Rising keyboard virtuosos in prog
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Topic: Rising keyboard virtuosos in prog
Posted By: Aspiring hope
Subject: Rising keyboard virtuosos in prog
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 16:43
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Hey guys, I was musing about the other day and it occurred to me that I am very lacking in great virtuoso keyboardists. When I think of any examples, I can only conjure up some of the older/legendary musicians, be it Patrick Moraz, Keith Emerson, Chick Corea or Jon Lord, all the way up to Jordan Rudess, Matt Guillory, Ryo Okumoto or Joost van den Broek. But these are all obvious names hailing from well established acts paramount to prog-rock/prog-metal history, coming from the early 00's all the way back to the late 60's or so. Hence, I was wondering which great and artful keyboardists do you see rising up on the current scene (let's say about 2004 onwards) that have the potential to make a name for themselves, very much like the ones mentioned earlier? Who are the emerging masters of the keyboard (underrated/underknown or not) that are capturing your ear and attention, in your opinion, and why? (if you have links to specific bouts of flair, all the better to post) -------------  |
Replies:
Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 16:49
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Andy Tillison His work with The Tangent is quite remarkable. This came to mind right away, and isn't too long. Hope you enjoy. ------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: Smurph
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 16:56
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Andy Winters The dude from Arcturus is pretty amazing imo I need one ------------- http://pseudosentai.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - http://pseudosentai.bandcamp.com/ wtf |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 17:02
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At the risk of sounding conventional, I'd cock an ear in Ollie Wakeman's direction! I think the trials of dealing with Yes forced him to grow up quite a bit, and he has some new material coming out. He posted this to Facebook: A full day of mixing on the Giltrap/Wakeman album again today. Really pleased with how it is sounding. Some lovely guitar stuff from Gordon.
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Posted By: Aspiring hope
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 17:12
Tillison's been running around with Manning since the 90's, so I wouldn't go so far as to call him a rising player, but more of a hidden gem. Still, I first heard about him in The Tangent too and he's an exceptional and tasteful keyboardist, imo. Thanks for the fantastic piece of music, got me wondering why I haven't bought A Place In The Queue yet  ------------- |
Horizons wrote:Posted By: Aspiring hope
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 17:28
I propose we start calling him The S.S. Johnsen for easier future reference  ------------- |
Posted By: Karisssss
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 17:28
Lalle Larrson. Because he's amazing. Listen to Agents of Mercy, Karmakanic and his solo Weaveworld albums, and even Electrocution 250 and you'll know why. 
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Posted By: Karisssss
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 17:30
| Oopps... in my excitement to post my first post, I misspelled his name..... Lalle Larsson! |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 17:39
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Andy Tillison is superb! He is incredible on the recent Tangent DVD 'Going Off On Two', well worth checking out!
Neal Morse is always totally effortless, how does he make it look so easy?! Always looks like he's having a great time too, especially on the first Whirld Wind Tour Transatlantic DVD. Tomas Bodin from The Flower Kings is always impressive, I especially love his keyboard solo at about the 25 minute mark on 'The Truth Will Set You Free' from the `Unfold The Future' album! But he's very impressive on all their albums, equally great in the subtle and bombastic sections, and especially good on any of the improv moments on their live albums/DVD's. I really missed him while the FK band was away! Good call, Karissss, with Lalle Larsson! A very distintive keyboard sound, and I truly loved his solo albums `Weaveworld' and `Infinity Of Worlds', I give both those albums quite a workout at work! The Japanese woman from Ars Nova, Keiko Kumagai, is a definite virtuoso player! They haven't really put out a lot of albums, and often their music is quite cold, but she's got a very grand playing style in the tradition of Wakeman and Emerson. I really enjoy the band's album `The Book Of The Dead'. Wish we'd get another album from then soon, and preferably an instrumental one too. |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 18:03
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Reading through this thread, everybody has picked people starting out in the 90's or earlier so I'll be the first to actually get it right with Richerd Henshel from To-Mera and Haken. His work with To-Mera in particular is brilliant (though so far he's only recorded on the Earthbound EP and yet to be released third album).
