Best Rock n' Roll Piano Performers

[Hans Sprungfeld]

We caught Dr. John at a Hamden free show what I thought was a few summers ago. Turns out it was 2007. That was a great time. Great weather, big enthusiastic crowd, couple of beers and a capicola grinder. Dr. John had a full band and put on a heck of a show.

It was a great show, completely unexpected in the setting at Town Park. IIRC, he even did "I Walk on Guilded Splinters," later in the show, and it was very easy to walk right up next to the stage. The nights before and after were booked north and north of Hamden with market rate ticket prices. It was a real treat that the town booked him.

 

[Yardigan]

Saw Ray Charles in a park down by the pier (or, what used to be the pier) in St. Petersburg... maybe 1993 or '94...great time.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Don't recall yet seeing Steve Nieve, and Bobby Whitlock on "Layla" and Steve Winwood on "Glad" are pretty iconic.

 

[storrsroars]

A handful of others I've liked that I haven't seen mentioned or missed:

Gary Brooker
George Duke
Ian McLagen
Billy Payne
Bernie Worrell
Andy Clark
Bob Mayo on the keyboards... Bob Mayo.

And Macca ain't bad, either.

 

[dennismenace]

Ray Charles and Billy Preston who used to be the opening act for Ray before he went on his own. Both incredibly talented and entertaining. Ray used to play at the Oakdale and a similar type theater in the round
in Mass (Springfield I think). Had a 17 pc orchestra and revolving stage up close made for great concerts.
Saw him also with Dizzie Gillespie at Carnegie Hall.

 

[dennismenace]

Here is a very different LP of Ray Charles with a lot of great jazz musicians including Clark Terry
Genius Plus Soul = Jazz Ray is playing the organ on this LP:

 

[FlakeyFoont]

The incomparable Chuck Leavell, who has played with Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, The Black Crowes, George Harrison, The Allman Brothers Band...and many more.

 

[ET7774]

No, but he's great, too.

I'm a huge sucker for the B3. Hits my sweet spot and there are so many I like. I've only discovered guys like Auger and Earland in the past few years and their work blows me away. I forgot Dr. Lonnie Smith, too, whom I've known of longer and seen several times.

Also David Torkanowksy, Davell Crawford and Henry Butler on piano.

Barbara Dennerlein

 

[Waquoit]

Don't recall yet seeing Steve Nieve

Only theremin player I ever saw at a rock show in person.

 

[Lamble]

I think it was 1984 or 1985. I lived in the Jungle at the time.

I was in the Jungle at the same time

 

[Kathy]

I was in the Jungle at the same time

Jungle 75-77

 

[Huskyhoops25]

Rick Wright, John “Rabbit” Bundrick, Billy Preston

 

[dvegas]

Jordan Giangreco

 

[Ratso]

robert walter

 

[Drytortugas]

Andy Pratt.

 

[August_West]

Lolz. That ain’t my quote.
I cant name my own band mates.

he is a great player though . B3 and piano

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Andy Pratt.

Gotta say it - that a most unexpected 14th post.
It was a great joy to discover that many decades later, my brain snapped to attention and sang along to "Avenging Annie" with full memory of the lyrics after reading it.

A notebook from 1976 that says that I listened to "Resolution" more than any other album that year, but by year's end it had been thoroughly crowded out by Graham Parker, Eno, Wild Tchoupitoulas, and thereafter the sea change that came in the wake of Ramones.

 

[dvegas]

Lolz. That ain’t my quote.
I cant name my own band mates.

he is a great player though . B3 and piano

hard working underpaid musicians have my love and respect

 

[Huskybass]

I was in the Jungle at the same time

I lived in Fairfield for a year and New London for a year.

 

[VA Blue Dog]

Saw Keith Emerson and 5th Beatle, Billy Preston in Brussels and Steve Winwood at the Verizon Center. Great keyboards.

 

[Lamble]

I lived in Fairfield for a year and New London for a year.

I was in Windham

 

[tomtom80]

Saw Keith Emerson and 5th Beatle, Billy Preston in Brussels and Steve Winwood at the Verizon Center. Great keyboards.

Saw ELP at MSG. If I recall thru my self induced haze, he and his synthesizer came down from the heavens on a platform through a cloud of smoke. He could have been playing chop sticks suspended above the stage, I would not have cared. Although I did not see him in person, Schroeder from Charlie Brown Deserves a shout out too

 

[vtmikeb]

 

[Mr. Hand]

Fats Domino, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. I saw Lewis at one of UConn’s Cabernet nights, now several years ago, but well after his prime. Chubby Checker also appeared. Chubby was great, a lot of audience interaction. Lewis, whose piano playing was good, seemed bored, kind of perfunctory and disappointing.

I was there. Hard to get all worked up when.the venue is mostly empty seats.

 

[cohenzone]

I was there. Hard to get all worked up when.the venue is mostly empty seats.

Wasn’t that empty. Chubby managed ok. Jerry Lee maybe was drunk.

ETA. Any idea if they are still doing those caberet nights?

 

[Kathy]

Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater - have seen them multiple times here and in Europe.

 

[Mr. Hand]

Wasn’t that empty. Chubby managed ok. Jerry Lee maybe was drunk.

ETA. Any idea if they are still doing those caberet nights?

There were plans to continue it. The pandemic is kind of a roadblock, so we'll see.

 

[Waquoit]

No. Just, no...

 

[Madmannsucks]

No. Just, no...

The line has to be drawn somewhere. To close to Zamfir for my taste.

 

[boba]

Nicky Hopkins is one of my favorites.....

Bot how did we get to page.2 and no one mentioned Keith Emerson? Don't understa d it.

Page 4 and one mentions the late great Warren Zevon? oh my, senility has taken its hold on me. Roland was a warrior, from the land of the midnight sun...