Mt Rushmore of Pianists/Keyboard players

[KevShmev]

Let's have a little fun on a Friday.

You get to name four.  No more, no less. 

My list is below, and it's clear that I care more about sounds and textures when it comes to this than chops.

Tony Banks
Richard Barbieri
Tomas Bodin
Richard Wright

[LithoJazzoSphere]

This time are you going for a personal, subjective list?  The other one seemed geared towards a somewhat "objective" consensus one.  And this is for all genres? 

[Schurftkut]

keith emerson
freddie mercury
jordan rudess
tori amos

[Kwyjibo]

Bruce Hornsby
Billy Joel
Derek Sherinian
Tony Banks

[LithoJazzoSphere]

If I'm doing a personal list, it's probably:

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh
Derek Sherinian
James Kent (Perturbator)
Tommy Flanagan

[Stadler]

- Tony Banks (my number one)
- Rick Wakeman
- Keith Emerson
- Jordan Rudess

[lonestar]

- Tony Banks (my number one)
- Rick Wakeman
- Keith Emerson
- Jordan Rudess

With the exception of Wakeman being my favorite, this is a very rare moment we're in total agreement.

Go buy those lotto tickets folks.

[romdrums]

- Tony Banks (my number one)
- Rick Wakeman
- Keith Emerson
- Jordan Rudess

That list is hard to argue with.

Mine would look very similar.

-Tony Banks
-Keith Emerson
-Jordan Rudess
-Hiromi

[Kwyjibo]

Forgot Wakeman, he would be up there too.

[hefdaddy42]

Rick Wakeman
Brad Mehldau
Chick Corea
Jordan Rudess

[HOF]

The first three are pretty easy:

Tony Banks
Bruce Hornsby
Neal Morse

After that?

I would have said Kevin Moore or Jordan Rudess at one point, but I might prefer Sherinian’s playing to each of them these days. But I don’t listen to much of Derek’s music outside of DT either. Mark Kelly should be considered, but he’s not so much of a player (Steve Hogarth is probably a better piano player). I’d like to say PJ Moore from The Blue Nile, but it’s also hard to separate his contributions from the other players in the band.

I might lean into the jazzy side of things and say Danny Manners from Big Big Train.

[The Curious Orange]

Little Richard
Jerry Lee Lewis
Roy Bittan
Christine McVie

[TheCountOfNYC]

Keyboard/piano players are definitely the red-headed stepchildren of my musical influences, as I’m a bassist, drummer, and singer and when I write songs it’s usually riff based or written on guitar. Nonetheless I can certainly come up with four keyboard/piano players who have had an influence on me in some way.

Billy Joel
Elton John
Kevin Moore
Jordan Rudess (my favorite)

Two of my favorite songwriters and two keyboard players from my favorite band (sorry Derek) definitely qualify as influences for me.

[El Barto]

-Hiromi

Hiromi's the only pianist I've heard in ages that's really pushing boundaries and trying new stuff. Honestly, she's a bit of a mad-woman, and that's a very good thing. I don't think I'd put her on my Rushmore, but that's only because she's still a relative youngster.

[Stadler]

I spent a lot of time considering Billy Joel - I think he's way underrated and I think even HE sold himself short by having Richard Joo play on "Fantasies".  But he's really good at what he does, and he has the compositional skills.   I think Elton is there too.   I considered Mark Kelly too, but these days he's kind of more DJ and sound-smith than "player", plus when he was playing he was far more influenced by the guys I listed.  I love him, but sadly Rick Wright wasn't in the running. 

[HOF]

The first three are pretty easy:

Tony Banks
Bruce Hornsby
Neal Morse

After that?

I would have said Kevin Moore or Jordan Rudess at one point, but I might prefer Sherinian’s playing to each of them these days. But I don’t listen to much of Derek’s music outside of DT either. Mark Kelly should be considered, but he’s not so much of a player (Steve Hogarth is probably a better piano player). I’d like to say PJ Moore from The Blue Nile, but it’s also hard to separate his contributions from the other players in the band.

I might lean into the jazzy side of things and say Danny Manners from Big Big Train.

Let’s throw Steve Winwood into this mix for number 4.

[hefdaddy42]

-Hiromi

Hiromi's the only pianist I've heard in ages that's really pushing boundaries and trying new stuff. Honestly, she's a bit of a mad-woman, and that's a very good thing. I don't think I'd put her on my Rushmore, but that's only because she's still a relative youngster.