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 19:00
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My friend Mychael Pollard is a rising force! Young man, he was working on a project with John Goodsall but Goods got pulled off towards Brand X and.....well....silence from him since. I thought Mychael did a great job on this cover, seek out his other tunes on his Youtube channel! |
Posted By: knumorvid
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 19:29
| Alex Argento is truly great! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIgBzX5bD3s |
Posted By: Lima96
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 21:00
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Lalo Huber. This guy plays the keyboards in Nexus, is also the main composer and sings in their last album: |
Posted By: Sanmartinphase7
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 22:14
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Check out Fernando Refay, he's the guy who played keyboards on my last album and he's insane! His solo work is quite amazing too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItCV-QCIC64&feature=plcp |
Posted By: Fox On The Rocks
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 22:49
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I think Kjartan Sveinsson of Sigur Ros is a modern keyboard
virtuoso. Of course not through a technical context, though Sigur Ros's
music doesn't really require or showcase technical prowess, so maybe
Kjartan may have the ability, he just doesn't show it through Sigur Ros
music. He along with Jonsi, are the two main songwriters and composers
in the group. I just think he's a really unique player in terms of the chord progressions and themes he's created. Sigur Ros's music tends focus on atmosphere and minimalism - Kjartan is a perfect fit and adapts to the music quite well. Simply beautiful. ------------- 
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 01:01
| I'm not aware of any young ones ,seems to be a dying art. One young guy who is amazingly good is Matt Bellamy of Muse although he is obviously more well known as a guitarist/singer. Check out Butterflies and Hurricanes from Wembley Stadium for instance. Would be great if he did a solo album as we would likely see more of that. |
Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 02:36
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I'm sure very few heard of him, his name is Gil Stein from his band Trespass and he is really amazing, very reminiscent of Emerson, the funny thing is that he said he never heard of him before, he is really good. Worth checking out. The quality is not so good on utube, the song's name is In Haze Of Time. |
Posted By: awaken77
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 02:48
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+++++ Alex Argento is very good! He's solo album played in modern "edgy" jazz-fusion style, similar to Sherinian/Planet X, or Jens Johansson |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 03:33
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Erik Norlander. He's amazing! Listen: http://www.thetank.com/enlig.htm" rel="nofollow - http://www.thetank.com/enlig.htm
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Posted By: Roj
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 07:47
| Lalle Larsson is the call. The first time I heard him (on Karmakanic's Whos The Boss In The Factory) that was the most amazing performance from a new (to me) keyboard player for a good 30 years. He is outstanding. |
Posted By: Anthony H.
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 09:10
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Indeed: Lalle Larsson.
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 19:40
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This guy Luca Zabbini from italian band Barock Project is young and very good but they do not play bombastic symphonic, they play a rather mild prog close to crossover but I really like this song, and further below it's a piano solo totally inspired by Emerson.
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Posted By: Wanorak
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 21:15
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Lalle Larson, Thomas Bodin, Erik Norlander and Neal Morse. Mark Kelly is quite good as well. ------------- A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!! |
Posted By: freudiana
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 22:47
| Lalle Larson, Tomas Bodin, Hiromi Uehara, Andy Tillson and Lars Fredrik Frøislie. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 00:53
Very good performance
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Posted By: Aspiring hope
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 05:53
He's pretty great, had a lot of feel to it, I'll have to check some more of his stuff out ------------- |
Posted By: Aspiring hope
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 06:00
You've got the right idea about this, and To-Mera sounds great from what I'm listening. Thanks! ------------- |
Posted By: Aspiring hope
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 06:13
Great call, Argento's playing and composition is pretty sick! ------------- |
Posted By: Progdaybay
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 07:36
| I would add Fred Schendel of Glass Hammer, and Tomas Bodin of The Flower Kings, even if they are not youngsters. |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 12:02
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Hiromi Rikard Sjöblom (from Beardfish) Lalle Larsson Simon Åkesson ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm 
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Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 12:40
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Agostino Macor (Finisterre, la Maschera di Cera, Zaal, Hostsonaten) Virginia Peraza (Anima Mundi) Elisa Wiermann (Quaterna Requiem) Erik De Beer (Life Line Project) Iain Jennings (Mostly Autumn, Breathing Space) Magnus Paulsson (Simon Says) Olov Andersson (Grandstand) ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 13:40
Of course!
