Jazz+ Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I just added Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind" to my solo piano repertoire. It sounds great as a ballad in F. What are some other soulful pop ballads like "N.Y. State Of Mind" that work well for solo piano? Harry Likas was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 700 of Harry’s piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and jazz piano tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Please post a recording of your version! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzzz Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 That is the greatest freaking song EVER written about NYC! (with regard to "New York, New York," would you please STOP spreadin' the news?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Ferris Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 + I recorded a version of "Still crazy after all these years". Like a slow jazz-gospel waltz. I changed a few chords in it...nothing too radically different...if you want I can mail you a chart w/ my re-harms. Let me know. I heard a Brad Meldau version on the radio a few months back...it was nice, but I think I liked my version a bit more. On my vocal Cd I did an arrangement of McCartney's "She's leaving home".Again has a slow jazz waltz. I sent it in for the KC compilation.I thought it came out pretty cool. https://soundcloud.com/dave-ferris https://www.youtube.com/@daveferris2709 2005 NY Steinway D, Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, CP88, P515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daBowsa Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I thought we were looking for other Billy Joel songs. I withdraw my submission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harmonizer Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Stevie Wonder's "Knocks Me Off My Feet" from the album "Songs In the Key of Life" is a nice ballad. It has a beautiful chord progression with alternate bass notes that form a nice moving bass line for the left hand. This makes the song interesting enough so it can be played with just a piano and singer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linwood Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Check out the way Eliane Elias does "Through the Fire." I always liked doing that one, not quite as good as she does, mind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceNorman Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 What are some other soulful pop ballads like "NY State Of Mind" that work well for solo piano? I do a version of "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" by James Taylor that feels to me to be in the same "soulful pop ballad" vein as "NY State of Mind" (that's on my playlist too...). Another of my faves is "When Sunny Gets Blue" (which I think of more as a standard than a pop ballad ... but it's definitely got alot of space for getting "soulful".) The SpaceNorman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gismo Recording Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Paul Simon's "Something So Right" works well for solo piano. Check out Annie Lennox's version on her Medusa album. Ken Denny Gismo Recording So Cliché Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 I like "For the love of you" by the Isley Brothers. But it IS dangerously close to Smooth Jazz territory :-) local: Korg Nautilus 73 | Yamaha MODX8 away: GigPerformer home: Kawai RX-2 | Korg D1 | Roland Fantom X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Or, to stick to Billy Joel, "She's always a woman to me". Great lyrics, that one. local: Korg Nautilus 73 | Yamaha MODX8 away: GigPerformer home: Kawai RX-2 | Korg D1 | Roland Fantom X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dongna Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 I've found Simply Red's "Holding Back the Years" works pretty well. Also Marc Cohn's "Miles Away" or "Strangers in a Car" (although if you want easily recognizable tunes those two probably don't qualify). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" fits right in. For something well known but a little bit out of left field, you could make these work:Elvis Costello "Alison"Cyndi Lauper "Time After Time" Wasn't it Busch who did the 6/8 gospel-infused "Let It Be" on the KC Beatles cover edition? I loved that. That was a great way to take an all too familiar song and completely refresh it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzzz Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 "She's Got A Way" is also a great piece by Billy Joel..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dongna Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 I've found Simply Red's "Holding Back the Years" works pretty well. Also Marc Cohn's "Miles Away" or "Strangers in a Car" (although if you want easily recognizable tunes those two probably don't qualify). Argh... got the track numbers mixed up. For what it's worth, instead of "Miles Away" (which is a more up-beat tune) I meant to say "Saving the Best For Last". