loxley11 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Hi guys, I've been asked to record some keyboard tracks for a friend of mine, and he needs some down n' dirty boogie/rock/blues type stuff (Takin' care of business comes to mind, or pretty much anything jerry lee lewis, though i'm sure there are better examples). I'm familiar with some of the names in early boogie-woogie and blues, so I'm focusing in on those more recent artists (> 1950)who have assimilated all those different styles into something that's highly polished. I'm not really talking simple blues licks or the blues scale either, we all know those. I'm more interested in finding out how all the intervals, licks, and chords fit together rhythmically and produce something that makes sense, that has a flow to it. These guys don't seem to be as well known as the best jazzers. Probably because a lot of them are studio musicians or "rock" musicians (and therefore unworthy of study). Oh, right, and because it's the Devil's music, lol. Any leads to specific recordings or artists would be really awesome. And yes, I did try the extremely limited search function AND Google search function (as Sven described) before posting this. Thanks again, loxley11 "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" -Mike Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loxley11 Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 I was just thinking about Little Richard; does anyone know where i can find recordings where you can actually hear the piano? I've got a few of his early recordings, and it's pretty difficult to discern what he's doing. "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" -Mike Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Check out Kevin McKendree. He's a cat out there right now who really has a good grasp on a wide variety of blues, rock, and soul styles and approaches. Great player A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Billy Payne of Little Feat is the modern barrelhouse piano master. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I second kanker's recommendation of Kevin McKendree. Just play like him and you'll be fine. He's on lots of recent Delbert McClinton stuff. You can buy "The Legendary Sessions, Vol. 2, Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack" on iTunes for $10.00 and that album has about every good boogie lick ever known to western civilization IMO. "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3bluesman59 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 loxley11 said: was just thinking about Little Richard; does anyone know where i can find recordings where you can actually hear the piano? I've got a few of his early recordings, and it's pretty difficult to discern what he's doing. _________________________________________________________________ Little Richard's first hits were all released on Specialty Records of Los Angeles. These were all top-quality recordings and you can hear every piano note he plays. Bumps Blackwell was the producer and he hired only the best players to make the album. The first album has most of Little Richard's hits on it including Tutti Frutti, Lucille, Rip It Up, Miss Ann, Slippin' & Slidin', Jenny Jenny, Send Me Some Lovin',Long Tall Sally, etc. You can probably find the CD on Amazon. My problem was never hearing the Little Richard piano, it was trying to play it like he did. His fingers are really fast! Great voice, great showman, great piano player. That is why Little Richard is a living legend to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loxley11 Posted July 12, 2008 Author Share Posted July 12, 2008 Thanks guys, that is exactly what I was looking for!!!! Re: little richard - maybe the recordings i got were just degraded from being transferred so many times. I'll check iTunes and see what they've got... "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" -Mike Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loxley11 Posted July 12, 2008 Author Share Posted July 12, 2008 Funny story...I was trying to find out who the keyboard player was on BTO's Takin' care of business (which I had used as an example above) Does anyone already know the story behind this - it's wild! [info taken from the Randy Bachman Interview at http://wcmr.com/rcb.htm] The piano was played by Norman Durkee, a pizza delivery person who happened to walk in on the band while they were recording the song. The pizza had actually been ordered by Steve Miller and War, who were recording in an adjacent studio. While asking BTO if they knew who ordered the pizza, Durkee heard the song, and suggested that it needed a piano. BTO let him add a piano track, liked how it sounded, and decided to keep it on the song. "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" -Mike Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3bluesman59 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 loxley11 said: The piano was played by Norman Durkee ________________________________________________________________ That BTO track was recorded at Kaye-Smith studios in Seattle. Steve Miller cut a lot of his hits there too. Norman Durkee is a well-known Seattle keyboard artist. He plays everything from rock and blues to avante-garde synch type stuff. I never knew him to be a pizza delivery guy but if he was it makes for a great story. Of course Randy Bachman has been known to pull a leg or two during interviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3bluesman59 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 If you want to see a pic of Norman Durkee and his gear in his studio go here: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/neighbors/firsthill/scene6.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richwhite9 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Funny story...I was trying to find out who the keyboard player was on BTO's Takin' care of business (which I had used as an example above) They got Little Richard to play on their last US hit 'Take it Like a Man' from their 5th album. It's easy to tell it's Richard. He's got a signature sound that many copy but no one quite nails it. THere's that x factor, the falling over the edge chaos that no one else really captures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3bluesman59 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 It's easy to tell it's Richard. He's got a signature sound that many copy but no one quite nails it _________________________________________________________________ As Little Richard said to Johnny Carson one night on the Tonight Show after LR just blew everyone away: "Now Johnny, I don't mean no disrespect to Elvis, But I am the King of Rock and Roll". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottom End Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Jools Holland can really tear it up, but you'd have to look for some live Squeeze recordings, I can't think of any studio examples. I can't remember who played piano for Commander Cody, but I recommend him as well. Dr John and Leon Russell are definitely worth studying. "Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.'-Hamlet Guitar solos last 30 seconds, the bass line lasts for the whole song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mú Carvalho Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahZark Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Hey Loxley: I see your in Greensboro, NC. Here's a suggestion: Drop a PM to the Forum's own BluesKeys (Jim) over in Raleigh, and ask if you can drop in and watch him play at his next gig. Or just come to the next Mid-Atlantic Forum Hang, since Jimmy tends to show up at those with ITGITC. Jimmy's like a walking/talking lesson in how to play this stuff! Noah P.S. Mu: Thanks for that video. Wish I could play like that dude (or Jim). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahZark Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Billy Payne of Little Feat is the modern barrelhouse piano master. +1 on studying the work of Bill Payne. And Dr. John, too. Noah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewall08530 Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Charlie Wood has become one of my favorites for blues/ boogie woogie piano. He plays his a** off and can sing damn good too. edwall.biz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Rudy Blues Shoes is the real deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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