Patrick Moraz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Patrick Philippe Moraz (born June 24, 1948 in Villars-Ste-Croix, Morges, Switzerland) is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is best known as the keyboardist for progressive rock legends Yes, from 1974-1976, and the Moody Blues from 1978 - 1991. He was classically trained at the Conservatory of Lausanne, but played jazz primarily before entering progressive rock and has been highly acclaimed for his virtuosity.
He first toured as a solo performer opening for major jazz artists throughout Europe in the mid 1960s. He then formed the group Mainhorse with Jean Restori in 1968, which released a self-titled album on Polydor. He then moved to England and in 1973 formed Refugee with Lee Jackson and Brian Davison. Davison and Jackson had previously teamed with rock keyboardist Keith Emerson (famous for his work in Emerson Lake and Palmer) in the group The Nice.
Moraz rose to prominence in 1974 when he replaced Rick Wakeman in Yes, playing on their Relayer album. In 1976 all current members of Yes released solo albums, and the Moraz album, titled Story Of I, received acclaim from musicians. In the interim Moraz had moved to Brazil, and incorporated Brazilian rhythms and performers on the album, making it an important staple of world music.
After Moraz recorded another album, Out In The Sun, which also was well-received, he began touring with the Moody Blues on their Octave tour in 1978, and later played on their 1981 album Long Distance Voyager, which was not their first album to reach #1 on the charts. He remained touring and recording with the Moody Blues until 1991.
Even while with the Moody Blues, Moraz toured and recorded extensively. He toured with his group from Brazil, recorded with Chick Corea and two prominent albums of duets with drummer Bill Bruford, another former member of Yes. His solo albums Future Memories I, Future Memories II and Windows of Time have been critically well received.
[edit] Discography
Solo Albums
- 1976 - Story Of I
- 1977 - Out In The Sun
- 1978 - Patrick Moraz III
- 1979 - Future Memories Live On TV
- 1980 - Coexistence
- 1984 - Timecode
- 1984 - Future Memories II
- 1985 - Future Memories I & II
- 1987 - Human Interface
- 1989 - Libertate (re-issue of Coexistence)
- 1994 - Windows Of Time
- 1995 - PM in Princeton
- 2000 - Resonance
- 2003 - ESP
[edit] External links
| Yes |
|---|
| Jon Anderson | Chris Squire | Steve Howe | Rick Wakeman | Alan White |
| Peter Banks | Tony Kaye | Bill Bruford | Patrick Moraz | Geoff Downes | Trevor Horn | Trevor Rabin | Billy Sherwood | Igor Khoroshev |
| Discography |
| Studio albums: Yes | Time and a Word | The Yes Album | Fragile | Close to the Edge | Tales from Topographic Oceans | Relayer | Going for the One | Tormato | Drama | 90125 | Big Generator | Union | Talk | Open Your Eyes | The Ladder | Magnification |
| Live albums: Yessongs | Yesshows | 9012Live: The Solos | Keys to Ascension | Keys to Ascension 2 | House of Yes: Live from House of Blues |
| Compilations: Yesterdays | Classic Yes | Yesstory | The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection |
| Remix albums: Yes Remixes |
| Box sets: Yesyears | In a Word: Yes (1969 - ) | The Word is Live | Essentially Yes |
| Related Articles |
| Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe |
