Who are your favorite Pianists / Keyboard Players?

[Wags]

Cory Henry, stellar synth solo starts around minute 4.

 

[paulmapp8306]

Mark Kelly
Nick Rhodes (more for the sounds he gets than his actual playing).

 

[Music Bird]

these 3
Keith Emerson
Gillian Gilbert
Vince Clarke

 

[KeysDude]

Some of my favourites:

Jan Hammer
Howard Jones
Prince and all the keyboardists that ever played in his bands
Jens Johansson

These players had massive influences on me over the years.

 

[keithwjones]

Bryan Rodwell

 

[rsm]

Rick Wakeman, Jon Lord, Keith Emerson, Rick Wright, Ray Manzarek, Jordan Rudess,

Currently listening to a great deal of Gert Van Hoef these days. Here's his latest as of today, he posted on 9-April-2020.

edit: not sure how, but I forgot to add Joey DeFrancesco to my list (he played with Miles Davis when he was 17!)

 

[GeraldR]

For organs of all kind and totally awesome top and bottom technique, Barbara Dennerlein (there's a marvelous video of her applying Hammond slaps and slides to a huge pipe organ). First a shout-out to George Duke, long time Zappa associate. For the unique swampy funk, Mac Rebennack aka Dr. John ... for the other kind Stevie Wonder. For chops and muscle (players of e-boards probably don't understand how much weight lifting goes into a grand piano), Diana Krall. B3 (the keyboard that plays itself) - Jimmy Smith. Of course, as a Canuck I have to include the ever quirky Glenn Gould, the master technician Oscar Petersen, the appropriately named Michael Kaeshammer and a personal fave John Morris Rankin (sometimes it's not flash and dash that counts).

 

[GeraldR]

It occurred to me that there are performers not typically recognized as keyboard players. There's a wonderful shot of the Beatles spit-balling with all 4 of them at keyboards but Paul McCartney can really play - it's hard to duplicate; also John Lennon's backwards 'Moonlight' at least says big hands. Aretha Franklin could flat out play - little known fact: she was Kieth Richards go-to pianist for his solo work. Then there's the (in)famous Nanker Phelge, a pseudonym for various Stones and possibly manager Loog Oldham (they used some clever angles in the video 'Sympathy for the Devil' to obscure the player(s)). Pete Townshend in his quieter moments? John Paul Jones Zeppelin bassist. John Legend a current 'piano man'. Then there are many famous performers in the pretty good category including Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, George Harrison, Lenny Kravitz, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Edge and (just to keep the peace) Lady Gaga.

 

[Vlady]

If I can add a few names to these suggestions...I'd have to take...

Donald Fagen ( and all the keyboardists he used with the "Dan)
Rick Davies of Supertramp (not a lot of quantity but some signature licks for sure)
Tom Scholz (for the sparingly used but otherworldly organ contributions)
Rod Argent (in my mind very under-rated and under-talked-about)
Jason Rebello (on his own and with Sting)
Ben Folds (talented and makes me laugh)
Cory Lerois (Pablo Cruise)