith Emerson – organ, piano, harpsichord, vocals
Lee Jackson – bass, guitar, vocals, timpani
David O’List – guitar, trumpet, vocals (lead vocals on “Flower King of Flies”)[5]
Brian Davison – drums, tubular bells, timpani
Olympic Studios, Autumn 1967
Billy Nicholls – uncredited harmony vocals on “Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack”[citation needed]
Derek Burton and Gered Mankowitz – cover design

March 4, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The New Nadir)

March 7?, 1968 Assembley Hall, Worthing, ENG (Big Beat Sessions)

March 9, 1968 University Union, Leeds, ENG (Arts Festival Rave, with Spencer Davis Group, Chicken Shack, etc)

March 11, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Attack)

March 18, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Exception)

March 23, 1968 Roundhouse, London, ENG

March 25, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (Supported by Still Life)

April 1, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Glass Menageries)

April 11, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Stacks)

April 23, 1968 Klooks Kleek, London, ENG

April 26, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Black Cat Bones)

April ?, 1968 Belfast, NI

April ?, 1968 Dublin, IRE

May 2, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Mabel Greer’s Toyshop)

May 6, 1968 Palazzo Dello Sport, Rome, ITY (Primo Festival Internazionale In Europa Di Musica Pop)

May 7, 1968 Falconer Theatre, Copenhagen, DEN (with T.Y.A. & The Fugs; possibly also Fleetwood Mac)

May 9, 1968 Gothenburg, SWE (with T.Y.A. & The Fugs)

May 10, 1968 Stockholm, SWE (with T.Y.A. & The Fugs)

May 21, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Dick Morissey Unit)

May 26, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Black Cat Bones)

June 4, 1968 Klooks Kleek, London, ENG

June 6, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Red Light District)

June 8, 1968 City Hall, Newcastle, ENG (Immediate Package Tour with Small Faces & Amen Corner)

June 9, 1968 Hastings Pier Ballroom, Hastings, ENG (Cancelled)

June 10, 1968 BBC session

June 11, 1968 Fishmongers Arms Wood Green, London, ENG

June 20, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Thackery)

“America”

On June 21, 1968, The Nice released “America,” a number from the 1957 musical West Side Story by lyricist Stephen Sondheim and composer Leonard Bernstein. The b-side, “The Diamond Hard Blue Apples of the Moon,” is a Davjack original.

June 26, 1968 Royal Albert Hall, London, ENG (‘Come back Africa’. Keith burns a replica of the American flag)

June 27, 1968 Norwich, ENG

June 29, 1968 Institute of Contemporary Art, London, ENG (arranged by A.Oldham, with Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band & Junior’s Eyes)

June 30, 1968 Middle Earth, London, ENG

July 4, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Mike Stuart Span, The House of Lords)

July 12, 1968 Manor House, London, ENG (“Bluesville ’68 Clubs”)

July 13, 1968 Magic Village, Manchester, ENG

July 16, 1968 Klooks Kleek, London, ENG

July 18, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Red Light District)

July 2, 1968 Hyde Park, London, ENG (free concert with Traffic & Pretty Things)

July 29, 1968 BBC session

August 2, 1968 Metropole Exhibition Hall, Brighton, ENG (with Tremeloes, Marmalade, Spooky Tooth, Simon Dupree & Mike Stuart Span)

August 3, 1968 Baldry Goldcrest, London, ENG

August 4, 1968 Norwich Industrial Club, Norwich, ENG

August 6, 1968 BBC session

August 7, 1968 Starlight Rooms, Boston, ENG

August 8, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Glass Menagerie)

August 9, 1968 Pavillion, Hemel Hempstead, ENG

August 10, 1968 Sunbury, ENG (8th National Jazz & Blues Festival)

August 11, 1968 Top Rank, Birmingham, ENG

August 14, 1968 Hampstead Country Club, London, ENG

August 17, 1968 Town Hall, Torquay, ENG

August 21, 1968 Pier Pavilion, Bournemouth, ENG

August 22, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with East of Eden)

August 23, 1968 UK TV “How It Is” performing “America”. Broadcast date

August 24, 1968 Winter Gardens, Weston-Super-Mare, ENG

August 26, 1968 BBC session

August 28, 1968 Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, ENG (with East of Eden)

August 29, 1968 Bremen, GER (GERMAN TV “Beat-Club” broadcast date of “Hang On To A Dream”

