The Keyboard Chronicles

17/08/2024

Part 2 of our interview with the incredible Larry Goldings is now live. In this second part Larry talks on his work with Sia, James Taylor, Colin Hay and we delve into some deeper thoughts about music, humour and creativity. Enjoy!

Larry Goldings is an internationally respected pianist, organist and composer, whos has worked with a wide array of artists such as John Scofield, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, and James Taylor. He also has his own trio and solo works, as well as his contributions to numerous film and television sou...

16/08/2024

Now that's a gig - Rai is one of our most listened to episodes, and with good reason. Rai has the perfect combination of great chops, a passion for different genres and a massively positive outlook.

05/08/2024

We're always excited to release a new episode, and it's no different with this one as we bring you part 1 of our extended interview with Mr Larry Goldings. He really doesn't need a lot of introduction, but if for some reason you don't know him, you will want to explore his music after you watch this interview. Whether it's his work with Scary Pockets, James Taylor, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Maceo Parker or Melinda Sullivan (to name just a few), there's lots to enjoy.

Part 2 coming in a week or so. An enormous thanks to Larry for his generosity of time and insights.

Larry Goldings is an internationally respected pianist, organist and composer, whos has worked with a wide array of artists such as John Scofield, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, and James Taylor. He also has his own trio and solo works, as well as his contributions to numerous film and television sou...

20/07/2024

Thanks to those who have already supported our Substack, where we published curated text versions of our interviews. The first part of our catch up with Thomas Dolby is now live. You can read it for free as part of a trial.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thekeyboardchronicles/p/interview-thomas-dolby-part-1?r=445c7s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

17/07/2024

Our latest episode is out and for those who loved Keyboard Magazine in its heyday, you're in for a treat. Robert (Bob) Doerschuk is a lifetime keyboard player who is currently the restaurant pianist at Gannon's in Nashville. Bob also happens to be a renowned music journalist who has interviewed some of the world's greatest musicians.

In this chat we cover the gamut, from Van Cliburn to Christine McVie and much more. A huge thanks to Bob for his time and enjoy the chat.

Robert L. Doerschuk is an accomplished music journalist and pianist. He has served as the editor of Musician Magazine and the Country Music Association (CMA) magazine, and a lot of our audience may know Bob from his time at the now defunct Keyboard magazine. Doerschuk is also a noted author, having....

03/07/2024

We're very excited to bring you the latest addition to our keyboard player focused content. We've put up our shingle on Substack, which gives us the option of bringing longer-form writing to you.

Sometimes this will be new writing on topics that interest us all. Most often though, it will be edited and curated long-form text articles taken from our previous guests on the podcast, and will include some wider context including how we came about getting the interview and our thoughts leading up to it. We’ve had regular feedback that people would love to read rather than listen/watch to some of our interviews, so here we are.

Some of our content will be free, but the curated interview articles won’t be generally, although the first one is so you can get a taste. We’re hoping you see enough value in what we do to pay a few dollars a month to keep on reading.

Do have a read of our interview with the amazing Steve Nathan - the Taylor Swift and Bob Dylan anecdotes are worth it alone, and that's just scratching the surface. Enjoy.

Taylor had her eye on the prize

28/06/2024

And here it is - it was a huge privilege to spend an hour with Thomas Dolby and lots of ground was covered. Thomas is renowned for his innovation and deep thinking on music and music education and that shines through in this interview.

Thomas provides some really interesting thoughts on music and AI, educating music students and of course his own stellar career and the rig setup for his upcoming tour. And then - he's written a new book that we discuss in-depth as well.

Add in some discussions about his work with David Bowie, Roger Waters and others, and you have one broad chat. A huge thanks to Thomas for his time and hope you enjoy it.

Thomas Dolby has had one of the most interesting and innovative careers as a musician, and that makes him one interesting guest. We cover an enormous amount of ground in this interview and above all else it shows Thomas’ passion hasn’t waned, and his eyes are very firmly on the future. To listen...

27/06/2024

Can't wait to bring this to you this weekend...

16/06/2024

Our latest episode is hot off the virtual press. We had the privilege of speaking with Doug Petty. Aside from being the keyboard player with Tears for Fears over the past couple of decades, Doug is a regular session player and performer who has worked with Shawn Colvin, G.E.M. 鄧紫棋, Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias to name just four amongst many. Add in his work as an educator at USC Thornton School of Music, his performances for film, arrangement and production work and you have a fascinating conversation on your hands.

A huge thanks to Doug for his time and hope you enjoy Doug's insights.

Doug Petty is an American pianist, keyboardist, arranger, composer, and educator based in Los Angeles. He’s currently the keyboard player for the iconic Tears for Fears, but that’s just the start. Doug has recorded and performed with numerous artists, including Rihanna, Celine Dion, Britney Spea...

11/06/2024

Coming later this week....

06/06/2024

What a buzz it was talking to the amazing Roger Joseph Manning Jr. on his stellar career to date.

