Best Keyboard Players all time?

007below 1/10/13 2:19 pm

just wondering what everyone considers the best keyboard players of all time are?

also where do you place page on that

...got into an arguement with a friend who says Ray Manzarek(the doors) is better then Page Mcconnnell i am sticking to my answer of no wayyy

Score: 2

WGphan92 1/10/13 2:22 pm

Eli Winderman from Dopapod has some serious chops... i think he's up there with Page, no joke.

My friends girlfriend's first Phish show was N2 at SPAC this summer. she didnt know much about phish at all, and it was also her first time on the Mahlz. She just kept screaming "He's the best Keyboard player everrrr!!!"

Score: 1

westbrook 1/10/13 2:29 pm

Obviously not an all-inclusive list:

Thelonius Monk
Art Tatum
Oscar Peterson
Erroll Garner
Chick Corea
Herbie Hancock

I'm sure I neglected to list many others great keyboardists. And this is without going into classical musicians..

Score: 6

Dr_Mantis_Toboggan_MD 1/10/13 2:32 pm

Whoever the pianist was from The Phil and friends set from all good this year. It may be the piano player from Galactic... not sure. But whoever it may be laid it the f*** down. During Truckin' I realized how good he was.

Score: 0

myMomaDontDance 1/10/13 2:38 pm

@westbrook said:

Thelonius Monk

Score: 0

careful_w_that_axe_Miller 1/10/13 2:46 pm

Page is my personal favorite but

Rick wakeman

Ray

Rick wright, shine on & sheep and this beast

Score: 2

nematode 1/10/13 2:50 pm

J. S. Bach, no question about it.

Score: 4

skillz 1/10/13 2:52 pm

Jordan Rudess

Score: 0

cactoid 1/10/13 2:54 pm

ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach

Score: 3

johnnyd

1/10/13 2:55 pm

Is Keith Jarrett in this conversation?
I'm not really knowledgable enough to weigh in, but I've been enjoying his playing lately.

Also, the real answer:
View Spoilers

Score: 1

roycemark 1/10/13 2:57 pm

I agree with many of the above. Especially @westbrook 's list. But I would like to add a few of my own:
- Bernie Worell
- Nicky Hopkins
- Chick Corea
- Steve Winwood
- Herbie Hancock
- Merl Saunders

Score: 5

YorkvilleBeerLover 1/10/13 2:57 pm

Page couldnt even hold Sergei Rachmaninoff's cock in his hands because it would burn them

Score: 4

roycemark 1/10/13 2:58 pm

@Dr_Mantis_Toboggan_MD said:

Whoever the pianist was from The Phil and friends set from all good this year. It may be the piano player from Galactic... not sure. But whoever it may be laid it the f*** down. During Truckin' I realized how good he was.

Was it Jeff Chimenti? He's got chops.

Score: 0

nematode 1/10/13 2:59 pm

@cactoid said:

ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach

Obviously they were not played by Bach himself, but the fact remains that he is one of the most talented and skilled keyboard player and composer to have ever lived.

Score: 1

phishfillet 1/10/13 3:00 pm

I feel like I can't speak about this from a "matter of fact" point of view because I don't know the first thing about playing the keys, I can however throw so names out there from pure enjoyment of their playing!

Page!
Sam Yahel
Jimmy Smith
Melvin Seals
Will Blades
Art Neville
Ivan Neville
Bernie Worrell
Robert Walter

I love love love the B3, who doesn’t?

Score: 2

YorkvilleBeerLover 1/10/13 3:00 pm

@nematode said:

@cactoid said:
ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach
Obviously they were not played by Bach himself, but the fact remains that he is one of the most talented and skilled keyboard player and composer to have ever lived.

Horowitz says no

Score: 0

careful_w_that_axe_Miller 1/10/13 3:01 pm

@nematode said:

@cactoid said:
ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach
Obviously they were not played by Bach himself, but the fact remains that he is one of the most talented and skilled keyboard player and composer to have ever lived.

#2 or it didn't happen.

Score: 0

johnnyd

1/10/13 3:01 pm

Its Todd Stoops. Definitely.

Score: 0

cactoid 1/10/13 3:04 pm

Anyone for Billy Preston?

Score: 2

HHCCCCAA 1/10/13 3:06 pm

@007below I don't know man .. It's one of those situations where Manzarek was the first yaknow .. And all others that play two boards at once with both hands follow in his footsteps. Anyhoot, Page is a wildly unique talent, he skips the beat on the 3 or 4 like Phil does the 1 on bass. Page is just so different.