August 31, 1968 Alex Disco, Salisbury, ENG

September 2, 1968 Zurich, SUI (SWISS TV “Hits A Go Go”)

September 4, 1968 Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, ENG

September 5, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by The Red Light District)

S03E12 Ben E. King / Status Quo / The Hollies / Nice / Canned Heat
September 14, 1968 Radio Bremen
Guests: –Amen Corner – “”High In The Sky”” –Ben E. King – “”It’s Amazing”” and “”What Is Soul”” –The Nice – “”America”” –Status Quo – “”Ice In The Sun”” –Canned Heat – “”On The Road Again”” –Arthur Conley – “”Sweet Soul Music”” –Leapy Lee – “”Little Arrows”” –The Hollies – “”Do The Best You Can”” –The Nice – “”Hang on to a Dream”” –Status Quo – “”Ice In The Sun”” –The Equals – possibly “”I Get So Excited”” –Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – “”Last Night In Soho”” –Arthur Conley – “”Shake, Rattle and Roll”” –John Walker – “”Kentucky Woman”” 60 minutes / Aired 4:05pm – 5:05pm

September 17, 1968 Fishmongers Arms, London, ENG (with Geranium Pond)

September 19, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by Yes)

September 20, 1968 California Ballroom, Dunstable, ENG

September 21, 1968 Town Hall, Glastonbury, ENG

September 24, 1968 Klooks Kleek, London, ENG

September 25, 1968 Colston Hall, Bristol, ENG

September 26, 1968 Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle, ENG (supporting Pink Floyd, who replaced Sly & The Family Stone, with The Sect & Coloured Rain)

September 28, 1968 Technical College, Ewell, ENG (with Velvet Opera)

September 29, 1968 Fairfield Hall, Croydon, ENG (Olympic Appeal, with Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll & Trinity, Spooky Tooth, The Eclection, Jethro Tull (?), Alan Price)

October ?, 1968 Brondby Pop Club, Copenhagen, DEN

October 1, 1968 Ritz, Bournemouth, ENG (date unconfirmed; Davy was sacked at this gig)

October 3, 1968 Toby Jug, Tolworth, ENG (date unconfirmed; first gig proper as a trio)

October 4, 1968 Brunel University, Uxbridge, ENG

October 9, 1968 Country Club, London, ENG

October 11, 1968 Hornsey Wood Tavern, London, ENG (“Bluesville ’68 Clubs”)

October 12, 1968 Club 66, Honselersdijk, NED

October 13, 1968 Arcade, Schiedam, NED

October 13, 1968 Club Kabisa (?), Amsterdam, NED

October 15, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with Keef Hartley)

October 17, 1968 New Cellar Club, South Shields, ENG

October 18, 1968 Candlelight, Scarborough, ENG

October 19, 1968 Students Union, Colchester, ENG

October 21, 1968 Pavilion, Bath, ENG

October 23, 1968 Guildhall, Portsmouth, ENG

October 24, 1968 Queen Mary’s College, London, ENG

October 25, 1968 Colston Hall, Bristol, ENG (with Small Faces, Canned Heat) ?

October 25, 1968 Athenian Hall, Bury St. Edmonds, ENG ?

October ?, 1968 Mistrale Club, Beckenham, ENG

Ars Longa Vita Brevis

The Nice released their debut album, Ars Longa Vita Brevis, in November 1968 on Immediate.

“Daddy, Where Did I Come From” – 3:44
“Little Arabella” – 4:18
“Happy Freuds” – 3:25
“Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite” (Sibelius) – 8:57
“Don Edito el Gruva” (Emerson, Jackson, Brian Davison) – 0:13
“Ars Longa Vita Brevis” – 19:20
“Prelude” (Emerson) – 1:49
“1st Movement – Awakening” (Davison) – 4:01
“2nd Movement – Realisation” (Jackson, David O’List, Emerson) – 4:54
“3rd Movement – Acceptance “Brandenburger”” (J.S.Bach, Davison, Emerson, Jackson) – 4:23
“4th Movement – Denial” (Davison, Emerson, Jackson) – 3:23
“Coda – Extension to the Big Note” (Emerson) – 0:46

Malcolm Langstaff – guitar (“Awakening”)
Robert Stewart – orchestral arranger, conductor
Technical
Don Brewer – engineer/consultant
Gered Mankowitz – cover photograph and X-rays of The Nice

Immediate lifted “Brandenburger” as a UK/European single, backed with “Happy Freuds.”