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Posted By: iguana
Date Posted: June 29 2012 at 04:24
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i think the archetypal “keyboard wizard” sadly is a thing of the past, with progressive (rock) music taking on a much more textural approach, which, surprisingly, is mostly carried by guitars these days. one might say that the aesthetics of prog rock has shifted from a yes/genesis-approach to a king crimson-school of thought. i do listen to the guys mentioned on occasion, but really they at times don't bring many new things to the table above classically trained dextrosity and “monster chops” (to praraphrase). obviously loads of talented people there but (imho) nothing that hadn't been attempted before by the masters and legends. i don't consider andy tlllison, neal morse and jordan ruddess “new” talent either as they have been about for many many years now. that said, i consider richard barbieri a “new and rising” virtuoso because his work is so current. similarly, marillion’s mark kelly, who is not that old yet, has adapted, progressed and forwarded admirably. also take a listen to NORTH ATLANTIC OSCILLATION, there are a lot of very retro-modern keyboards parts in there. great new band! ------------- progressive rock and rural tranquility don't match. true or false? |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: June 29 2012 at 10:25
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Chalcedony is an amazing keyboardist Sample: http://www.progarchives.com/mp3.asp?id=5775" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/mp3.asp?id=5775
------------- 
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Posted By: samdelrussi
Date Posted: June 29 2012 at 23:18
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Without question, the unknown entity who is The Psychedelic Ensemble. ------------- Sam Del Russi |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: June 30 2012 at 01:00
Very perceptive post, agree with it entirely. The days of the heroic 'fastest gun in town' soloists are long gone, and we are currently in an era where a more holistic approach to Prog is apparent. I welcome this development. ------------- 
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: June 30 2012 at 02:21
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 30 2012 at 02:43
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Perhaps technology and the visual aspect have something to do with it. In the old analog days in order to have a large palette of sounds available the wizards had to be surrounded by lots of keyboards, switch between them, spread their poses and arms to reach with each hand keyboards on opposite sides, constantly turning knobs, switches and push bars, even changing patchcables while they played.
If they had a bit of grace in their body language it all gave a very powerful visual image of complete virtuosism.
Nowadays everything can be played on a single keyboard or a few of them, often small such as the Nords which are so popular nowadays, the sound changes triggered by just pressing a button or even pre-programmed or controlled by somebody else backstage. It has lost a lot of visual power.
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Posted By: iguana
Date Posted: July 03 2012 at 06:50
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^ very good point. i was really pleased to see eddie jobson back in live mode, but a lot of his on-stage appeal went overboard with these two compact master keyboards and the digital reproduction of the vintage sounds. it looked and felt wrong, i may add. however, with touring and transport costs being an enduring determinant, there's no point carting 30 keyboards and organs around ASiA-style, when one can have the lot on a laptop and a couple of controllers. in the late 1980s midi became more and more advanced and i, for instance, remember being somewhat disappointed in seeing mark kelly on the “season's end” tour without the expansive set up that he had during the “clutching at straws” dates. yes, “aesthetically” something's missing, but costs dictate everything these days, and, in turn, it cost us the iconography of the alchemic “keyboard wizard”, who, in turn, has less of a strain in his arms... no more stretching and twisting! ------------- progressive rock and rural tranquility don't match. true or false? |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: July 03 2012 at 10:35
Yeah, if you would see some young guy a la Emerson getting to the ground on his back to play the keyboard upside down, but doing it with an 11 kg Nord Electro 3 instead of with a Hammond, it would look pretty ridiculous
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: July 03 2012 at 11:28
That is a very good call - Bellamy is a great pianist; small example: ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: July 03 2012 at 11:41
My pleasure. I would have mentioned Hugo Sheppard, their original keyboardist, but he seems to have moved out of rock all together and into ambient these days. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: July 03 2012 at 14:02
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Posted By: prog4evr
Date Posted: July 04 2012 at 00:42
| Michael Pinnella of Symphony X (Juilliard grad, like Jordan Rudess). But, you would never know it from the Iconoclast album - he was so underused on that... |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: July 08 2012 at 04:47
Yes! Erik's awesome. He could just hold notes with that great analog gear he uses, and I'd listen.
