Tag Archives: singer

Video – Solo Rock Piano – Ben Folds Plays A Live Concert

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A video with Ben Fold playing a cool piano solo. Lots a fun to watch. Recorded during a live concert performance.

Ben Folds is an American keyboard and piano player, and singer-songwriter. He also is a record producer. His first band, Ben Folds Five, recorded albums from 1995 to 2000. Their piano heavy, alternative rock style was new and fresh, and his band gained much notoriety. He left the band to continue a solo career. He has since toured as a solo artist throughout the world. He has done live appearances with William Shatner and other celebrities. Folds has also recorded music for film. Ben Folds took piano lessons for a couple of years, beginning at age nine. He also learned to play by ear, and this enabled him to set a course to become a singer songwriter. He studied music in college in Miami, and perfected his playing technique. He left college just before he was to graudate. His song writing career continued from there.

Some Ben Folds Songs:
Ben Folds Five
Whatever and Ever Amen
Fear of Pop: Volume 1
Rockin’ the Suburbs
Ben Folds Live
Songs for Silverman
Way to Normal
Fifty-Five Vault

more info on Ben Folds

 

 

Video – Randy Newman Live Performing Louisiana 1927 on Piano

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On this video from 2006, Randy Newman performs on the piano and sings at a festival in Stuttgart Germany. “Louisiana 1927” is about the flood of that year that destroyed many homes and left 700,000 people without shelter. The song was composed in 1974 and is one of Newman’s most popular and emotional songs.

Randy Newman’s music accomplishments are huge. He is a singer, pianist, songwriter, composer for film, and arranger. He has written many songs and written the soundtrack for almost 30 movies. His unusually lyrical style and keyboard playing, makes him a one of a kind performer.

Newman was born in 1943 in Los Angeles. He lived for a while in New Orleans. He took piano lessons as a child, and also as a young adult. At the age of 17 he had already begun his career as a songwriter. He cites Ray Charles as having the biggest influence on his music. After the terrible devastation from Hurricane Katrina, “Louisiana 1927” was played often on the radio and it boosted Newman’s popularity.

Randy Newman has won many awards from the Academy Awards, Grammy, Oscars, Emmys. He is a wonderfully talented artist that has contributed greatly to many areas of music and film in the U.S.

Partial List of Randy Newman’s Albums
Trouble in Paradise (1983)
Land of Dreams (1988)
Randy Newman’s Faust (1995)
Bad Love (1999)
Harps and Angels (2008)
Live in London (2011)

Partial List of Randy Newman’s Film Scores
Cats Don’t Dance (1997)
A Bug’s Life (1998)
Babe: Pig in the City (1998)
Pleasantville (1998)
Toy Story 2 (1999)
Meet the Parents (2000)
Jurassic Park 3 (2001)
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Seabiscuit (2003)
Meet the Fockers (2004)
Cars (2006)
Leatherheads (2008)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Toy Story 3 (2010)

more about Randy Newman

Video – Arlo Guthrie Sings and Plays Piano – Live Performance

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Arlo Guthrie plays piano and sings live in this video of him performing “City of New Orleans”. “City of New Orleans” was composed by Steve Goodman and is a nostalgic story about a train route from Chicago to New Orleans. Arlo first recorded the song in 1972 and it has been widely associated with him ever since. In 2005, Arlo travelled on that train to arrive in New Orleans to raise money for musicians after the devastating Katrina Hurricane.

Arlo Guthrie was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1947. His father, Woodie Guthrie was famous for writing and singing social protest songs, and Arlo has kept that tradition and composed and recorded many. Arlo Guthrie, in addition to being a singer, composer, and musician, has also done some acting. He is most recognized from his portrayal of himself in the film “Alice’s Restaurant”, named after the hit song he wrote. Arlo Guthrie is an American legend and has contributed so much to the Folk music genre of America.

When some of my students are taking their keyboard lessons and piano lessons, the subject of how to play piano while singing, often comes up. Playing while you sing requires a different technique than playing solo. Arlo gives a wonderful example of how easy it can look in this flawless performance.

Some Albums by Arlo Guthrie
Together In Concert (1975), with Pete Seeger
Amigo (1976)
The Best of Arlo Guthrie (1977)
One Night (1978)
Outlasting the Blues (1979)
Power Of Love (1981)
Precious Friend (1982)
Someday (1986)

info about Arlo Guthrie

norah jones playing piano

Video – Norah Jones Playing Piano on Sunrise (Live in Amsterdam)

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Here is a wonderful video of Norah Jones and her band playing “Sunrise” live in Amsterdam in 2007

Norah Jones is one of the best selling artists of today. Possessing an unusually beautiful voice, her fabulous recordings have made her the top Jazz artist of the 2000-2009 decade, as named by Billboard magazine. Norah began her professional career in 2002, and immediately became a very popular artist.

Norah Jones began singing as a child, in church choirs and took piano lessons. In High School, Jones sang in the school choir and played in a band. At the University of North Texas (UNT), Jones majored in jazz piano and sang with the UNT Jazz Singers. She met Jesse Harris whom she began collaborating with. Shorty afterwards, she returned to New York City and started a band with Harris.

Some of the people that have influenced her music are Billie Holiday and Bill Evans. Jones, in addition to being singer, is also a songwriter, guitarist, and actress.

Some of most popular songs include:

“The Nearness of You”

“I Think It’s Going to Rain Today”

“Don’t Miss You at All”

“Seven Years”

“Sinkin’ Soon”

“Humble Me”

 

more on Norah Jones