Rick Wakeman Reveals New Album ‘A Gallery of the Imagination’
Rick Wakeman revealed details of his new concept album, A Gallery of the Imagination, another collaboration with the English Rock Ensemble.
The former Yes star is joined by bassist Lee Pomeroy, guitarist Dave Colquhoun, drummer Ash Sloan and vocalist Hayley Sanderson on the 12-track follow-up to The Red Planet. It was recorded in five separate studios.
A statement explained the concept was inspired by his first piano teacher, with whom he studied from the age of five until he went to the Royal College of Music. "She taught him that music was like painting pictures: when you play, you are painting pictures through music – a lesson that Rick never forgot," the statement said. "Rick had written a vast array of new music recently, all of different styles and remembering the advice of his beloved teacher, he decided to present the tracks for the new album as if they were pictures in a gallery."
You can view a complete track listing down below.
Wakeman commented: "One of my great loves is going to museums and art galleries and seeing all the different types of art – so I thought, 'Why not a music gallery...the Gallery of the Imagination?' People can paint their own pictures to the different types of music that are on the album. It is very diverse and for me it works very well because the title holds it all together."
Expressing hopes to launch the record at a series of appearances in art galleries, he added: "It is a very tactile album; I'd like to feel that people can actually touch the music."
Standard editions of the album are on sale now for delivery before Christmas, with vinyl and deluxe editions becoming available in February.
Rick Wakeman, 'A Gallery of the Imagination' Track Listing
1. "Hidden Depths"
2. "The Man in the Moon"
3. "A Mirage in the Clouds"
4. "The Creek"
5. "My Moonlight Dream"
6. "Only When I Cry"
7. "Cuban Carnival"
8. "Just a Memory"
9. "The Dinner Party"
10. "A Day Spent on the Pier"
11. "The Visitation"
12. "The Eyes of a Child"