Big Six Classic Era: Keyboard Players
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=126627
Printed Date: August 12 2025 at 15:35
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Topic: Big Six Classic Era: Keyboard Players
Posted By: Progishness
Subject: Big Six Classic Era: Keyboard Players
Date Posted: June 08 2021 at 23:04
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For the purposes of this series of polls I'm taking the generally accepted 'Big Six' of prog (whatever our reservations about it), and defining the 'classic era' as being from 1967 to 1979. Hopefully all official band members (as opposed to hired hands) who appeared on at least one studio album will be included. So who is your favourite keyboard player? N.B. This gets a bit tricky in the case of King Crimson, as their keyboard players have tended to be multi-instrumentalists, as opposed to being employed as dedicated ivory tinklers. As you know, Bob Fripp also contributes a lot of the keyboard parts, but he's omitted here as he is primarily a guitarist, and will feature in that poll instead. ------------- "We're going to need a bigger swear jar." Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy McCready aka 'Hit Girl' in Kick-Ass 2 |
Replies:
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: June 08 2021 at 23:28
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Tony Banks all the way. Also, Moraz > Wakeman for me. ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: Hiram
Date Posted: June 08 2021 at 23:31
| Rick Wright. |
Posted By: Progishness
Date Posted: June 08 2021 at 23:42
Just edges it for me over Wakeman / Emerson. ------------- "We're going to need a bigger swear jar." Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy McCready aka 'Hit Girl' in Kick-Ass 2 |
Hiram wrote:Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: June 08 2021 at 23:53
| The Grumpy Old Rock Star. |
Posted By: b_olariu
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 00:17
| Tony Banks (Genesis) |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 00:39
| Rick Wright |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 00:43
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Emerson followed by Banks. ------------- 
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 01:25
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Emerson (most interesting to me) although Banks and Wakeman were technically better players. btw Moraz probably beats them all into a cocked hat though only 2 major prog albums to drool over sadly.
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 01:54
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Banks. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 01:57
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Emerson ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: Ronstein
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 02:30
| Banks |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 02:48
| Banks. Just for FoF and Cinema Show, if nothing else..... |
Posted By: Progfan1958
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 02:51
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There is only Keith ! ------------- Progfan1958 "Peace to you all" "La paix est avec vous" "Pax vobiscum" "Al salaam a'alaykum" "Vrede zij met u allen" "Shalom aleichem" |
Posted By: friso
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 03:20
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Tony Banks, because of his skills as a composer mostly ------------- I'm guitarist and songwriter for the prog-related band Mother Bass. Find us at http://www.motherbass.com. I also enter stages throughout the Netherlands performing my poetry. |
Posted By: nick_h_nz
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 03:41
I almost voted for Moraz. This poll required more thought than the previous two, where I knew immediately who I wanted to vote for. Moraz is a phenomenal keyboardist. I’d be interested to know which two of his albums you wish to drool over. I assume one is Relayer, but the other could be any of three or four (or more?) albums, as in my mind none are particularly more well regarded/more well known than the other. ------------- https://tinyurl.com/nickhnz-tpa" rel="nofollow - Reviewer for The Progressive Aspect |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 04:15
Moon?
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Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 04:22
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Banks narrowly over Emerson. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 04:23
| Technical talent - Emerson. Creativity - Banks. |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 04:53
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Wright for me. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 06:04
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Banks over Wakeman. ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 06:46
| Second vote for John Evan. |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 06:53
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Hi, While I appreciate Rick and Keith more than anyone else in the list, I'm disappointed that it can only list folks from England and America. The world is has no music. Keyboards do not exist in the rest of the world. And even Ryuichi Sakamoto is not respected and he has an OSCAR in his closet as does VANGELIS. This is a sad day for these lists. The lack of respect for the many that have fought for our music to live and stand up ... can not get a break, and instead the list is sadly lacking! But placing Rick "against" Keith is probably not a good idea ... they are both so different in a complete analysis that they don't fit in the same room, so to speak! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Progishness
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 07:14
I think you've missed the point - this series of polls is regarding members of the 'big six' between 1967 and 1979. ------------- "We're going to need a bigger swear jar." Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy McCready aka 'Hit Girl' in Kick-Ass 2 |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 07:30
yes---and he can do it all---play fast play slow play gorgeous chords---and do it all tastefully. From Cinema Show to the cool playing in a pop song like Thats All.
