We recently did something similar on the best drummers and it proved to be quite interesting.
Here's a six pack of the best keyboard players to kick this discussion off. For the sake of brevity I have only listed the bands that made them a household name.
1. Keith Emerson (ELP)
2. Rick Wakeman (Yes)
3. Jon Lord (Deep Purple)
4. Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones)
5. Richard Wright (Pink Floyd)
6. Ian McLagan (The Small Faces)
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:13 pm
by jps
You can add Tony Banks to that list.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:13 pm
by captsandwich
Jerry Dammers - the Specials
Steve Nieve - the Attractions
Joe Jackson - Joe Jackson Band
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:22 pm
by ozover50
Gary Brooker and Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum)??
By no means keyboard gymnasts but brilliant given the style of music and execution..... IMHO, of course!
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:30 pm
by antipodean
Brian,
I'd put Jon Lord at number one, but can't fault the list.
From different ends of the spectrum, neither being technically adept by their own admission, I'd add:
Jerry Lee Lewis
Brian Eno
Booker T might just earn a guernsey as well!
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:08 pm
by ozover50
Excellent calls, Evan..... especially Jon Lord.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:01 pm
by tennis_nick
My two all time favorites
Billy Preston
and the always underrated, Bobby Whitlock
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:27 pm
by woodyng
love them all,esp,mr emerson...rod argent,and patrick moraz are also very high on my personal list.also michael brown from the left bank/stories...
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:45 pm
by phlemmy
Jens Johansson (Malmsteen, Jonas Hellborg, Stratovarius)
Chick Corea
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:50 am
by whojamfan
What, no Gary Numan or Thomas Dolby?
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:12 am
by winston
Steve Winwood deserves a mention for his time with The Spencer Davis Group. Plus he's a terrific singer to boot.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:22 am
by whojamfan
Tangerine Dream did some very interestings with their keyboard arrangements, as well as Richard Tandy(ELO), who really put the vocoder on the map with "Mr. Blue Sky".
The worlds very best though, IMHO, were the B3 jazz greats that inspired Winwood, McLagen, and Lord, as well as countless others of that era.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:01 am
by jps
Brain Auger!
Re: The Worlds Very Best Keyboard Players
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:26 am
by charlyg
Max Middleton, IN this video, he is not featured, but you can hear his tasty stuff supporting a great lead, just as with Jeff Beck....
The list seems to assume rock keyboard players. Which is fine if that's what ya wanna do, but any global list of keyboardists that doesn't include Jimmy Smith is grossly incomplete.
