Entertainment For Lively Minds
Guitar groups are out of date
Posted by Commoner on 30 July 2008 - 2:00pm.
When guitar shredding tires my mind I look forward to turning to artists mainly associated with the piano such as Tom Waits, Randy Newman, Billy Joel, Elton John, Ray Charles, Yann Tiersen...and even a bit of Freddie Mercury. Most are old school though...
Current/new artists that are piano led are low on my radar. I like a bit of Duke Special and lots of Matt Hales from Aqualung (however his latest fab album is heavy on the six strings). So who is currently tinkling ivories that you think is worth a look/listen?
- More from Commoner.
- Login or register to post comments
-
Hederos & Hellberg
From Sweden - lovely piano based covers of classic tracks - if you can imagine "No Fun" by the Stooges played by Erik Satie you're half way there.
http://www.silence.se/hh/2e.htm
http://www.last.fm/music/Hederos+%2526+Hellberg
Tried it...
liked it...buying it...consider your commission well earned...much thanks
Glad to hear that...
When you want to go back to guitars you should check out their "day jobs" too!
Reggie!
Regina Spektor. Forget the standard media pigeon-holing; she's neither "anti-folk" nor "quirky" (unlike some, she's never performed with a plastic duck on her head, but when was Elton John ever called "quirky"?) - she's just someone who really loves having fun with music and has buckets of talent to go with it. The Kate Bush of the new millennium? Oh yes.
Begin to hope
...deal done...now slipping down the phone line..a whiff of Tori but distinctive to herself too...nice....thanks Archie
Never mind that
The still on the YouTube clip above is very unnerving - is it a Gerry Anderson puppet? The sixth Tracy brother??
Gulp.
There are no strings
when I slip away dreamily to the words and music....vastly underated artist as far as I am concerned is Mr Hales
For piano music, I like....
Ben Folds
Mose Allison
Nina Simone
It's nice to listen to a bit of ragtime or classical now and then too.
The one I am not aware of is
Mose Allison...any particulat album?
Mose Allison
is a jazz pianist and singer(at least that's how I'd describe him). I found out about him by seeing his name credited on other artists albums and sites.
I have 2 of his cds....the name of the first escapes me but it was one of these music club things ie "Mose does Jazz" or such like. Got it in a charity shop a while ago. The other is called "Allison Wonderland" and is a 2cd compilation/anthology type thing. I'd recommend this.
Some jazz players go way too far off for me. Mose doesn't do this.
If you like Randy Newman...
...then you'll like EVEN MORE Randy Newman. Have you got "the Randy Newman songbook vol. 1"??
It's an album of re-recorded versions of many of his songs - just Randy and his piano. It is very very special and wonderful.
I second the vote for Ben Folds - utterly fabulous on the piano.
For a bit of humour - Tom Lehrer! Just a man and his piano being very funny.
And I'm so glad you mention Billy Joel. I love his music (although admittedly I could live quite happily without ever hearing "We Didn't Start The Fire" ever again), but he seems to be one of those artists that people just won't admit to liking.