White Rock

With the memories of the Sochi Winter Olympics still fresh in our minds, it seemed the perfect time to reissue White Rock, the soundtrack that Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman composed for Tony Maylam s documentary about the 1976 Winter Olympic games in Innsbruck, Austria (Maylam directed a Genesis concert film around that time, too, and the two films played as a well-received double feature in the U.K.). The genius of Wakeman s music is such that you don t necessarily need to see the film to enjoy the soundtrack or, for that matter, to figure out what Olympic images each composition accompanied, but for those keeping score, the ski jump, luge, downhill skiing, ice hockey and figure skating events were all the lucky recipients of the composer s interpretation. And for fans of vintage keyboard sounds, this 1977 album is a treasure trove, with the moog, clavinet, mellotron, Hammond organ and Fender Rhodes all prominently featured. First time on CD in America, with liner notes by Gene Sculatti and added photos this one definitely belongs on the podium with Wakeman s other solo releases!