November 2-3, 1968 Magic Village, Manchester, ENG

November 5, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Village)

November 7, 1968 Pier Pavillon, Worthing, ENG

November 9, 1968 Zurich, SUI (Blues Festival)

November 10, 1968 Mothers, Birmingham, ENG

November 11, 1968 Rhodes Centre, Bishops Stortford, ENG

November 14, 1968 Queens University Whitla Hall, Belfast, NI (2 shows)

November 18, 1968 Loyola Club, London, ENG

November 19, 1968 Loughborough University Edward Herbert Building, Loughborough, ENG

November 21, 1968 Leytonstone Red Lion Hotel, London, ENG

November 26, 1968 BBC session

November 28, 1968 Locarno, Bristol, ENG (Coventry College of Arts Ball, with Joe Cocker, Love Sculpture & Jigsaw)

November ?, 1968 Holland, various concerts ?

December 5, 1968 Sadler’s Well Theatre, London, ENG ?

December 5, 1968 Leytonstone Red Lion Hotel, London, ENG ?

December 10, 1968 Kings College, London, ENG

December 12, 1968 York University, York, ENG

December 13, 1968 Technical College, Nottingham, ENG

December 14, 1968 Key Club, Bridgend, ENG

December 15, 1968 Mothers, Birmingham, ENG (with John Peel)

December 17, 1968 Ritz, Bournemouth, ENG

December 19, 1968 City Hall, Newcastle, ENG

December 22, 1968 Prague, CZR (2° Beat Festival) [or 2/12]

December 27, 1968 Top Rank, Brighton, ENG

December 28, 1968 Gilderdome, Boston, ENG

? ?, 1968 London, ENG (with Turnstyle)

1969

January 11, 1969 Gladsaxe, Copenhagen, DEN (unsure date)

January 19, 1969 Golden Torch, Tunstall, ENG

January 24, 1969 Southampton University, Southampton, ENG (supported by Nite People)

January 25, 1969 Manchester University Students Union, Manchester, ENG ?

January 25, 1969 Mothers, Birmingham, ENG ?

January 26, 1969 Mothers, Birmingham, ENG (with John Peel)

January 27, 1969 City Hall, Sheffield, ENG (supported by Family)

January 28, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (with The Killing Floor)

January 30, 1969 Leeds University, Leeds, ENG (possibly postponed to 8/2 ?)

January 31, 1969 Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, ENG (with VDGG)

February 1, 1969 Starlight Rooms, Boston, ENG

February 2, 1969 Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, ENG

February 4, 1969 ICA, London, ENG (with John Mayer and orchestra) (with VDGG)

February 5, 1969 Top Rank Suite, Leicester, ENG (with Moody Blues & Fairport Convention)

February 6, 1969 City Hall, Newcastle, ENG

February 7, 1969 Coatham Hotel, Redcar, ENG

February 8, 1969 Leeds University, Leeds, ENG

February 10, 1969 College of Commerce, Manchester, ENG

February 11, 1969 Guildhall Large Room, Cambridge, ENG

February 15, 1969 University College, London, ENG (‘Valentine Rag Ball’, supported by Deep Purple, Tuesday’s Children & Cymbaline)

February ?, 1969 Beautiful Ballon Disco, Berlin, GER

February 19, 1969 Star Club, Hamburg, GER

February 20, 1969 Speakeasy, London, ENG

February 21, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG

February 23, 1969 The Black Prince, Bexley, ENG

February 24, 1969 Pavilion, Bath, ENG

March 3, 1969 Pavilion, Bath, ENG

March 8, 1969 Middle Earth, London, ENG (at the Royalty Theatre, with Arcadium & Mark Brierly)

March 14, 1969 Fairfield Hall, Croydon, ENG

March 20-22, 1969 The Boston Tea Party, Boston, MA (Supported by The Raven)

March 28, 1969 Grande Ballroom, Detroit, MI (with Sweetwater, The Frost)

March 30, 1969 The Rockpile, Toronto, ON

April 3?, 1969 Thee Image Club, Miami Beach, FL

April 4-5, 1969 Kinetic Playground, Chicago, IL (With Bob Seger System & Bubble Puppy)

April ?, 1969 Arts Coucil, New York City, NY

April 9-10, 1969 Fillmore East, New York City, NY (with Family, T.Y.A.)

