Best Keyboard player ever ?

[Norman Potting]

John Tout was excellent. He was on 'Imagine', but was in error credited with acoustic guitar! Not bad to have on your CV.......................

Never knew that, big fan of Renaissance and saw them at Eastbourne Congress Theatre many moons ago. According to t'internet he attended the sessions for the "Imagine" album but not clear if any of his stuff made it to the final cut.

(Removes prog rock anorak) In answer to the thread Rick Wakeman, listen to his solo piano version "Life on Mars" - he played on the original as well.

 

[METALMICKY]

Much more of a guitar fan but if I had to choose a couple it would be Dave Greenfield of The Stranglers and Mike Lindup of Level 42. For Lindup forget the later pop albums but check out their early heavily instrumental jazz funk stuff.

 

[darkwolf666]

Geoff Downes of Yes and Asia.

You seem to have conveniently forgotten and BUGGLES - remember seeing Yes at the Brighton Centre and after a keyboard solo by Downes someone in front of me stood up and angrily shouted bring back Wakeman and walked out!


Rick Wakeman for me too...

 

[whitelion]

You seem to have conveniently forgotten and BUGGLES - remember seeing Yes at the Brighton Centre and after a keyboard solo by Downes someone in front of me stood up and angrily shouted bring back Wakeman and walked out!


Rick Wakeman for me too...

Of course Buggles - amazing how they went on to produce the music of Asia one of my favourite bands.

 

[darkwolf666]

Of course Buggles - amazing how they went on to produce the music of Asia one of my favourite bands.

Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes are very good at what they do, Horn in particular, it just didn't work out with Yes, but did allow them to go on to better things in the long term.

And yep, still Rick Wakeman

 

[Weststander]

My choices, influenced unashamably by the music I love. Not bothered by snobbery as to the technically best.

Brian Eno -whilst in Roxy Music
Dave Greenfield - The Stanglers
Vangelis
Ray Manzarek - The Doors
Georgia Moroder
Paul Humphreys - OMD
Ralf & Florian - Kraftwerk

 

[Binney on acid]

Never knew that, big fan of Renaissance and saw them at Eastbourne Congress Theatre many moons ago. According to t'internet he attended the sessions for the "Imagine" album but not clear if any of his stuff made it to the final cut.

(Removes prog rock anorak) In answer to the thread Rick Wakeman, listen to his solo piano version "Life on Mars" - he played on the original as well.

I was a big fan and saw them loads of times. I got to know him quite well. He once stayed with us in Brighton for the weekend and I always regretted not asking him about 'Imagine'. He became very disillusioned with the commercialism and with the music scene in general. My last contact with him was around the time of 'Cote d'azure'. I decided against seeing them at 'The Dome', but he phoned me on the afternoon of the concert and left me 2 tickets at the door. At such short notice, I couldn't get anyone to accompany me! By then, he was just going through the motions. Sadly he died a couple of years ago. He was a thoroughly nice bloke and his was the piano work on 'Crippled inside'.

 

[burnee54]

Keith Emerson closely followed by Herbie Hancock

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Freddie Mercury was a bit of a dab hand on the keys.

 

[Seasider78]

 

[GT49er]

Geoff Downes of Yes and Asia.

.....and of Buggles. Move back five spaces...........

 

[GT49er]

I think Billy Preston was the only one to play on a whole album and to play live with the Beatles

There's a lot more George Martin keyboards than Billy Preston on the Beatles' output, a lot more. Seem to remember Mal Evans was the roadie, and Nicky Hopkins regularly toured with the Rolling Stones, as well as recording with Quicksilver Messenger Service..

 

[luppers]

In the 60s I loved Zoot Money, Georgie Fame and the very underestimated Alan Price

 

[GT49er]

Jools Holland
Frank Zappa
Steve Wonder

The Frank Zappa who played guitar while Ian Underwood played the keyboards on most of the Mothers of Invention records?

 

[GT49er]

Forgot to include Howard Jones of course

Good idea!

 

[AmexRuislip]

The Frank Zappa who played guitar while Ian Underwood played the keyboards on most of the Mothers of Invention records?

Apologies, I always had it in my mind he was a keyboard player

 

[Weststander]

Never knew that, big fan of Renaissance and saw them at Eastbourne Congress Theatre many moons ago.

By coincidence I posted the video of Northern Lights on the NSC albums/singles thread this evening. Lovely and original music.

Were they great live?

 

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

Ray Manzarek and Irmin Schmidt


Brilliant......


TNBA


TTF

 

[GT49er]

Apologies, I always had it in my mind he was a keyboard player

He was a consummate - albeit sometimes very difficult to listen to - musician. He was a guitarist - as am I - but I've no doubt the clever sod could probably play keyboards - or any other damned instrument he chose - better than I can play guitar!




Oh, and about this 'best keyboard player' thing - quick shout for Rachmaninov?

 

[Live by the sea]

Would seem not everyone on NSC agrees with my choice. Perhaps I am over influenced by 80's bands !