Michael's solo instrumental album was very nice and not what I expected from a guy who plays in Symphony X. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: stewe
Date Posted: July 11 2012 at 16:30
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If I count neo-prog, it is definitely: - Mark Robertson of Cairo, too bad they haven't released album for some 10 years now.- Chris Buzby of Echolyn. ... and of course also Neal Morse, Clive Nolan, Andy Tillison, Kevin Moore... but hey they are all already legends:) I came to conclusion there are no keyboardists which deserve mention beginning 2004 and onwards. I would like to find someone charismatic, original and skilled as previously mentioned, but can't recall anybody now. Bands like Haken bore me to death and so their keyboardist. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/trevorrabin/?chartstyle=basic10" rel="nofollow">  <a href="http://steveer.ic.cz" rel="nofollow" |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 12 2012 at 14:21
I agree that
Mark Robertson and Cairo was great (their Conflict And Dreams is excellent). But it would clearly be wrong to call him a "rising" star due to, as you already pointed out, they haven't released anything in a long time and are not likely to ever release anything again. Sadly. As I wrote earlier in this thread, Erik Norlander is a fantastic player and composer at the height of his career right now. He is in several ways a similar player to Robertson. Both heavily inspired by Keith Emerson. |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: July 13 2012 at 11:17
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One name I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet, including myself, is Michael Lapaj of Riverside, his work on ADHD in particular was brilliant and really fits the virtuoso spot without being over the top like Rudess.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Posted By: Cinema
Date Posted: July 13 2012 at 13:52
| Glass Hammer's Fred Schendel is phenomenal. |
Posted By: gerdtheater
Date Posted: July 15 2012 at 11:25
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Andreas "Kyrt" Söderin from Seventh Wonder, I like a lot his keyboard solos in the song Paradise and Break The Silence from their album Mercy Falls. ------------- Playing a three-hour Rush show is like running a marathon while solving equations. Neil Peart |
Posted By: dtguitarfan
Date Posted: July 15 2012 at 13:02
He IS pretty good - it's hard to notice him sometimes though with the incredible guitar work of Johan Liefvendahl, the basswork of Andreas Blomqvist, and the silky smooth voice of Tommy Karevik. ------------- http://tinyurl.com/cy43zzh" rel="nofollow - My 2012 List 
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Posted By: giselle
Date Posted: July 17 2012 at 10:22
| The trouble is, they're all a bit anodyne, albeit sometimes technically good. Where oh where is the wild side of life, with the greats like Emerson, Wakeman, and the original leader of them all, Ritchie. These present guys make Jon Lord and Tony Banks sound like rebels. |
Posted By: SMSM
Date Posted: July 21 2012 at 14:25
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Eric Norelander, anything he does as himself, Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane.
The only issue I have with their dvds is they seem to think giving a verbal discription between songs is beneficial.
Do it after the music
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Posted By: Ursa Minor
Date Posted: July 21 2012 at 16:43
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I like the guy Kerry Shacklett out of Presto Ballet. I do believe they found him via the internet:
Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CPb3SptGrc |
Posted By: TechnicallySpeaking
Date Posted: July 21 2012 at 22:57
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Joe Dorsey from Ocean Architecture
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Posted By: Djm912
Date Posted: July 27 2012 at 10:00
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This may be a controversial pick, but... Jem Godfrey of Frost*. Milliontowon, Dear Dead Days from E.I.M.A., and he's on tour with G3 right now. Apparently, he seems to rub some prog fans the wrong, but I dig him a whole bunch. |
Posted By: Slaughternalia
Date Posted: July 27 2012 at 11:54
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Flashy complex keyboard solos are a thing of the past outside of metal and neo-prog, and for good reason ------------- I'm so mad that you enjoy a certain combination of noises that I don't |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: July 27 2012 at 14:15
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Posted By: stewe
Date Posted: July 31 2012 at 16:35
Shacklett is really good, I prefered older PB keyboardist though - Brian Cokeley. I also recalled two outstanding Swedish keyboard players besides Lalle Larson. Jon Gamble of Ritual and Carl Westholm of Carptree. Worth checking out. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/trevorrabin/?chartstyle=basic10" rel="nofollow"> <a href="http://steveer.ic.cz" rel="nofollow" |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: August 01 2012 at 05:21
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Nobody has mentioned yet the former Artension's keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij (btw I suggested him two years ago and I think he was rejected by PMT) ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: Terra Australis
Date Posted: August 17 2012 at 07:53
Good one! He has skill but plays for the song. Also agree Matt Bellamy is excellent as well.
