Jordy’s excellent post on the Wurlitzer electric piano inspired me to post a few of my favorite songs that feature various electric pianos. Click the album titles to buy the referenced albums.
Stevie Wonder -”Higher Ground” from Innervisions (1973)
Featuring Stevie Wonder on the Hohner Clavinet and every other instrument in the song. Seriously, he plays everything.
Here is another Stevie Wonder classic featuring perhaps the baddest (by which I mean the best) Clavinet riff known to Man:
Led Zeppelin – “Trampled Under Foot” from Physical Graffiti (1975)
Featuring John Paul Jones on the Clavinet.
The Band – “Up On Cripple Creek” from The Band (1969)
Featuring Garth Hudson on the Clavinet with wah-wah pedal. I wanted to include this one because the wah-wah makes it especially interesting.
The Doors – “Riders On The Storm” from L.A. Woman (1971)
Featuring Ray Manzarek on the Fender Rhodes. Since the Doors did not have a bass player, Manzarek normally played the basslines with his left hand on a Rhodes Bass Piano while playing melodies on a Vox Continental organ, but here he goes with the full-blown Rhodes and turns out a great solo.
Check out this video for a look at Manzarek’s usual setup, a blistering organ solo, and Jim Morrison’s likely drug-fueled stage antics.
Posted by Adam
4 Comments
August 1, 2009 at 6:35 am
These are all incredible songs. I didn’t realize that piano sound was the Clavinet. I just figured it was some prickly timbre ordinary humans don’t get to use.
August 2, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Also, those kids rockin’ out to “Superstition” are awesome.
August 3, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Trampled Under Foot is great, thanks to JPJ.
December 9, 2009 at 9:35 am
[...] there is so much happening under the surface — weird touches in the lyrics, cool organ and Clavinet bits, clipped guitar licks, powerful rhythms. I can’t tell you how many onions have gone unchopped [...]