It's tough for me to compare any of the guys from PHiSH with other musicians of the same respective instruments because they are just so frickin' vast in their abilities. They have taken the time and still take the time to develop their playing with unfamiliar genres and songs and, needless to say, not a lot of musicians do that, especially nowadays.

Judging rock n' roll keyboardists and keyboardists all-time are two completely different threads in my mind. This all being said, despite Page's ability to play a number of different genres on the keys, as far as a rock n' roll keyboardist goes, though I'm as big of a Page fan as anyone else on here, I gotta go with Ray Manzarek of the Doors. The dude really did revolutionize piano/keyboard playing, and not just in his genre of rock n' roll. No one had ever seen what he did. Without a bassist in the band, he filled in (on separate HANDS) as not only the band's keyboardist but there bassist as well. His piano was the rhythm of the Doors. Most members of any band can afford to simply pay attention to their line of music, perhaps with occasional loans of attention to things other instruments are conjuring. Manzarek had to simultaneously pay attention to the bottom line he was keeping with Densmore while trading weaves with Krieger.

So in a Manzarek/McConnell debate I think I reluctantly go with Ray. My decision's based more on legacy of ability than love for the music, as the latter, love, is what skews a seemingly easy and proper decision. Ha, in a question of love for the two bands though, I loveeee PHiSH, I don't loveeee the Doors.

Carry on.

Score: 0

kohlrabi 1/10/13 3:07 pm

Score: 1

HHCCCCAA 1/10/13 3:09 pm

their*

Score: 0

paulj 1/10/13 3:14 pm

H-O-ROW-I-T-Z spells Horowitz
Yesterday I took my girlfriend Peggy
To watch him play a concert at Carnegie

V-L-ADI-M-I-R that's Vladimir!
'Cause he plays piano good
Like a real piano player should
HOROWITZ! Here! Here!

Alan Sherman

Score: 1

strikly_commerical 1/10/13 3:21 pm

Dave Brubeck, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Glenn Gould, Bill Evans, Keith Emerson, McCoy Tyner, Nicky Hopkins

Score: 1

Mr_Miner 1/10/13 3:25 pm

@roycemark said:

I agree with many of the above. Especially @westbrook 's list. But I would like to add a few of my own:
- Bernie Worell
- Nicky Hopkins
- Chick Corea
- Steve Winwood
- Herbie Hancock
- Merl Saunders

I approve of this list. I would add Chuck Leavelle and the Amazing Jimi Smith.

Score: 2

SicMD 1/10/13 3:56 pm

STEVE WINWOOD

Score: 0

23piper 1/10/13 4:12 pm

I'd be interested to hear folks take on rock keyboardists. I'm deep into jazz and could easily rattle off several favorites in that idiom but I am less inclined to think of that many greats when it comes to rock and roll. Personally, I'd define great as a mixture of chops and taste.

I'm going to mention Brian Eno as a standout for me. I also really like Brent Mydland.

Score: 1

cjfphan21 1/10/13 4:16 pm

@cactoid said:

ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach

They definitely were played by J.S. Bach. I mean, we've had the ability to record music since the 1600s, duh!

Score: 0

StStephen 1/10/13 4:19 pm

I echo @roycemark's and @westbrook's lists.

I'll throw in James Booker.

Score: 0

23piper 1/10/13 4:24 pm

I like the keyboard player who played with Ratdog and now plays with DSO too. Is that Jeff Chementi?

Score: 0

Mr_Miner 1/10/13 4:26 pm

@cjfphan21 said:

@cactoid said:
ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach
They definitely were played by J.S. Bach. I mean, we've had the ability to record music since the 1600s, duh!

JS Bach didnt jam....it was all comosed.

Score: 1

cactoid 1/10/13 4:27 pm

@cjfphan21 said:

@cactoid said:
ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach
They definitely were played by J.S. Bach. I mean, we've had the ability to record music since the 1600s, duh!

The crushing realization that perhaps the greatest classical virtuosos to ever grace the earth are dead and gone with no record of their playing to survive them

Score: 0

cactoid 1/10/13 4:28 pm

related:

shh! the maestro is decomposing.