April 11-13, 1969 Grande Ballroom, Detroit, MI (supporting The Velvet Underground)

April 25, 1969 Hideout, Clawson, MI

Nice [aka Everything as Nice as Mother Makes It]

The Nice released their self-titled third album in August 1969 on Immediate.

“Azrael Revisited” (Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson) – 5:52
“Hang on to a Dream” (Tim Hardin) – 4:46
“Diary of an Empty Day” (Music: Edouard Lalo[5] arr. by Emerson, lyrics: Jackson) – 3:54
“For Example” (Emerson, Jackson) – 8:51
“Rondo ’69′” (Brubeck, Emerson, Jackson, Davison) – 7:53 (8:27 on the first US version)
“She Belongs to Me” (Bob Dylan) – 12:15

Trident Studios, London, Mid 1969 (Tracks 1–4),
Fillmore East, New York City,
9–10 April 1969 (Tracks 5–6)

In November 1969, Immediate issued Nice in the US with the title Everything as Nice as Mother Makes It.

May 6-8, 1969 The Boston Tea Party, Boston, MA (Supporting Jeff Beck Group)

May 13, 1969 The Scene, New York City, NY (cancelled)

May 16-17, 1969 Kinetic Playground, Chicago, IL (with Buffy Sainte-Marie & Colwell Winfield)

May 18, 1969 University of Miami Union Patio, Miami, FL

May 23, 1969 ? ?

May 24, 1969 ? ?

May 25, 1969 ? ?

May 30, 1969 Mistrale Club, Beckenham, ENG

May 30, 1969 North London College, London, ENG (supported by Steppenwolf)

May 30-31, 1969 Lyceum, London, ENG (‘Midnight Court’ with Steppenwolf)

May 31, 1969 North College, London, ENG

June 4, 1969 Star Club, Hamburg, GER

June 6, 1969 The Factory, Birmingham, ENG

June 8, 1969 Mothers, Birmingham, ENG

June 10, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by The Circus)

June 16, 1969 Bay Hotel, Sunderland, ENG

June 21, 1969 Antwerp, BEL (Antwerp Pop Festival, with Yes, Colosseum)

June 22, 1969 Fairfield Hall, Croydon, ENG (supported by Roy Harper & Idle Race)

June 28, 1969 Recreation Ground, Bath, ENG (Bath Festival of Blues)

June 30, 1969 Volkhaus, Ossiach, AUT (with Duncan Browne)

July 4, 1969 Winter Gardens, Malvern, ENG (with Tea & Symphony)

July 5, 1969 Middle Earth, London, ENG

July 9, 1969 Van Dike, Plymouth, ENG

July 11, 1969 Lyceum, London, ENG (‘Midnight Court’ with Yes, Renaissance, P.Cooper, P.Hammill)

July 12, 1969 Nottingham Racecourse, Nottingham, ENG (“12 hour happiness concert”, with Eclection, Yes, King Crimson, Juniors Eyes, Edgar Broughton Band, Idle Race, Status Quo, Caravan, Streets Of Sadness & Compere John Peel)

July 13, 1969 Mothers, Birmingham, ENG

July 14, 1969 Kings Hall, Romford, ENG

July 15, 1969 Cherry Tree, Welwyn Garden City, ENG (Bluesville ’69 Club)

July 18, 1969 Ulster Hall, Belfast, NI (with Yes & Bonzo Dog Band)

July 19, 1969 National Boxing Stadium, Dublin, IRE (2 shows, with Yes & Bonzo Dog Band)

July 20, 1969 Football Stadium, Cork, IRE (cancelled, with Yes & Bonzo Dog Band)

July 28, 1969 Blow Up, Munich, GER

August 1-2, 1969 Singer Bowl, Forest Hills, NY

August 9, 1969 Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe, ENG

August 10, 1969 Plumpton, ENG (9th Jazz Pop Blues Festival)

August 14, 1969 Wonderland Gardens, London, ON (Wonderland Pop Festival, with Cat Mother, Alice Cooper, The Rock Show Of The Yeoman & The Stone Soul Children)

