Keyboard talent

We’ve done threads on a lot of instruments, but I don’t see a recent one on keyboards (pop / rock category). Here’s my short list of the top people:

Billy Joel
Elton John
Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Dennis DeYoung (Styx)
Lawrence Gowan (Styx)
Lady Gaga
Bruce Hornsby
Sara Bareilles

 

rick wakeman from Yes....blown away at about 2:40


side note....check out ricks awesome Kentucky waterfall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05k8DgEXZXM"]Rick Wakeman's awesome piano solo - YouTube

 

Rick Wright from Pink Floyd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZlTU8o_AC4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZlTU8o_AC4

 

Lady Gaga??? Dafuq??? Does she even play any instruments???

Let's see...

How about Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea or Joe Zawinul.... from a technical perspective, anyway.

Also, Tony Banks (Genesis), Irmin Schmidt (Can), Peter Hammill (Van Der Graaf Generator), Gary Booker (Procol Harum), Klaus Schulze, Edgar Froese, among others.

We can't forget the biggest wanker keyboardist of all... Keith Emerson. I am not a fan, however.

 

Ben fucking Folds..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gthZSjdqjjk"]Ben Folds - All U Can Eat HD (lyrics) - YouTube

 

How about Joe Mama's folds?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIE57gCyKTM"](RIP)George Duke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYrVgLnAFvg"]Jan Hammer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPgEoDt_Duc"]Keith Jarrett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXxeOvvNNwc"]Tommy Mars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHuc5oz8NSY"]Jason rebello

 

Sigh, I knew someone would have to do it, Pink Friggin Floyd.

I'll ditto what PR said about Herbie Hancock, da man

 

Oh stop it VG, 'Great gig in the sky', 'Us and Them'...beautiful stuff

No one cares you hate pink floyd :biker:

 

pink floyd is a douche... over played dm cords.. ptff.

 

If you want to expand it and talk about jazz, then I would also add Ray Charles for blues, and Scott Joplin for ragtime. That is, assuming that Joplin could actually play his compositions at the speed that the punched paper tapes were normally played back. I don't think anybody currently knows that for sure.

A lot of people want to talk about Ellis Marsalis as a jazz piano legend, but he puts me to sleep.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM51qOpwcIM"]Vintage Lady Gaga Live at NYU - Captivated & Electric Kiss - YouTube

 

Then we would have to talk about Thelonious Monk...

One of the greatest innovators in modern jazz. His sharp jabbing style, staccato rhythms cutting to the soul, like a light beam across the universe, piercing the infinite...

This man was a frickin' piano-shaman!


The only cats that are worth anything are the cats that take chances ~ Thelonious Monk

:iagree:

 

Longevity and across different styles, its hard to see who really beats Hancock.

But anything to do with the ivories, electronic or not Ray Charles is probably the king, its funny how much his early stuff sounds like todays hip hop (some may laugh, but synth his stuff up and the only difference is Charles is hitting the high notes in the bridge or chorus instead of todays version where they get some chic (or Usher ) that gets featuring.... credits

As for metal, the winners would probably be the dude from Deep Purple and whats his face from Dream theatre, although keyboardists from metal dont happen very often, and often sucks as it does with Faith No More or Bon Jovi

Manzarek has to win in the category of defining a bands sound, he was the Doors sound, when you think of the Doors you think of that sound.

I have to mention Benny Andersson too, I hate ABBA, I really hate ABBA, but if you look at the song structures, all the little harmonies going, the two B's knew what they were doing, but he wont rate cos it was all silly disco

 

Ah, an early Stefani, pre-Gaga! This might be a little better example of her piano work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waq6yXv1Wc4

On stage in Atlanta, I saw her lie on top of her piano and play it upside down and backwards, but I can't find video evidence online. Lawrence Gowan of Styx also does this with his synthesizer.

How about the subcategory of playing burning pianos? (@2:45)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Wpm8svP8w

Great composition and multitrack recording, but somewhat limited performing ability. If you listen closely with headphones, the complicated keyboard parts are built from multiple layers of simpler and easier parts. Even in live performances, all but one of the parts (the most important one) would be prerecorded. That's one big reason why cover bands usually avoid ABBA; they always have to leave something out.

Those guys were great at translating classical (especially Baroque) concepts and structures to pop rock. Once they dropped that ball, nobody really picked it up again before Gaga. And nobody else has been able to merge pop and traditional European folk music like ABBA did.

* * *

Also, thinking back to earlier times, Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino put on damn good shows too.

 

I often don't enjoy Abba's music at all either but I can't deny the talent

This thread obviously needs Jon Lord :biggrin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3U2V2F1sr8"]Deep Purple - Jon Lord - Highway Star - Organ - YouTube

 

My favs include

Bruce Hornsby
Billy Payne
Rob Barraco
Jeff Chimenti
Ray Charles
Ray Manzarak