MAJUSCULE Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 James Poyser shared what can be construed as the keyboardist's version of the Imagine celebrity video, on every steroid available. In his words: Amazing Grace There are very few songs that provide such comfort to so many in difficult times. It really doesn"t matter who you areâ¦age, beliefs, ethnicity, orientation... Amazing Grace meets us where we are. I asked 12 of my friends, 12 of the finest musicians on the planet, to help transcend together through all 12 keys...each playing in a new key, a new voice, a new color and then transposing up a 1/2 step to lift up the next player, as we all should do: lift up the next person we meet. May there be Amazing Grace moving through our lives at all times ðð¾ðð¾ IGTV video I'll let you discover who the other 11 players are. Considering his circles, there's a good chance your favourite living jazz/pop/gospel keyboardist is part of it. Another nice moment to get us through this. Quote Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I watched, waiting to see who was going to get stuck with F# & B. The respective players nailed it. Lots to transcribe in there. Quote My Site Nord Electro 5D, Novation Launchkey 61, Logic Pro X, Mainstage 3, lots of plugins, fingers, pencil, paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 just watched, thanks for posting, Eric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Hey thanks for that! I was hoping hoping hoping that someone would play it straight... NOPE! I guess that wasn't going to happen, but that's OK, it was great and it's exceedingly clear that keyboard players are essential! Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRW Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Hiromi won! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Some of those players show boat licks, problem with that in most cases is that you lose the essence of the song. Just because you can do something doesn't always mean you should. Two or three of them in the video get it. Quote "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Quinn Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Cool video! Cory Henry"s performance spoke to me the most. Quote https://alquinn.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morizzle Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 I was hoping hoping hoping that someone would play it straight... NOPE! Can't you do that yourself at home? edit: This is not meant to be a jab at ya. It's a genuine question. I just sat down and played it straight in a few keys. Looking forward to get more harmonic inspiration when I listen back to the people in the video. Quote It's not a clone, it's a Suzuki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morizzle Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Some of those players show boat licks, problem with that in most cases is that you lose the essence of the song. Just because you can do something doesn't always mean you should. Two or three of them in the video get it. And that's why you have a record contract and these guys don't. Quote It's not a clone, it's a Suzuki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamuelBLupowitz Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 That was a lot of fun! Some heavy-hitters pretty early on there. Love the "tag, you're it" style of the video, with each player setting up the next player's key. Quote Samuel B. Lupowitz Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Cool video! Cory Henry"s performance spoke to me the most. Agreed, Al. I would bet, given his background, that he has played that song more times than all of the other contributers put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 This was fantastic thank you for sharing. I loved each and every take. It is humbling to see the humble setting of some of these guys. I always picture these giants to have something like Gerald Clayton's set up. Not so. Quote Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Some of those players show boat licks, problem with that in most cases is that you lose the essence of the song. Just because you can do something doesn't always mean you should. Two or three of them in the video get it. You can feel how you want to feel about it but I disagree pretty strongly with this take. This video isn't about them backing up a singer at some half time show, it is about interpreting a song through the lens of who they are as players. None of it was showboaty to me. There were 12 masterful voices, and I'm sure they ALL feel humble in the company of most of the other players on this video. Quote Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Very much respect you, Outkaster, and always have. On this one, I came away with the same sense as Bobby. I loved that each injected themselves into their interpretation - which is kinda what this was about - while not calling undue attention to flash w/o substance, in my opinion. Without crossing the religion line on this forum, I am very very much acquainted with the origins of this song, and John Newton's original lyrics and versions. This tune means a great great deal to me. And I personally felt they did a fine job for the sake of the tune. Just my 0.02. Quote .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 It's also worth pointing out that JP specifically said to each bring a different voice or colour, so yeah, they can't all just play it straight up either. Like Tim and Bobby, I felt it represented the identity of each player well. Cory has chops but loves to break it down. His performance also touched me. Glasper is, well, Glasper. Same for Hiromi, and so on. They each brought their own flavour. I got pretty emotional the first time and have watched it a few times since. Oh, and let's not forget the man Travis Sayles who probably has played the song as many times as Cory, and maybe even more. Please do check him out if anyone is unfamiliar. Quote Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Sorry some of the essence was lot on a couple of them for me that's all. Yes there was a ton of heavy hitters on that clip. To each their own. Quote "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Of course we like to critique styles and chops and takes, but the essence of this song certainly is apropos for what"s going on right now. I grew up with the Judy Collins version, during a time of terrible discord and division. No matter who plays it or how they play it, the song has tremendous healing power. Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteinwayB Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Never heard of Travis Sayles. I was up to midnight last night listening to his stuff. Holy crap; another example of life isn't fair! What a monster. Again, thanks to this forum for enlightening me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManInTheBox Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 That was a lot of fun! Some heavy-hitters pretty early on there. Love the "tag, you're it" style of the video, with each player setting up the next player's key. This may confirm that I am tone deaf, so just to clarify, you're saying each person played in a different key? Edit: I just reread the original note... yeah, all 12 keys. I am tone deaf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManInTheBox Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Hey thanks for that! I was hoping hoping hoping that someone would play it straight... NOPE! I guess that wasn't going to happen, but that's OK, it was great and it's exceedingly clear that keyboard players are essential! Trying to learn the lingo here, by straight up, do you mean just playing basic triads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveCoscia Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 That was awesome. Inspiring. Quote Steve Coscia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Hey thanks for that! I was hoping hoping hoping that someone would play it straight... NOPE! I guess that wasn't going to happen, but that's OK, it was great and it's exceedingly clear that keyboard players are essential! Trying to learn the lingo here, by straight up, do you mean just playing basic triads? Hey Brilliant, by "playing it straight", what I was getting at is that many versions of the song are very simple, tinged with gospel, and LOADED with passion in a very stripped down manner. Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polychrest Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Inspiring and impressive. It was like that old strongman test at the circus where you pick up a sledgehammer and pound a device that shoots a weight up a scale, at the top of which is a bell. Each one of these players rang the bell forcefully and stylishly. Andâirony alertâto use a term that should resonate around here, not one of them, given the assignment, is a transposeur. Quote “For 50 years, it was like being chained to a lunatic.” -- Kingsley Amis on the eventual loss of his libido Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkfloydcramer Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Hey Brilliant, by "playing it straight", what I was getting at is that many versions of the song are very simple, tinged with gospel, and LOADED with passion in a very stripped down manner. For that I think you want Bobby Floyd. Even though I've never heard him play this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Not to derail the great and very cool compilation that Eric posted, but I think this is what I had in my head when I was hoping for a stripped down take amongst the world class jazzy takes [video:youtube] Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykhailo Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Thanks Eric for sharing this amazing video...and a very interesting discussion. I just tried playing 'amazing grace' in all 12 keys. It"s interesting, obviously in some keys you can let loose, start throwing in subs, licks, etc, and in other keys, just laying it down with some soul and sticking to the melody is a challenge. I now have an 'amazing grace etude' to throw into my practice routine! Mind blowing performances in this clip, and truly inspiring hearing/seeing these incredible players just eat up the tough keys for breakfast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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