Obviously Elton is a giant in a general sense as a musician/singer/songwriter/rock star.
But considered purely as a pianist… is he just extremely good, or are his skills considered truly outstanding?
Just curious…
He’s damned good. That album 6-23-70 or whatever has some pretty damned good playing on it. I don’t know about his big hits or whatever, but when he wanted to, he could throw down some pretty heavy two-fisted (er, is that inappropriate?) blues-rock piano.
ETA I don’t know about “outstanding” compared to James Booker, but he could play as well as about anyone in that style of rock piano. He was no Liberace, but he could certainly play at a very high level very idiomatically.
Question: what does OP think?
He was invited to attend the Royal Academy of Music at age 11, so that’s certainly a sign of precocious talent. Listening to his old albums reveals some pretty masterful playing, though I’m sure there’s folks here more qualified than I to say.
OP is in no way qualified to have an opinion. He sounds fantastic to me, but anyone who can play at a professional level impresses me, I can’t discern degrees of mastery.
I was with you until you held Liberace up as your standard.
mmm
You do know James Booker, probably the greatest virtuoso of blues piano, called himself the “Black Liberace,” no? It’s not possible for my reference to be interpreted as a gay slur, even as homophobic an environment as jazz/blues music in general.
Yeah, my understanding is that however ridiculous he was in any other way, Liberace was actually an excellent pianist.
His fingers sure could fly and he sure made it look easy, especially when he shifts to “16 to the bar”.
Also, I learned “I’ll Be Seeing You” (or whatever it’s called) off Booker’s interp of Liberace’s break tune.
Seriously, though, I think your average public just hears blues or rock piano as “Oh, that’s all?!” – and most musicians IME do too. Like it’s so much harder to play hard at intensity with a groove, even if there are only a few chords – WordMan had it right in another thread. Groove people feel, but, I’d add, people don’t appreciate it as “virtuoso” playing until it’s missing. Nice thing about piano, though – it’s easy to fake some fast scales or use the LH to do some rolls or even try to 'prov some counterpoint.
I only like that one album by Elton I mentioned earlier, and his tune “Rocket Man,” but he can play when he wants to – I didn’t know he played legit music, but I’m not as impressed by that. The guy can play. Too bad a lot of his big hits didn’t use him getting down on the piano, but I can’t criticize him for playing his tunes the way he wanted to.
That’s gorgeous. I never saw that one. (Grumble, Fats Domino did it first!) I’ve never actually seen Liberace play before, just from colored people playing “tribute” to him and all those stories. He’s not bad!
ETA he’s like an old time Jools Holland! ETTA that guy who wanted to know how to play solo piano – that 1940s YouTiube clip – there’s your tenths. Teddy Wilson he ain’t, but that’s why a good pianist needs to at least fake some tenths.
My wife insists he’s the finest Chopin interpreter.
Drop I hate to tell your wife this, but she’s a man! I’ve spent just now listening to Liberace on YouTube – there are a lot of tricks he uses, and I’d take good old A.R. over Liberace anyday. There’s rubato and there’s rubato.
That said, if wife enjoys it, good for her.
But you do you know there are so many things to imitate feeling and impress people in piano, no? Cat’s got technique, but Elton has some heavy soul in there.l
Liberace was a superb piano player and entertainer. I think it’s a good standard to be held to. As for Elton, I think he’s a solid player. I haven’t heard him play anything that makes my jaw drop (unlike Liberace), but the music of his I’ve heard doesn’t call for piano pyrotechnics. He plays with great feel and rhythm–perfect pop piano.
That’s the thing. Let me clarify. I think Liberace was fun and had hella technique, but was not the most original or inventive guy at the keyboard. Elton is more interesting from a musical perspective, with his signature piano sound.
Heyt, speaking of playing the piano… is it more difficult for lefties? I assume that the parts played by the left hand are generally less complex than those for the right- but maybe not. Anyone know?
I’m pretty sure you’re equal or better at me at playing blues piano, but listen to that album I mentioned by Elton and say (honestly!) you could keep that intensity going while demonstrating the rhythm?
I don’t know you, but everything you’ve said about music has been right on IMO, so tell me I’m wrong?
'I’m only speaking as a non-EJ fan who just happened to be amazed that the cat could actually play.
Oh, about the lefties. Well, Groove Holmes (organist) was LH – and, yes, he had a killer LH bass (Hammond organ on jazz is played with the LH and the pedals). Don’t know about Phineas Newborn Jr., but I almost learned his blues for LH (can’t remember) – he had both hands and killed it technique-wise on both.
Obviously, there’s Paul Wittgenstein, but that’s different.
But in jazz, you got double octaves, or single octaves, divided into both hands, and then you got limitations.
I don;'t think handedness really enters into it much. I could go on, but My Left Brain is saying go see about some other thread.
Bah. I prefer this guy.
mmm
As would I, though I never heard him play “The Beer Barrel Polka.”
But not like A.R.* Dude oozed the Polish soul.
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- Arthur Rubenstein, for those less steeped in Polish pianists.**
** - When our eldest was being housetrained she dragged her toy piano into the bathroom to help her pass the time. I took a picture of her sitting on the pot and playing the piano and labeled it “Pottyrewski.”
Me too, but because of the LH, and because I learned this great tune from his record, I’ll always like this one: . Yes I had things this past summer.