![]() The first track on the LP Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, is a rare example of Elton John letting the piano do the talking. ![]() Don’t be deceived by his heavy touch in the first minute, the solo builds to something really amazing: Check out this recording from Tokyo in 1998. When Elton John includes ‘Take Me To The Pilot’ in a live set, he often runs up to it with an extended improvisation, giving free rein to his virtuosic playing. Listen to the strength of the groove at 04:45 when he cuts it right back to just a few stabs: His sense of style here is absolutely flawless. Here’s a recording of the straight rock song ‘Take Me To The Pilot’ from 1970. The ability to play within a strong groove is an elusive skill which sets real masters apart from their peers. His 2009 live performance of ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’ is a perfect example of this style, with his characteristic arpeggiated flow in the right hand broken up by some funky syncopated octaves. Often they run counter to the vocal melodies which go over the top, to allow for Elton’s famous flourishes, and this means that his melodies are very rarely doubled in the piano part. We’ve picked out some of the best songs and most virtuosic improvisations which sum up the genius of Elton John.Īs many aspiring pianists soon find out, Elton John’s piano parts are very difficult to play. ![]() As a teenager he trained at the Royal Academy Of Music in London and he says that this classical training shaped his unique style of rock, funk and blues. He’s had 38 gold and 31 platinum or multi-platinum albums, sold more than 250 million records worldwide and to top it all off, he’s a Brit. At the age of 70, Elton is one of the top three ranking artists in the history of the American Charts.
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