August 16, 1969 Civic Hall, Dunstable, ENG

August 22, 1969 Burton Constable Hall, Kingston upon Hull, ENG (Humberside Pop Festival 1969, with Chicken Shack, Pretty Things, Third Ear Band, Clouds, Deviants, Love Sculpture, The Web, etc)

August 29, 1969 Isle of Wight Festival

September 12, 1969 Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, ENG (with Hard Meat, Galliard)

September 13, 1969 Rainsbrook, Rugby, ENG (Rugby Rag Blues Festival 1969)

September 19, 1969 Van Dike Club, Plymouth, ENG

September 22, 1969 King’s Hall, Romford, ENG

September 27, 1969 Starlite Room, Boston, ENG (with The Art Movement)

September 28, 1969 Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate, ENG (2 shows with Yes)

October 7, 1969 TV Show Oslo, NOR (TV Show)

October 8, 1969 Club 7, Oslo, NOR

October 10, 1969 City Hall, Newcastle, ENG (premiere of Five Bridges without orchestra)

October 11, 1969 Grugahalle, Essen, GER (Internationales Essener Pop and Blues Festival 1969)

October 12, 1969 Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, NED

October 13, 1969 Civic Centre, Dunstable, ENG (with Twilly)

October 16, 1969 Winter Gardens, Malvern, ENG

October 17, 1969 Fairfield Hall, Croydon, ENG (supported by King Crimson)

October 18-22, 1969 SWE, DEN, BEL ?

October 24-25, 1969 Theatre 140, Brussels, BEL

October 25, 1969 Bremen, GER (German TV “Beat Club”, first airing date of “America”)

October 26, 1969 Mont de L’Enclus, Amougies, Belgium, BEL (Amougies Festival)

October 29, 1969 State Theatre, Basel, SUI

November 1, 1969 Prague, CZR (Jazz Festival)

November 5, 1969 Opera House, Vienna, AUT (prob. Konzerthaus)

November 7, 1969 Bonn, GER

November 9, 1969 Lyceum, London, ENG (with Rare Bird, J.Mayer & The City of London Ensemble)

November 15, 1969 Felt Forum, New York City, NY (2 shows 8.00 & 11.00 supporting Isley Brothers, with Dave “Babe” Cortez. Cancelled due to the illness of the Isley Brothers)

November 16-20, 1969 Ungano’s, New York City, NY

November 21-22, 1969 Grand Ballroom, Detroit, MI (with Santana, Spooky Tooth)

November 23, 1969 Hawks Nest, Toronto, ON

November 26, 1969 Times Square, Minneapolis, MN

November 28-29, 1969 Kinetic Playground Chicago, IL

November 30, 1969 (Minneapolis or Chicago) ?

December 3, 1969 Long Island, NY

December 4-6, 1969 The Boston Tea Party, Boston, MA (supported by Allman Brothers Band)

December 7, 1969 Aliotta’s Club, Buffalo, NY

December 11-14, 1969 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (supporting Chambers Brothers, with King Crimson)

December 15-17, 1969 The Experience, Los Angeles, CA

December 19-20, 1969 Fillmore East, New York City, NY (recording ‘Elegy’ LP, with Dion & Byrds)

December 21, 1969 Ungano’s, New York City, NY

1970

January 24, 1970 Olympia, Paris, FRA (the NICE hit the stage at 0.30h the next day)

January 27, 1970 Colston Hall, Bristol, ENG

January 29, 1970 City Hall, Sheffield, ENG

January 30, 1970 Leeds Polytechnic, Leeds, ENG (with Family & Chicken Shack)

February 1, 1970 Empire, Sunderland, ENG (with Yes)

February 2, 1970 Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, ENG

February 3, 1970 Free Trade Hall, Manchester, ENG

February 4, 1970 Philarmonic, Liverpool, ENG

February 6, 1970 Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, ENG

February 7, 1970 Festival Hall, London, ENG (2 shows, with Yes. Keith plays the Moog onstage for the 1st time)

February 8, 1970 Polytechnic, Oxford, ENG (with Yes)

February 10, 1970 Town Hall, Birmingham, ENG

February 21, 1970 Forest National, Brussels, BEL

February 24, 1970 DeMonford Hall, Leicester, ENG

February 25, 1970 Town Hall, Birmingham, ENG

February 27, 1970 Royal Hall, Harrogate, ENG

February 28, 1970 City Hall, Newcastle, ENG

March 6, 1970 Royal Festival Hall, London, ENG (with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