Score: 1

23piper 1/10/13 4:28 pm

It could easily be argued that his compositions were "jams" of the more traditional "church" music prevalent at the time. He opened it up, explored the parameters, and left jaws on the floor.

@Mr_Miner said:

@cjfphan21 said:
@cactoid said:
ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach
They definitely were played by J.S. Bach. I mean, we've had the ability to record music since the 1600s, duh!
JS Bach didnt jam....it was all comosed.

Score: 2

cjfphan21 1/10/13 4:31 pm

@Mr_Miner said:

@cjfphan21 said:
@cactoid said:
ummm seriously doubt you just posted youtube videos of recordings played by J.S. Bach
They definitely were played by J.S. Bach. I mean, we've had the ability to record music since the 1600s, duh!
JS Bach didnt jam....it was all comosed.

J.S. Bach could improvise an entire fugue (a real one, not the "fugue-like" stuff that gets talked about in Phish) at will. He did it several times actually. Do you understand what a fugue is? If you don't, you should research it. Then you will understand just how badass J.S. Bach was.

EDIT: And since when does composition (good composition at least) take less understanding and musical talent than improvisation? The best musicians can do both and will tell you that composing often times can be more difficult than improvising, which generally has less inherent parameters.

Score: 1

Herbdacious 1/10/13 4:37 pm

The guy from the band RAQ is sick.

Just listening to them you wouldn't notice though because he is so sick he makes it sound like straight up guitar at times.

Score: 0

cactoid 1/10/13 4:40 pm

Im sorry to hear that. I hope he gets well soon.

BADUM CHH

Score: 1

johnnyd

1/10/13 4:40 pm

omgStoops

Score: 0

ledzepmaster 1/10/13 4:44 pm

Page because he does it all.

John Paul Jones just because some people still don't know his talents.

LISTEN!!! The crowd absolutely loses it when he goes into Louie Louie (5:10)

Score: 0

Frizz 1/10/13 4:49 pm

Bernie, Monk and Herbie were mentioned. Thats it.
Page, Brent, Bo(Dude that play in Northampton every Wednesday), and Garth Hudson from The Band all get mentions from me.

Score: 0

strikly_commerical 1/10/13 4:56 pm

Oscar Peterson

Score: 0

HeadySandwich 1/10/13 5:15 pm

No one is mentioning Marco or Medeski?

Score: 0

Phred_Phlintstone 1/10/13 5:47 pm

marco & medeski

Score: 5

Sprachtor 1/10/13 5:51 pm

@johnnyd said:

Is Keith Jarrett in this conversation?
I'm not really knowledgable enough to weigh in, but I've been enjoying his playing lately.

Also, the real answer:
View Spoilers
Its Pigpen right? Definitely Pigpen.

Keith is my favorite. He taught himself to play without listening to or at least spending a great deal of time listening to jazz players.

Score: 0

Oblivious_Fool 1/10/13 5:55 pm

@WGphan92 said:

Eli Winderman from Dopapod has some serious chops... i think he's up there with Page, no joke.

My friends girlfriend's first Phish show was N2 at SPAC this summer. she didnt know much about phish at all, and it was also her first time on the Mahlz. She just kept screaming "He's the best Keyboard player everrrr!!!"

I'm a huge Dopapod fan but I don't know how you can put Eli in this discussion. Doesn't exactly have the dynamic range of Page.

Ray Manzurek and Rick Wakeman have always been my favorites...

Score: 1

patper 1/10/13 5:57 pm

Keith Emerson

Score: 0

johnnyd

1/10/13 6:00 pm

@Sprachtor said:

Keith is my favorite. He taught himself to play without listening to or at least spending a great deal of time listening to jazz players.

Suggestions? I've got the Carnegie Hall recording...
What else is high on the list?

Score: 0

_________________________ 1/10/13 6:07 pm

Billy Joel? I mean he is THE piano man

Score: 0

strikly_commerical 1/10/13 6:10 pm

@johnnyd said:

@Sprachtor said:
Keith is my favorite. He taught himself to play without listening to or at least spending a great deal of time listening to jazz players.
Suggestions? I've got the Carnegie Hall recording...
What else is high on the list?

What are you looking for - him alone at a piano? Him with Miles, jazz funk? Him doing standards with his trio? His quirky 70s stuff?

Score: 1

johnnyd

1/10/13 6:12 pm

I was afraid of that follow up. : )

Whatever. I'm wide open.

Score: 0