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Coury Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Elvis Costello "Alison" That came to my mind as well...."What You Won't Do For Love" (Bobby Caldwell) is great. "Oh yeah, I've got two hands here." (Viv Savage) "Mr. Blu... Mr. Blutarsky: Zero POINT zero." (Dean Vernon Wormer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 Great suggestions everybody, thanks! I am going to try all of your good suggestions. Other possibilities might be: "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt"Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Paul Simon "Just The Way You Are" , "Piano Man" by Billy Joel "Your Song" , "Tiny Dancer" & "Song For Guy" by Elton John "Cinema Paradiso" & "Gabriel's Oboe" by Ennio MorriconeImagine, In My life, Here There and Everywhere, Hey Jude, Let It Be, etc I tend to play these tunes on solo piano gigs in a gospely Keith Jarrett / John Coates Jr. sort of style. . Harry Likas was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 700 of Harry’s piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and jazz piano tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 John Coates Jr. - now there's a name you don't hear every day. Yep, Jarrett's early gospel side came straight from John Coates. So if you do "Your Song" by Elton John, then you could do "My Song" by Keith Jarrett. CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 Keith Jarrett was heavily influenced and took a lot of his solo piano style from listening to the albums and performances of John Coates Jr.. Jarrett's "My Song" sounds just like John Coates Jr. So does the way Jarrett plays ballads like "Over The Rainbow". I grew up playing that style too. John Coates, Jr., started playing at "The Deer Head Inn" in Delaware around 1962 and became the house piano player. Other jazz greats who have played at the Inn include Al Cohn, Phil Woods, Dave Liebman, Bob Dorough and more. Some live recordings were produced there with John Coates, Jr., leading the way, followed by Keith Jarrett and others. The Deer Head Inn http://www.deerheadinn.com/images/deerhead.jpg Harry Likas was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 700 of Harry’s piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and jazz piano tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nordude Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Nice Billy Joel ballads, IMHO: - Summer, Highland Falls (Turnstiles, live version on Songs From The Attic)- Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway) (same)- James (Turnstiles)- Honesty (52nd Street (?))- You're My Home (Piano Man? There's a nice live version on Songs From The Attic) Those are not as soulful (nor is for instance She's Always A Woman), but they're very good songs. Solo piano, or solo piano + a singer (as Harmonizer mentioned)? In case of the latter: I always liked some Joe Jackson tunes as well (though again, these are not that soulful): Be My Number Two, Breaking Us In Two, Is She Really... (yes, I like that). For more "soulful" tunes, think a bit gospel... the aforementioned Still Crazy After All Those Years is a good example of such a tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Jazz, cool that you're into that stuff! I loved the Deer Head Inn... but I've heard it's changed somehow now. They use to open those porch doors and the sound of crickets blended with the music. I played there a little years ago in a trio with Steve Gilmore (Phil Woods' bassist then.) And you probably know Phil Woods' house is right in back of the Deer Head. Bob Dorough sat in one night on another gig - kind of funny... he sang on the mic out front like a typical singer, and had me play piano. I'd never seen him sing when he wasn't at the piano. One tune I didn't know, but we started it anyway, and he sang chord symbols for the lyrics on the first chorus. Singing the melody in his trademark voice "E major 7, relative minor." CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Laura Nyro wrote some great songs. You might try He's A Runner or Save The Country. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjdowef1oKE&mode=related&search= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmp Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 New York State Of Mind and Still Crazy After All These Years are two favorites I almost never get to play. I have one gig coming up where I'll get to play that sort of stuff. Another favorite that comes to mind is Pat Metheney's James. They won't recognize it, but they will like it. --wmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Other possibilities might be: "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel Bingo Jazz+! Both tunes are fantastic. The changes in "I Can't Make You Love Me" with a Gospel-flavored reharm and groove makes it a killer tune. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue JC Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Stevie Wonder has a bunch of these. I play "Overjoyed" and "Rainbow In The Sky" with my own reharms. Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Stevie Wonder has a bunch of these. I play "Overjoyed" and "Rainbow In The Sky" with my own reharms. Blue, is that "Ribbon in the Sky"? Great tune with easy changes and folks never seem to get tired of hearing it. The modulations make it extremely cool. Also makes for a great wedding tune. Can be played for about 30 minutes. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue JC Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Stevie Wonder has a bunch of these. I play "Overjoyed" and "Rainbow In The Sky" with my own reharms. Blue, is that "Ribbon in the Sky"? Great tune with easy changes and folks never seem to get tired of hearing it. The modulations make it extremely cool. Also makes for a great wedding tune. Can be played for about 30 minutes. Yes - Ribbon In The Sky. Another brain fart on my part. Check out "Overjoyed" too. It's such a well-written song, it plays itself. Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Irok Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Speaking of rainbows, I used to play "Rainbow Connection" by Kermit The Frog during a solo gig... Check out my band's site at: The Key Components! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Balladeering... fun stuff on a solo gig. "Scene from an Italian Restaurant" - one of my personal fave Joel ballads. Something more obscure, far more challenging, but equally soulful would be Dream Theater's "Disappear" (from Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence) - yes, it's a full band arrangement, but Rudess certainly does enough under all the bombastic Portnoy chops to carry the song on his own. A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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