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Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 09:10
| Always close for me between Wakeman & Emerson. I threw Wakeman a vote because he was falling behind |
Posted By: Rick1
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 09:12
They are all British, with the exception of Patrick Moraz, who is Swiss.
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 10:34
Hi, I would still vote for Sakamoto and Vangelis, though I love and appreciate both Wright and Emerson equally even though they are massively different. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Progishness
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 10:35
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I understand where you're coming from. ------------- "We're going to need a bigger swear jar." Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy McCready aka 'Hit Girl' in Kick-Ass 2 |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 11:45
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Wakeman, Moraz, Emerson, Wright, Banks, in that order. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 12:56
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Finally saw him in the 1975 film Lizstomania, so Wakeman is on my mind currently, so it's him. As it's soundrack was penned by Wakeman, Lizst, and Mahler, I'm now possessed to purchase it on CD, if possible. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 15:05
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Wakeman for me. Banks is a fine musician and Wright is highly effective, but Wakeman is one of the 3 best keyboard players I've heard. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: Earl of Mar
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 15:57
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Wakeman. Love Emerson and respect his influence in the history of prog. However Rick recorded CTTE and did King Arthur. On ice. Plus hes the one I'd like to have a shandy with in the pub. |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 17:36
This. Vote for Rick.
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 22:05
| Wakeman for me, easily. I'm disappointed how much he has fallen from the apreciation of people around here. There was a time when he would go head to head with Emerson for the top spot, lately he's been relegated to 3rd or 4th place. |
Posted By: Progishness
Date Posted: June 09 2021 at 22:43
I find that puzzling too. ------------- "We're going to need a bigger swear jar." Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy McCready aka 'Hit Girl' in Kick-Ass 2 |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: June 10 2021 at 00:54
Refugee
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: June 10 2021 at 01:02
in the seventies it was Emerson and Wakeman , there was no one else close! I suspect that Emerson and Wakeman split the vote. If you relate it to politics they would both be the right wing option while Banks and Wright would be the left. That leaves Banks more on his own while Emerson and Wakeman are about equal in the showmanship , grandeur stakes. I don't believe there has been any erosion of appreciation for Wakeman and this poll doesn't indicate that. It's just that some like the keyboard players more 'chilled'! btw if we are moving outside of prog a bit and talking about keyboard players in general then Dave Greenfield comes into the equation. Phenomenal musician.
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Posted By: Progishness
Date Posted: June 10 2021 at 01:50
And Jon Lord... not only a master of the keys with Deep Purple, but classically trained, and no slouch as a composer, as many of his solo works indicate. ------------- "We're going to need a bigger swear jar." Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy McCready aka 'Hit Girl' in Kick-Ass 2 |
Posted By: VianaProghead
Date Posted: June 10 2021 at 02:56
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Keith Emerson for me. ------------- "PROG IS MY FERRARI". Jem Godfrey (Frost*) |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: June 10 2021 at 04:07
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Listen to Tarkus, then vote. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: June 10 2021 at 12:41
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Most overdone kind of polls but whatever.  A vote for David Cross from me. |
Posted By: rik wilson
Date Posted: June 10 2021 at 13:45
| I vote for rick wright. |
Posted By: Lieutenant_Lan
Date Posted: September 15 2021 at 09:01
| Rick Wakeman. Easy so fun to listen to |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: September 15 2021 at 18:19
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Moraz. His keyboard work on the Refugee album is phenomenal. ------------- 
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: September 16 2021 at 00:40
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Make mine Rick! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: September 16 2021 at 00:55
totally!
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