part1sts Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Who, in your opinions, are the most talented and influential blues pianists of all time? Past and present. Together we stand, Divided we fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guestuserguestuser.com Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Originally posted by part1sts: Who, in your opinions, are the most talented and influential blues pianists of all time? Past and present.Of blues pianists whose last name end in 'ann', I think the greatest are: Otis Spann Jay McShann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Richard: agreed How 'bout : Johnnie Johnsann Billy Pann Dick Hymann Dave Grusann Oscar Petersann Ray Charles (Roses are red, violets are blue Some poems rhyme, this one doesn't) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve123 Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 I like Pinetop Perkins. He's been around forever and his early boogie-woogie blues style influenced swing and later rock 'n roll. If you want to play blues, listen to how Pinetop does it. Not that I've ever been able to come close. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_dup3 Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Spann probably is the single most influential. As far as "most talented", that's where we'll all offer different choices.I like Clarence Lofton & Professor Longhair but that's as much for their musical eccentricities as their "talent"...& does Longhair count? How narrow is the field? Can we offer stride cats like Eubie Blake & Willie Smith? Earl Hines or Morton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoLights Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Check out early Ray Charles, too! _______________________________________________ Kurzweil PC4; Yamaha P515; EV ZXA1s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Ever heard James Carrol Booker? "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niacin Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Present and talanted - Bruce Katz.Check him out with Ronnie Earl and solo. Gig keys: Hammond SKpro, Korg Vox Continental, Crumar Mojo 61, Crumar Mojo Pedals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete psingpy Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Originally posted by daviel: Ever heard James Carrol Booker?Another vote for Booker, who was considered by Dr. John and Harry Connick, and maybe others, as the greatest of the New Orleans pianists. others: Dr. John Ray Charles Longhair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txeightyeight Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 How about Chuck Leavell? Remember his work on Eric Clapton Unplugged? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Originally posted by part1sts: Who, in your opinions, are the most talented and influential blues pianists of all time? Past and present.Professor Longhair Roosevelt Sykes Sunnyland Slim James Booker Dr John A few other very talented players: Charles Brown Henry Butler Marcia Ball Really just scratching the surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Scratching the surface is right, Byrdman.Of the innumerable cats poundin' the ivories, research would indicate that these fellas are the giants of the ones that were recorded : Pinetop Smith......................10s-20sLittle Brother Montgomery.....10s-80sLeroy Carr............................20s-30sBig Maceo Merriweather.........20s-50s Meade "Lux" Lewis................20s-60sWillie "The Lion" Smith.........20s-70sRoosevelt Sykes...................20s-80sSunnyland Slim...................20s-90sAlbert Ammons...................30s-40s Blind John Davis..................30s-80s Memphis Slim.....................30s-80s Jay McShann.......................30s-00sOtis Spann..........................40s-60sProfessor Longhair................40s-70s Pinetop Perkins....................40s-00s with these guys of maybe slightly less importance : Charles "Cow Cow" Davenport...10s-50sSpeckled Red...........................10s-70sSammy Price............................20s-90sPeetie Wheatstraw....................30s-40sJimmy Yancey..........................30s-50sIvory Joe Hunter.......................30s-70sLittle Johnny Jones...................40s-60sAmos Milburn...........................40s-60sPercy Mayfield...........................40s-70sWillie Mabon.............................40s-80sCharles Brown..........................40s-90sChampion Jack Dupree..............40s-90sRay Charles..............................40s-00sFats Domino.............................40s-00sJohnnie Johnson.......................40s-00sPiano Red.................................50s-80sJames Booker...........................50s-80sDr. John...................................50s-00sJimmy McCracklin.....................50s-00s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Hey Jeep - that's the start of a nice list. I assume you were deliberately avoiding modern players. I would certainly have Katie Webster on any list of mine. Also where do you draw the line - for example I notice Art Neville is not on your list, perhaps because you don't consider him Blues. Then there are influential players like Eddie Bo whose recording output is slim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Byrdman, you're absolutely right, of course.That list, as you so aptly put it, is simply a starting point; at best, a decent foundation for what has been built upon it during all the years of pianistic blues fervour. We've all heard certain blues piano players, live or recorded, that tear us up . Astounding chops, unbelievably tasty changes, right-on-the-money appropriate riffs, or just dripping with sincere effort, emotion, and feeling. Whether they're accompanying themselves or others, expressing or interpreting a theme or melody, or just throbbing for the dancers, they move us. They're automatically in our soul, and on any list of the greats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedly Nightshade Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 James P. Johnson A WOP BOP A LU BOP, A LOP BAM BOOM! "There is nothing I regret so much as my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" -Henry David Thoreau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 There used to be an online streaming New Orleans music station, every day was a different theme. Saturdays were piano days, and pretty much all of it was great. I don't remember all the names, but Fess (Professor Longhair), Huey "Piano" Smith, and Dr. John are the ones that stand out. I definitely agree with many of the others mentioned (Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Oscar Peterson, Pinetop Perkins, Jay McShann, Ray Charles). David 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...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.