NationStates Jolt Archive

OK along the same vein as best bassist (john myung) who do you think is the best KEYBOARDIST (as in rock) so i dont want any answers about pianists because we all know liszt would win hands down. So the best keyboardist is, in my opinion a tie between

1. Keith Emerson

2. Jordan Rudess

What do you guys think?

Yep pretty much agree- but what about harry hamsdale? :gundge:

Probably Keith Emerson. I bet he'll get the majority of votes here.

Honorable mentions to: Jon Lord, of Deep Purple; Ray Manzarek, of The Doors; and Tori Amos.

Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman

but as far as pianists, what about Rachmaninov?? or as illustrated in the movie 'Shine' and portrayed by Geoffery Rush, the great David Helfgott??

Probably Rick Wakeman.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! i said no pianists!!! but since you said- rachmaninov would certainly be up there, but i still stand by liszt, hands down greatest technical pianist.

OK go to http://www.jordanrudess.com/flash.html and click on:

jrsolo: the BIG ONE- performed at Roseland for the live DT DVD

I heard him play this! prepare to wet yourself keyboardists/pianists!

Herbie Hancock. And before you flip out (not that you where going to, most people know this) Hancock was one of the synth pioneers with albums like Headhunters and Thrust (Future Shock, which contains Rockit came much much later.)

The late (and sorely missed) Freddie Mercury of Queen...his amazing keyboard work was the grace note of Queen's unique sound!

I think another keyboard great a LOT of people overlook is Rick Wright of Pink Floyd.

Admittedly he plays much slower than many "greats", and by his own admission he is not capable of playing in a classical style, but he has an incredible talent of knowing what to play when. He can use silence just as effectively as he uses musical notes. That ear and sense of timing really make his keyboarding skills.

Jon Oliva from Savatage...

Herbie Hancock. And before you flip out (not that you where going to, most people know this) Hancock was one of the synth pioneers with albums like Headhunters and Thrust (Future Shock, which contains Rockit came much much later.)


You really ought to check out "Mwandishi" and "Man Child".

Better than those albums you list.

But Herbie aint rock.


1.Ray Manzarek.

2. Richard Wright.

(I'll bet most of you dont know who this even is.)

I think another keyboard great a LOT of people overlook is Rick Wright of Pink Floyd.

Admittedly he plays much slower than many "greats", and by his own admission he is not capable of playing in a classical style, but he has an incredible talent of knowing what to play when. He can use silence just as effectively as he uses musical notes. That ear and sense of timing really make his keyboarding skills.


Oh.

Now I feel silly.

heres a list to encite debate...

100 Greatest Rock Keyboardists/Pianists


Last Updated 9-14-04 Newly added names are in RED Edited By: Danny







1. Keith Emerson (ELP)
2. Rick Wakeman (Yes)
3. Jon Lord (Deep Purple)
4. Ray Manzarek (The Doors)
5. Jerry Lee Lewis
6. Tony Banks (Genesis)
7. Ray Charles
8. Fats Domino
9. Billy Preston
10. Richard Wright (Pink Floyd)
11. Ian Underwood (The Mothers Of Invention)
12. Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater, The Dregs)
13. Professor Longhair
14. Little Richard
15. Tony Hymas (Jeff Beck)
16. Steve Winwood (Traffic)
17. Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck)
18. Al Kooper (Blood Sweat & Tears)
19. Jan Hammer
20. Elton John
21. Billy Joel
22. Dennis De Young (Styx)
23. Kevin Moore (Dream Theater)
24. T. Lavitz (The Dregs)
25. Brian Eno
26. Jens Johansen (Yngwie Malmsteen)
27. Richard Tandy (ELO)
28. Stevie Wonder
29. Garth Hudson (The Band)
30. Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers Band)
31. Steve Walsh (Kansas)
32. Booker T Jones
33. Rod Argent (Zombies, Argent)
34. George Duke (Frank Zappa)
35. Don Airey (Rainbow, Ozzy, Deep Purple)
36. Allan Zavod (Frank Zappa)
37. David Sancious (Springsteen, Santana, Sting)
38. Ian Mclagan (Rolling Stones, Faces)
39. Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello)
40. Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater)
41. Max Middleton (Jeff Beck)
42. Johnnie Johnson (Chuck Berry)
43. Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
44. Huey "Piano" Smith (The Clowns)
45. Jimmy Greenspoon (Three Dog Night)
46. Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (Grateful Dead)
47. Jon Carin (Pink Floyd, Roger Waters)
48. Jonathan Cain (Journey, Solo)
49. Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey)
50. Benmont Tench (The Heartbreakers)
51. Klaus Schulze
52. Amos Milburn
53. Allen Ravenstine (Pere Ubu)
54. Geoff Downes (Yes, Asia)
55. Allen Toussaint (session man)
56. Randy Newman
57. Bob Mayo (Frampton)
58. Roy Bittan (E Street Band)
59. Bruce Hornsby (B. H. & the Range, Grateful Dead)
60. Matt Bellamy (Muse)
61. Spooner Oldham (Wilson Pickett)
62. Tony Macalpine
63. Alan Price (The Animals)
64. Leon Russell
65. Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep)
66. Claudio Simonetti (Goblin)
67. Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum, Solo)
68. Roddy Bottum (Faith No More)
69. Ivory Joe Hunter
70. Richard Tee
71. Dr. John
72. Bernie Worrell (Talking Heads, Funkadelic)
73. Bill Payne (Little Feat)
74. Michael Pinella (Symphony X)
75. David Rosenthal (Rainbow)
76. Vincent Crane - (Arthur Brown)
77. Robert Lamm (Chicago)
78. Burton Cummings (Guess Who)
79. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
80. Mike Pinder (Moody Blues)
81. Chuck Leavell (Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones)
82. Peter Bardens
83. Jools Holland (Squeeze)
84. Tony Kaye (Yes)
85. Neal Doughty (REO Speedwagon)
86. Mike Garson (David Bowie)
87. Aretha Franklin
88. Bobby Whitlock (Derek & The Dominos)
89. Larry Knechtel (Bread, Smith)
90. Mike Stoller (session man)
91. Jeff Chimenti (Rat Dog, The Dead)
92. Mark Mancina (Yes)
93. Eric Drew Feldman (Captain Beefheart)
94. Edgar Winter
95. Issac Hayes
96. Janne Warman (Children of Bodom, Warmen)
97. Roger Powell (Todd Rundgren, David Bowie)
98. Gary Wright
99. Art Neville
100. Danny Federici (The E Street Band)

phew

Oh.

Now I feel silly.

Huh? Have I missed the joke?

Ah, art neville

I'm partial to Jerry Lee Lewis.

For one inspired moment:
John Evan, the genius that played the piano on Jethro Tull's Locomotive Breath.

For corpus of work and overall technical ability, Wakeman / Lord / Geddy Lee.
are difficult to seperate for me.