------------- Allomerus. Music with progressive intent. http://allomerus.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - http://allomerus.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: TechnicallySpeaking
Date Posted: August 17 2012 at 11:20
| If you like the keyboard work in Riverside, you will really like the Keyboard work by Dorsey in Ocean Architecture, See previous post with links... |
Posted By: Terra Australis
Date Posted: August 17 2012 at 19:32
Thanks, I will check them out. ------------- Allomerus. Music with progressive intent. http://allomerus.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - http://allomerus.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: August 18 2012 at 17:21
I agree - he adds atmosphere brilliantly to Riverside's work.
Other players whose work I love:
Iain Jennings of Mostly Autumn
Mark Kelly of Marillion
but the best of all has quit the music business - Martin Orford, who was a real genius. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: September 01 2012 at 20:34
| I've always loved the virtuosic playing styles of Mike Ratledge, Dave Stewart, Robert Jan Stips etc. - yeah, nothing beats the sound of an organ through a fuzz-box, especially when it's skillfully performed. I think we got some of that on Anekdoten's 'A Time of Day' album from a few years back as well as some Areknames albums - more, please. Anyway, I'd have to agree that in recent years, RIVERSIDE's Michael Lapaj is pure talent, as is the entire band. Lars Fredrik Froislie from WOBBLER/WHITE WILLOW is also a superb player. How about ELEPHANT9's Stale Storlokken ?? Also Tillison, Rudess, Bodin, Morse - the usual suspects, although they are well established....... |
Posted By: progbethyname
Date Posted: September 01 2012 at 21:00
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I love Martin Orford as well. His work with I.Q is tremendous. Really rocks the synth in the album the 7th House. Not too many better than him overall. ------------- Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣 |
Posted By: Terra Australis
Date Posted: September 01 2012 at 21:03
Martin always played for the song. Not to show off, which some people get caught up with. Excellent work!
------------- Allomerus. Music with progressive intent. http://allomerus.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - http://allomerus.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: progbethyname
Date Posted: September 01 2012 at 21:13
Like the seventh House on The Seventh House!!!! Plays with such feeling. Nothing short of brilliant ------------- Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣 |
Posted By: Terra Australis
Date Posted: September 01 2012 at 21:23
------------- Allomerus. Music with progressive intent. http://allomerus.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - http://allomerus.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: Transcend
Date Posted: September 02 2012 at 02:23
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Hey guys, Wanna hear a rising virtuoso Keyboardist, ya might like this... http://www.facebook.com/Transcendmusic
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Posted By: Transcend
Date Posted: September 02 2012 at 02:26
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Hey guys, wanna hear a rising keyboard virtuoso, check this, ya might like it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BV1tvOgrgA&feature=plcp
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Posted By: JeanFrame
Date Posted: September 03 2012 at 04:28
| I don't think there's anyone modern who has the quality of the keyboard greats, Emerson, Ritchie, Wakeman. The young/modern players often have technical excellence, but the art of dynamics and dealing with acoustics seems to be lost. Too many young musicians in general seem to think that playing notes is in itself enough - absolutely wrong. |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: September 03 2012 at 04:52
Yep, a truly gifted player no question (check out any of his brilliantly realised readings of ELP if you want proof) However, I was utterly dismayed by the Barock Project's album Coffee in Neukoln which is the most sterile and anodyne neo dreck I've ever heard (in a field brimming with the stiffest competition)  -------------
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Posted By: TechnicallySpeaking
Date Posted: September 03 2012 at 08:10
I guess you have not listened to Ocean Architecture yet?
