Synthesizer Keyboard Mad Drifting Record Patrick Moraz Edition - A number of electric keyboards and synth masterpieces that colored music - Part 6

This time, I picked Patrick Philippe Moraz. He's a keyboardist who played with YES, but only on the "Relayer" album. I'm going to introduce albums in which he participated, the highlights of his keyboard playing, and some well-known songs.

Some background on Patrick Moraz

Swiss national Patrick Moraz formed Mainhorse in England in 1971 and made his album debut. He joined YES to replace Rick Wakeman after he left the band in 1974, and they recorded the "Relayer" album. After leaving YES, Moraz released a solo album "The Story of I", followed by second album and third albums, "Out in the Sun", and "Patrick Moraz". In addition, he produced and released the album "Music for Piano and Drums" (1983) with former YES drummer, Bill Bruford. It can be said that he's a musician who plays a variety genres.

Patrick Moraz "The Story of I" (1976)

Moraz and Bruford "Music for Piano and Drums" (1983)

■Patrick Moraz's musicality

Patrick Moraz's musical roots are in Brazilian music. It's interesting how he came to terms with the members of YES.

■Patrick Moraz/Equipment used

Minimoog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Mellotron, acoustic piano, etc.

MiniMoog synthesizer

■About Patrick Moraz's Minimoog Playing

Like Jan Hammer, who I previously wrote about, Patrick Moraz is great at bending sound by operating the wheel on the left of the Minimoog synthesizer keyboard to raise the pitch and apply vibrato. But it's not a guitar-like vibrato; it's smarter and more sophisticated than Wakeman's, and it's probably the result of Moraz's Brazilian musical roots.

■Recommended album: "Relayer (YES)" (1974)

Recommended songs: "The Gates of Delirium" "Sound Chaser"

The album cover was designed by Roger Dean. It's highly acclaimed among the artwork on YES albums. There are only 3 songs (1 song "Soon" was added to the later remastered version).
I have the impression that YES' songwriting started breaking down from "Tales from Topographic Oceans", the album that precedes "Relayer". Compared to "Close to the Edge" and "Fragile", I can't kick the feeling that the songs just aren't good enough. For a band like YES, which features detailed and complex song structure, the keyboard phrases and riffs in the songs are also an essential factor. The synthesizer riffs (phrases) in "Heart of the Sunrise" were the true essence of YES and played the role of being an axis to complement the song. If you listen to that synthesizer riff, you'll see that it came from Rick Wakeman, not one a guitarist created. In that sense, there aren't many impressive riffs in "Relayer" that complement the songs. However, there are many wonderful parts in terms of performance.

In "The Gates of Delirium", the solo is a narrow sound created with a whistle-like sawtooth wave with portamento from the intro reminiscent of "Close to the Edge".

In the "Sound Chaser" intro, you can hear the transparent sound of the Fender Rhodes electric piano, which hadn't been used by YES keyboardists previously. Also, the Minimoog solo used bending combined with sawtooth waves. At the end of the song, he played a solo with the Minimoog which has a long bend setting (portamento?) reminiscent of the bottleneck technique, which I had first thought Steve Howe was playing with pedal steel. Moraz brought a new twist to YES' music when compared with Wakeman's playing.

■Recommended album: "Out in the Sun" (1977)

Recommended songs: "Out in the Sun" "Silver Screen" "Tentacles"

My favorite album. Many songs make me feel "this is the music Moraz wanted to do!" From the beginning, I couldn't believe he was playing in YES. An album of excellent songs filled with a Brazilian sunlight feeling. It's more than perfect for a seaside drive. I strongly recommend this album.
"Out in the Sun" is a masterpiece based on samba. As soon as the intro polysynth plays, you can almost see the scenery of Rio de Janeiro...

The sound of the glittering synthesizer flows throughout the song, and arranges the song. The Brazilian synth solo that makes the best use of the bending with the square wave is also amazing. The songs on this album are great, and the vocals are also perfect for the songs. There's not a bit of esotericism, and as I go with the flow of the samba rhythms and phrases, I come to wonder if he ever really wanted to do YES style music in the first place.

Both "Silver Screen" and "Tentacles" are beautiful songs that reveal his talent as a melody maker. Not even a shadow of this can be felt any of his work as the "YES keyboardist"(^^♪

Musicians, recommended albums/songs, synthesizers, keyboards picked up in this article

• Patrick Moraz
• Album / "Relayer" by Yes, "Out in the Sun" by Patrick Moraz
• Songs: "The Gates of Delirium", "Sound Chaser", "Out in the Sun", "Silver Screen", "Tentacles"
• Instruments: Minimoog, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Mellotron, etc.