I love Hiromi.  She would probably be in 5th place for me.

[pg1067]

This time are you going for a personal, subjective list?  The other one seemed geared towards a somewhat "objective" consensus one.  And this is for all genres?

The guitar Mt. Rushmore thread was started by Samsara.


For me, this is pretty easy, and I think it's valid both objectively and subjectively (also happens to be the same as Stadlers, but I posted my in the guitar thread before seeing this thread, so I claim independent creation!    ).

Keith Emerson
Rick Wakeman
Tony Banks
Jordan Rudess

[DTwwbwMP]

Keith Emerson
Elton John
Derek Sherinian
Rick Wakeman

[King Postwhore]

Rick Wakeman
Chick Corea
Jordan Rudess
Luca Zabbini

[Kram]

- Tony Banks (my number one)
- Rick Wakeman
- Keith Emerson
- Jordan Rudess

With the exception of Wakeman being my favorite, this is a very rare moment we're in total agreement.

Go buy those lotto tickets folks.

This is mine as well with not really having a "favorite" here.  All 4 are incredible!

[El Barto]

-Hiromi

Hiromi's the only pianist I've heard in ages that's really pushing boundaries and trying new stuff. Honestly, she's a bit of a mad-woman, and that's a very good thing. I don't think I'd put her on my Rushmore, but that's only because she's still a relative youngster.

I love Hiromi.  She would probably be in 5th place for me.

Her duets with Chick Corea were amazing. Since Rudess is essentially the new CC it'd be great to see them do something.

[ProfessorPeart]

I have 3, struggling to come up with a definitive fourth.

Rick Wakeman
Keith Emerson
Rikard Sjöblom

Keyboards are never something I have focused on. I actually hated them for years. I will say, that from a live perspective, I love Danny Manners work with Big Big Train. I'm unsure of what he did in studio as it can be a bit difficult to discern from liner notes.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Oscar Peterson
Michel Camilo
Chick Corea
Vladimir Horowitz

[T-ski]

There can be only one…

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Hah, I was actually listening to some of his stuff pretty recently again, he's actually kind of underrated. 

[HOF]

I have 3, struggling to come up with a definitive fourth.

Rick Wakeman
Keith Emerson
Rikard Sjöblom

Keyboards are never something I have focused on. I actually hated them for years. I will say, that from a live perspective, I love Danny Manners work with Big Big Train. I'm unsure of what he did in studio as it can be a bit difficult to discern from liner notes.

It’s not easy to tell what is what, but I think most of the piano from English Electric through Grand Tour would be Manners’ work, and probably any of the keyboard solos not credited to Andy Tilson (another great player). I’m at least confident that any of the jazzier bits are Manners (Edgelands, The Leaden Stour, On The Racing Line are good examples of his style).

[coz]

Keith Emerson
Ryo Okumoto
Kevin Moore
Derek Sherinian

[ReaperKK]

Ooo good topic, in no particular order:

Richard Barbieri - The atmospheres he creates and so unique and captivating. I found that a large part of why I can't get into SW's solo work is because it's missing the crucial piece that is Richard.

Richard Wright - For similar reasons to Barbieri Wright built the atmosphere that is PF. I especially love interviews with him at the piano, he finds a way to construct these gorgeous melodies. Not to derail this thread but if you're a fan of Rick Wright I love his performance of Breakthrough with David Gilmour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzTW9Wdl1P8

Ludovico Einaudi - Not the most technical pianist out there but song crafting is on another level. I was lucky enough to see him live a few years ago and it was one of my favorite concert experiences.

Elton John - Just brilliant. Another amazing performer live and his song writing is undeniable.

[Duetsch Dream Dates]

No ones mentioned Stevie Wonder?

Also:
Thelonius Monk
Bill Evans

[KevShmev]

So many good ones mentioned that I had to leave off, most notably, for me, Neal Morse, Billy Joel and Kevin Moore.

Keith Emerson would have been number 1 on my list 25 years ago, but I never listen to ELP anymore. 

Rick Wakeman is awesome, but he is similar to Kevin Moore for me in that he simply doesn't play on that many albums that I listen to with any regularity.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

No ones mentioned Stevie Wonder?

Also:
Thelonius Monk
Bill Evans

Not much room when you can only mention four, but those three are all fantastic as well. 

[twosuitsluke]

Someone get Nobuo Uematsu in there

[ytserush]

First four that come to mind are

Keith Emerson
Jordan Rudess
Art Tatum
Chick Corea