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Posted By: Usandthem
Date Posted: September 03 2012 at 09:36
| Guillaume Fontaine from Nemo is an impressive keyboards player and I think it is surprising they are so underknown. Else Rikars Sjoblom (Beardfish), Simon Akesson (Moon Safari), Lalle Larsson (AOM, Karmakanic),Gilbert Marshall (former Magic Pie) and Yogi Lang (RPWL) are all amazing!!! |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: September 03 2012 at 14:53
I didn't order their latest album Coffee in Neukoln (neither heard it yet) because I was a bit unsure, so thanks for saying that. I have their first 2 albums, I like a lot their debut MisterioseVoci and a bit less the follower Rebus although it still had some pretty good music, but something was telling me the direction they were taking was not my cup of tea.
Too bad because Luca is undoubtedly a highly skilled and talented keyboardist, as you say his renditions of Keith Emerson are proof of it.
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Posted By: ProgDrummerTony
Date Posted: September 04 2012 at 15:02
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Has anyone here mentioned Fred Schendel of Glass Hammer? He might not be a "rising keyboardist," but I think he is quite remarkable on GH songs like "The Knight of the North" and "Nothing Box." ------------- http://www.youtube.com/user/ProgDrummerTony" rel="nofollow - My Prog Drum Covers |
Posted By: FunkyHomoSapien
Date Posted: September 29 2012 at 09:43
Def those three in a different league.
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: September 29 2012 at 15:27
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Hi, To be perfectly honest with you, I really have not found, or could easily mention to any of you, any "keyboard" players that are virtuosi in prog. Reasoning may be rather shady for some ... but the majority of folks doing keyboards today are simply doing another instrument in the orchestra, which could be considered an augmentation to the work, but in general, they are almost all just another variation upon the melody, and as such are not really adding anything to the music, except more context to the melody itself ... sort of another instrument added to the melody to make sure you know it! That in itself is a very commercial sounding thing, btw. There are some very good players, and you can consider and count Jordan Rudess one of these, since he is a "professor" of music and quite able to talk about it, and discuss it, but his playing in his band is rather minor and not as an instrument per se, and again, simply another added element to the melody lines. The school of music they came from only teaches basics and almost all rock teaching is centered on melody, and nothing else. Their school does not have on their catalogues advanced teaching that gets away from commercial music or melody! ... they simply never done it or tried it! If there is one person I think is magnificent, and much more than a melody player, he really is the reason for the moods in the band, just like Richard Wright was to Pink Floyd, his name is Richard Barbieri of Porcupine Tree. Take the keyboard tracks off the rest in Abelton or Sonar and listen to it ... it stands up on its own really good and you almost say ... what piece is that? Same for Richard Wright, when you separate the sounds ... at times it is difficult to tell what piece it is he is playing since he is doing something else. Keyboards have become ... just a replacement instrument. Virtuosity in it ... is almost a joke, but I can tell you that Vangelis, Patrick Moraz, Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson are still sitting there laughing ... because no one is capable of doing anything remotely close to what they did ... and other too, not just them! Those were "keyboard players" ... !
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: brainstormer
Date Posted: September 29 2012 at 19:34
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If you want to check out a lot of modern keyboard ideas, check out www.regenerativemusic.net -- it's all keyboard music. Start with Glass Electrode Solar System ------------- -- Robert Pearson Regenerative Music http://www.regenerativemusic.net Telical Books http://www.telicalbooks.com ParaMind Brainstorming Software http://www.paramind.net |
Posted By: JeanFrame
Date Posted: September 30 2012 at 11:25
Actually I have, nothing against that band, they seem young and raw, and who knows where it is headed? - but no relevance to this topic that I can hear, certainly not in keyboard terms. |
Posted By: zeqexes
Date Posted: October 01 2012 at 03:51
Indeed  ------------- 
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Posted By: progbethyname
Date Posted: October 01 2012 at 18:58
 i know nothing outside of age and experience. ------------- Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣 |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: October 03 2012 at 12:13
Overrated! It is youth and inexperience, that helped create "progressive" like it has so many other art scenes and eras over the history of all the arts. All in all, for the most part, age is about being lazy, fat, and sacked out on the couch and even not having the ability to listen to something new because the old is always is better! I like a lot of older stuff, but then, I also like a lot of classical music going back 500 years, and that tells you that I appreciate music, not just metal, or rap, or pop! I'm just not sure that everyone listens to music with a similar perspective, although I can easily tell you that most admins and leads at PA, also have very good listening music skills and in general are all very well versed in all music, not just one thing. Keyboards these days, are almost a joke, and when you hear things like Transatlantic, and some other bands, I can't help thinking that all the keyboards are doing is variations upon a theme called melody! And that was not exactly all that the big name keyboard players were doing in the early days of "progressive" that made them the keyboard monsters that they were! The way popular music is going, I am not sure that we will be seeing many of these "virtuosi" any time soon ... too much of the music is sounding the same, with the same format and the same beats (listen to the beginner drumming!) and the same background sounds ... and many of them not able to sustain an instrument past the 60 second "solo" moment! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: giselle
Date Posted: October 04 2012 at 23:37
| A good post, so true, but I don't know why it should be this way. Ritchie, Emerson, Wakeman, seem like another race of beings, men against boys, what has gone wrong? Where have we lost our way? Surely with this expanse of time it should be the other way round? |
Posted By: Josef_K
Date Posted: October 05 2012 at 03:13
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I'd say Michele Epifani from the italian prog band "Areknamés". He's not your typical keyboard virtuoso I guess since he's a composer and singer as well and doesn't include THAT many shredding solos all the time to show off. But he is very talented, not only as a songwriter but as a keyboard performer as well. Listen to the synth solo in "Deceit" and hopefully you'll get what I mean. He has an amazing sense for how to make everything melt into one coherent sound, which is what his solos aim to do as well. Therefore, they are a support function to the song rather than the major attraction like in some prog bands (Keith Emerson, I'm looking at you...) but he is well worthy of lots and lots of appreciation nevertheless! ------------- Leave the past to burn, At least that's been his own - Peter Hammill |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: October 05 2012 at 03:20
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Good called, Josef, with the Areknames player! Very subtle and low-key in many parts, I find some of his shimmering keys on `Don't Move' from the `In Case Of Loss' album very moving.
Then, of course, he can f**k-snap and perform the heavy and over-the-top stuff like the more Van Der Graaf influenced sections of their music!! 
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Posted By: Josef_K
Date Posted: October 05 2012 at 04:08
Yeah I agree on "Don't Move", that is an incredible way to use the Fender Rhodes... I like "In Case of Loss" more as an album than "Love Hate Round Trip". My only problem with it is that my vinyl copy has the harpsichord part in the end of "The Very Last Number" cut out... ------------- Leave the past to burn, At least that's been his own - Peter Hammill |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: October 05 2012 at 04:13
Crap! I've got the vinyl copy too, and hadn't compared it closely enough to the CD tracklisting to know it had edits!! Very annoying, thanks for the tip-off! |
Posted By: Josef_K
Date Posted: October 05 2012 at 04:38
It took me a while to realize it, often when I'm listening to vinyl I don't do anything else and I get so "into" the music I don't think of what part is where and if anything is missing. Listening on Spotify however, I've noticed the harpsichord part and assumed that it was on the vinyl as well. Then I listened through the vinyl to check, and it wasn't there... I wonder why they did that... I haven't checked how long the second side is, Beached + The Very Last Number, but maybe they simply had to short the vinyl version down to make it fit on 2 sides?
Anyway it kinda sucks cos that ending is pure gold ^^ ------------- Leave the past to burn, At least that's been his own - Peter Hammill |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: October 05 2012 at 04:59
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Thanks for the heads up, Josef.
It's really annoying, because I always try to get the vinyl copies of progressive albums, but if there's going to be edits of the actual music, then as far as I'm concerned the LP won't even get a look in. I like vinyl for the presentation, for the value for money, etc. But if it's at the expense of losing parts of the actual music, then perhaps they shouldn't release it on that format in the first place! OK, rant over, back to rising keyboard virtosos! 
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Posted By: brainstormer
Date Posted: October 05 2012 at 18:22
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It seems to be a question of education. It seems that as we'e moved away from classical education, what one speaks through their music becomes more and more simple. Each generation seems to get less of this kind of classical education. If I'm hearing "prog keyboardists" that are just playing fast modes and really aren't creating any kind of new melody, it shows they aren't processing the big questions. All music is fueled by ideas, and the ideas create the complexity of the music one is playing. Simple minded keyboardists are going to create simple minded music, and that to true proggers is always going to sound bad. ------------- -- Robert Pearson Regenerative Music http://www.regenerativemusic.net Telical Books http://www.telicalbooks.com ParaMind Brainstorming Software http://www.paramind.net |
Posted By: progbethyname
Date Posted: October 09 2012 at 09:36
Hey man. Very cool. Really respect what you have to say and a lot of it I do agree with. Perhaps you can help me find or just name a few keyboardist that are under 30 years old and exhibit the same kind of virtuosity as say a Neil Morse, Clive Noman, Jourdan Rudess or even a Kevin Moore. I'm having trouble. I admit. It just seems that in my world of prog 40+ grace my ears the best with diversity and creatively with in the use of keyboards and synth. ------------- Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣 |
Posted By: resurrection
Date Posted: October 13 2012 at 12:57
I think this general apathy about performance is not just limited to keyboards, generalising only of course, but most younger bands seem almost unaware of live dynamics, acting as if mere notes is enough. This also applies to extremely successful bands as well as unknown. Something lost from the sixties and seventies, it seems.
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Posted By: Vasillios
Date Posted: June 05 2013 at 16:19
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I saw it earlier, but if you get a chance, please check out Alex Argento. Truly the best keyboardist I've heard in the last decade or so. His music is a blend of heavy prog with jazz fusion sensibilities. His album EGO is pure gold all the way through. www.alexargento.com (There's a player at the top. Enjoy!)
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Posted By: DiamondDog
Date Posted: June 12 2013 at 00:30
| The art of 'live' playing (as opposed to studio) seems lost. |
Posted By: Jacs1963
Date Posted: June 12 2013 at 04:02
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Steve Gresswell from The Inner Road - check out the keyboard work and orchestration work he did on Ascension!
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 12 2013 at 04:11
Keith Emerson in an interview in 1995: "I'm fascinated by the resurgence of interest in vintage keyboards. My eldest son, Aaron, is in a band called Buzz Tonic, which has a CD soon to be released on Ace of Base's label, Mega Records. A while back he came to ask my help in tracking down a genuine Moog synthesiser. Maybe it's because they look good on stage. After all, showmanship is a very important part of music. Wrestling with an old synth, pulling patch leads in and out, has far more impact than simply pressing a button to select the next patch. Seeing someone leaping around is a show, and being theatrical makes playing much more enjoyable. Modern keyboards are not as impressive, and they don't involve the audience as much. Compare the wonderful Yamaha GX1 to a modern synth..."
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Posted By: DiamondDog
Date Posted: June 13 2013 at 11:51
| I think this is called nepotism |
Posted By: Artilectband
Date Posted: June 18 2013 at 09:04
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She's more fusion, but has anyone mentioned Hiromi Uehara?
She is insanely talented, and an excellent songwriter....and she has Tosh.O on drums and Morpheus on guitar! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkL6hwj91UM&list=FLDXPUF0t6H1iTYedXG2cIgw&index=132&feature=plpp_video" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkL6hwj91UM&list=FLDXPUF0t6H1iTYedXG2cIgw&index=132&feature=plpp_video ------------- Prog recorded @ Neal Morse/Mike Portnoy's studio;produced by BTBAMs producer.Check it out and give us some feedback! Bandcamp: http://artilectband.bandcamp.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/artilect |