Tag Archives: recording

Video Valentina Lisitsa Piano Solo Rachmaninoff Live Concert

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Here is a splendid video of Valentina Lisitsa playing the Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Opus 23 No. 5. in Seoul, South Korea.

Valentina Lisitsa was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1973. She began piano lessons at the early age of three. At the age of four, she performed her first piano recital. Some of her favorite composers include Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Chopin, and Beethoven. Her technical mastery of the keyboard is evident in this recording. In the very competitive world of classical piano performance, Valentina Lisitsa has used social media to her great advantage. She is one of the most viewed pianists on YouTube. Lisitsa has performed throughout the world, including concerts at Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Avery Fisher Hall. She has recorded six CDs. In 1991, she moved to the United States to persue her career, and currently resides in North Carolina.

more about Valentina Lisitsa

Video – Randy Newman Sings and Plays Piano Louisiana 1927

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Randy Newman sings and plays piano in this live video of a performance in Stuttgart, Germany 2006. “Louisiana 1927” was written and recorded by Newman in 1974 and tells the story of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The flood devastated Louisiana and left 700,000 people homeless. In this recording, Randy’s keyboard playing and voice combine to make a beautiful and powerful performance.

Randy Newman is an American, singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, and arranger. He has written countless songs and scored the soundtrack to over two dozen films. His style of writing satirical and sarcastic lyrics is unique and has gained him many loyal followers during his long career.

Newman was born in Los Angeles, California in 1943. When he was a youngster, his family moved to New Orleans where he stayed until he was 11. Newman took piano lessons as a child at the age of 6, and again at the age of 16. He became a professional songwriter at the age of 17. His music was greatly influenced by Ray Charles. After Hurricane Katrina, Newman’s recording of “Louisiana 1927” became extremely popular, and was played repeatedly on American radio and television.

Randy Newman has received 20 Academy Awards and has won twice. Newman also garnered 15 Oscar nominations with one win. He has also received 3 Emmys, 5 Grammys and many other acknowledgements from the industry. Randy Newman has made a long and lasting contribution to American music and film.

Some of Randy Newman’s Albums
Randy Newman (1968)
12 Songs (1970)
Randy Newman Live (1971)
Sail Away (1972)
Good Old Boys (1974)
Little Criminals (1977)
Born Again (1979)

Some of Randy Newman’s Film Scores
Performance (1970)
Cold Turkey (1971)
Ragtime (1981)
The Natural (1984)
¡Three Amigos! (1986)
Parenthood (1989)
Major League (1989)
Awakenings (1990)
Avalon (1990)
The Paper (1994)
Maverick (1994)
Toy Story (1995)
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
Michael (1996)
Bean (1997)

more on Randy Newman

Video – Mary Lou Williams – Fabulous Solo Blues Piano – 1980

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Here is a wonderful video of Mary Lou Williams playing a great solo blues piece in 1980 at the age of 70. Her playing exhibits strongly developed blues melodies coupled with a beautiful stride left hand.

Piano legend Mary Lou Williams (May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981) was an American Jazz piano player, composer, and arranger. She composed hundreds of pieces and arrangements and recorded more than 100 records. She composed music and did arrangements for the bands of Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. Among her acquaintances were Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and numerous other artists.

Williams was born in Atlanta Georgia. She never took piano lessons, but taught herself how to play. By the age of six, she was already helping to support her family by playing piano at parties. Remarkably, by seven, she has already begun her professional career. By her teens, she was already well known as a performer. At the age of 15, she began playing concerts with Duke Ellington. She impressed everyone around her with her mastery of the keyboard. Famous for her stride piano, Mary Lou Williams’s superb agility on the keyboard brought her great recognition with her peers and fans alike. Her career spanned over 70 years. She recorded with many famous artists, and performed at countless concerts and jazz festivals. Other famous stride piano artists are James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum and Willie “The Lion” Smith.

Some Mary Lou Williams Recordings
The Circle Recordings
1944-1945
Solo Recital (Montreux Jazz Festival 1978 – Live)
My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me
Free Spirits
Zoning

more about Mary Lou Williams

Video – Keith Jarrett – I Loves You Porgy Piano Solo Tokyo 1984

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Keith Jarrett playing a haunting performance of George Gershwin’s ballad “I Loves You Porgy”. This performance is from his album Keith Jarrett – Solo Tribute: The 100th Performance in Japan (1987). Keith Jarrett, well known for his gorgeous intricate harmonies, is considered by many to be the best jazz pianist in the world.

Keith Jarrett is an American jazz and classical pianist and composer. Before the age of three, he was already taking piano lessons. By five, he was already performing on TV. As a youngster Jarrett displayed a great deal of talent. His first piano recital included several of his own original pieces, as well as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

In his long and fabulously successful career, Jarrett has performed and recorded with many famous musicians worldwide. Jarrett is well known for his extraordinary original jazz solo pieces, as well as trio work, and classical recordings. His piano and keyboard virtuosity is unparalleled in the world of jazz, and he has become a legend in the jazz world. His performances are a sight to behold, throwing himself into the music in his own world. His music is complex and deep, and generally appeals to the more trained ear. Jarrett’s recordings blend themes from jazz, blues, gospel, and folk music. His music has been described as stunning, remarkable, and breathtaking. Keith Jarrett remains one of the most powerful and original American jazz pianists and composers of all time.

more on Keith Jarrett

Video – All The Things You Are – Jazz Piano Solo Composed by Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein

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“All The Things You Are” is one of the most performed piano standards in the jazz repertoire. The music was composed by Jerome Kern and the lyrics were written by Oscar Hammerstein. The song was a hit, and ranked in the top five in the Record Buying Guide of Billboard. Here is a contemporary piano recording.

“All The Things You Are” was composed for the musical Very Warm for May (1939) In 1944, it was a feature in the film “Broadway Rhythm”. In 1945 it was used as a recurring theme in the romantic comedy “A Letter for Evie”. Then in 2005 it was used in the film “Mrs. Henderson Presents”

Recordings made by Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw, helped make the song popular.

Other notable artists who recorded it are:

Ella Fitzgerald

Glenn Miller

Frank Sinatra

Hampton Hawes

Stan Kenton

Bill Evans Trio

Barbra Streisand

Keith Jarrett

Michael Jackson

Mario Lanza