March 11, 1970 Usher Hall, Edinburgh, SCOT

March 12, 1970 Caird Hall, Dundee, SCOT

March 13, 1970 Playhouse, Glasgow, SCOT

March 14, 1970 Public Hall, Preston, ENG

March 16, 1970 Civic Hall, Dunstable, ENG

March 18, 1970 Guildhall, Southampton, ENG

March 21, 1970 Public Hall, Preston, ENG

March 22, 1970 Fairfield Hall, Croydon, ENG (2 shows)

March 28, 1970 Ernst Merk Halle, Hamburg, GER (Easter Festival, with A.Korner, Hardin & York, Warm Dust, Flaming Youth, Groundhogs, Steamhammer, C.Shack, Renaissance, etc)

March 30, 1970 Sportpalast, Berlin, GER (Peace Pop Festival, last concert, incl. Jam with Ritchie Blackmore) (The Nice probably played on 31/3 at 1 or 2 a.m) (+ Deep Purple, etc)

April 25, 1970 Paramount Theater, Springfield, MA (Woodrose Joint Happening, with Family & Savoy Brown Blues Band)

Five Bridges

In May 1970, Five Bridges appeared on the newly established post-psych label Charisma (CAS 1014).

“The Five Bridges Suite” (Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson) – 18:06
“Fantasia 1st Bridge” – orchestra with solo piano interludes by Keith Emerson
“2nd Bridge” – trio without orchestra
“Chorale 3rd Bridge” – Lee Jackson’s vocals with orchestra, alternating with piano trio interludes
“High Level Fugue 4th Bridge” – piano with accompanying cymbals
“Finale 5th Bridge” – a restating of the Second Bridge with additional jazz horn players.
“Intermezzo ‘Karelia Suite'” (Sibelius, Arr. Emerson, Joseph Eger) – 9:01
“Pathetique (Symphony No. 6, 3rd Movement)” (Tchaikovsky, Arr. Emerson, Joseph Eger) – 9:23
“Country Pie/Brandenburg Concerto No. 6” (Bob Dylan, Johann Sebastian Bach) – 5:40
“One of Those People” (Emerson, Jackson) – 3:08

Live at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, London, England, 17 October 1969 except “Country Pie”, live at Fillmore East, Manhattan, New York City, New York, December 20, 1969 and “One of Those People” (1969 studio recording)

Joe Harriott – saxophone
Peter King – saxophone
Chris Pyne – trombone
Alan Skidmore – saxophone
John Warren
Kenny Wheeler – trumpet, flugelhorn
The Sinfonia Of London orchestra conducted by Joseph Eger

The title refers to the city’s five bridges spanning the River Tyne (two more have since been built over the river, including the Gateshead Millennium Bridge), and the album cover, by Hipgnosis, features an image of the Tyne Bridge.

US: Mercury
France, Germany: Philips

Elegy

In April 1971, Charisma issued Elegy,

“Hang On to a Dream” (Live) (Tim Hardin) – 12:43
“My Back Pages” (Bob Dylan) – 9:12
“Third Movement, Pathetique” (Group Only) (Tchaikovsky; arranged by The Nice) – 7.05
“America” (Live) (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, The Nice) – 10:27

Recorded 19–20 December 1969
Venue Fillmore East, New York City

UK: Charisma CAS 1030
US: Mercury SR 61324
France, Germany: Philips

Emerson, along with ex-King Crimson vocalist/bassist Greg Lake and former-Atomic Rooster drummer Carl Palmer, formed the super-trio Emerson, Lake and Palmer, issuing seven studio albums and one double-live set to international success during the 1970s. Bassist/vocalist Lee Jackson recorded four albums as part of Jackson Heights between 1970 and 1973. Drummer Brian Davison formed Every Which Way, which issued one album on Charisma in 1970 with ex-Skip Bifferty vocalist Graham Bell. In 1974, Jackson and Davison re-teamed for the Charisma one-off Refugee with up-and-coming keyboardist Patrick Moraz. O’List resurfaced in 1975 in Jet, formed by Island-era Sparks sidemen.

Of Jackson, Stratton-Smith wrote “Lee’s tinted glasses, glinting awareness, and driving bass, the mahogany vocals — these were as much Nice mnemonics as the famous “Rondo” itself.” (King Progress liner notes, 1970).

Discography: