Graham Huntley's Top Pianists
Elton John
He has won five Grammy awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. Elton John’s success has had a significant impact on popular music and has contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in rock and roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him #49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. When Elton is playing he is not from this world. There must be more depth in this human being than any of us can imagine. Simply listen to an older album like 'Madman across the water' or see one of his shows with Ray Cooper. There is profound intelligence in his playing, every single note will be effectively accentuated, he's got so much feeling and even in the midst of the most dramatic pattern there is stillness and space. A few of my personal favourites have to be ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’, ‘Crocodile Rock’ and ‘Rocket Man.’
Freddie Mercury
Freddie's style was unique: just listen to "Love of My Life" or "You Take My Breath Away". It is not the technical skill which was impressive, but rather the melody. They are superior to his lyrics, as he said - and he was right. I am sure even Elton John would say Freddie had something special, something he does not have...Bohemian Rhapsody...One of the greatest songs ever!
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is a much-beloved musical icon and a beyond doubt genius not only of R&B but popular music in general. Blind virtually since birth, Wonder's heightened awareness of sound helped him create lively, colourful music teeming with life and ambition. virtually everything he recorded bore the stamp of his sunny, joyous positivity; even when he addressed grim racial, social, and spiritual issues (which he did quite frequently in his prime), or sang about calamity and romantic uncertainty, an essential sense of optimism and hope always seemed to emerge. With too many favourites to mention, I will just say that ‘Superstitious’ and ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ are definitely in that long list.
Ray Charles
Ray Charles left behind a long list of hits and Grammy awards and the musicians he inspired are as diverse in genre as the music he wrote, performed and recorded. The great Ray Charles was an voyager who returned time and again from expeditions across harmonious boundaries to give us, in his own exceptional way, melodious stories and charts of his adventures. In so doing he changed what had previously been only a black and white territorial paper map of American music into a concrete terrain model, full of colour. Truly one of the greatest pianists, in my opinion.
He has won five Grammy awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. Elton John’s success has had a significant impact on popular music and has contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in rock and roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him #49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. When Elton is playing he is not from this world. There must be more depth in this human being than any of us can imagine. Simply listen to an older album like 'Madman across the water' or see one of his shows with Ray Cooper. There is profound intelligence in his playing, every single note will be effectively accentuated, he's got so much feeling and even in the midst of the most dramatic pattern there is stillness and space. A few of my personal favourites have to be ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’, ‘Crocodile Rock’ and ‘Rocket Man.’
Freddie Mercury
Freddie's style was unique: just listen to "Love of My Life" or "You Take My Breath Away". It is not the technical skill which was impressive, but rather the melody. They are superior to his lyrics, as he said - and he was right. I am sure even Elton John would say Freddie had something special, something he does not have...Bohemian Rhapsody...One of the greatest songs ever!
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is a much-beloved musical icon and a beyond doubt genius not only of R&B but popular music in general. Blind virtually since birth, Wonder's heightened awareness of sound helped him create lively, colourful music teeming with life and ambition. virtually everything he recorded bore the stamp of his sunny, joyous positivity; even when he addressed grim racial, social, and spiritual issues (which he did quite frequently in his prime), or sang about calamity and romantic uncertainty, an essential sense of optimism and hope always seemed to emerge. With too many favourites to mention, I will just say that ‘Superstitious’ and ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ are definitely in that long list.
Ray Charles
Ray Charles left behind a long list of hits and Grammy awards and the musicians he inspired are as diverse in genre as the music he wrote, performed and recorded. The great Ray Charles was an voyager who returned time and again from expeditions across harmonious boundaries to give us, in his own exceptional way, melodious stories and charts of his adventures. In so doing he changed what had previously been only a black and white territorial paper map of American music into a concrete terrain model, full of colour. Truly one of the greatest pianists, in my opinion.