Whether it's Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, his long term gig with the iconic Beck or the brilliance of Moog Cookbook, Roger has some deep and inspiring insights.

An enormous thanks to Roger for his time and hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it.

Roger Joseph Manning Jr. is a US-based keyboardist, singer, and songwriter renowned for co-founding the bands Jellyfish, the Moog Cookbook, and Imperial Drag. He also happens to be a long-time member of Beck’s backing band, is a member of The Lickerish Quartet and has also collaborated with artist...

31/05/2024

We love doing a rig tour, so when the brilliant Franz Nicolay came down under for a three night stand at The Croxton Bandroom with The Hold Steady, we had to follow-up our interview with Franz with a rig tour, and he very generously agreed.

Enjoy - and a huge thanks to Franz. Do check the link in the post for the order page for Franz's upcoming book, Band People. If ever there was a book to appeal to musicians it's this one...

When we heard that The Hold Steady were touring Australia, we couldn’t ignore the opportunity to have a catch-up with the brilliant Franz Nicolay. We talk about his rig, song choice for gigs and his upcoming book Band People. You can also check out our previous full interview with Franz here.

26/05/2024

Our latest episode is out and about and it features the brilliant Bob Fridzema. Whether it's his gigs with the iconic Glenn Hughes, Walter Trout, Bernie Marsden or King King, or his diverse session work, there's lots to enjoy. Video viewers also get a quick tour of Bob's studio.

A huge thanks to Bob for his time and hope you enjoy it.

Bob Fridzema has had quite the career already, marked by collaborations with a wide array of artists, including Glenn Hughes, Walter Trout, Bernie Marsden, and King King, among others. We cover a lot of this plus delve into other aspects of Bob’s work, including a quick studio tour that features s...

24/05/2024

Lots of designs for keys players and it helps keep the show boat afloat! https://keyboard-chronicles-merch.myspreadshop.com/

15/05/2024

Podcast alumni Marine Lacoste Music has a great deal going at the moment, check it out!

Prize #1 – A license of the B3-x plugin by IK Multimedia (Worth $99)Prize #2 – A Fish Paper Organ Grinder Pedal by Lounsberry. (Worth $289)Prize #3 – An annual membership at Online Rock Lessons (Worth $255)*Prices are in USD

11/05/2024

We couldn't wait any longer, here's our latest episode with the brilliant Eric Mouquet, co-founder of Deep Forest and in-demand collaborator all around the world. Eric (and Michel's) music changed the face of 90s music and the innovation has continued. Add in some amazing anecdotes involving Herbie Hancock, Peter Gabriel and David Foster and you have a fun interview.

A huge thanks to the humble but engaging Eric and hope you enjoy the show.

It’s hard to overstate Eric Mouquet’s impact on music during the 1990s, and he’s still going strong. We cover Eric’s seminal work with Deep Forest but also his extensive recording, performing and collaboration with everyone from Peter Gabriel to David Foster and Herbie Hancock. To listen / w...

11/05/2024

When you edit a show and realise your amazing guest has panned his camera to show you his stellar studio and you didn't catch it :D

Our episode with Eric Mouquet (Deep Forest) coming this weekend.

04/05/2024

The latest episode of the show is out and we speak with Phillip Golub. Amongst many other things, Phillip is now well into an extensive project transcribing the previously unpublished works of Wayne Shorter.

Add into that his own diverse output and his passion for the Music Workers Alliance and you have a chat well and truly worth dropping in on.

Phillip Golub is a Brooklyn-based pianist, improviser, and composer. We talk on Phillip’s career and his work in transcribing Wayne Shorter’s work, as well as some thoughts on the increasing challenges musicians face industrially. All in all a fascinating chat! To listen / watch: Audio-only: cli...

25/04/2024

Roland launch the latest iteration of their iconic Fantom series

Roland have today announced the launch of the EX models for their flaghship workstation line, the Fantom. Below are the full resolution pics of each model, but let’s dive into the specs: 61 Keys (semi-weighted keyboard and channel aftertouch) OR 76 Keys (semi-weighted keyboard and channel aftertou...

21/04/2024

It was so wonderful speaking with the incredible Anna Lapwood on her stellar career to date. If you play organ or have a love of organ music across genres, Anna's thoughts are fascinating and very insightful. Lots to learn in this one and it's enjoyable end to end.

A huge thanks to Anna for her time and hope you enjoy!

Anna Lapwood is a British organist, conductor, and broadcaster. Currently Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, Anna has a full schedule as both organist and conductor. We go in-depth in relation to some of the amazing instruments Anna has performed on, as well as a wide-ranging discussi...

19/04/2024

"The photos taken during the rehearsal show how great Rick is. The two Minimoogs on either side of his set look like horsemen who lead his army to the musical finale." - Marek Hofman 🐴 🎹

Visit our eBay page to see these remarkable limited-edition signed photos and make a bid: bit.ly/WakemanPhotoAuction2024.

Hofman, the talented photographer responsible for the stunning black-and-white photographs of Rick Wakeman Music that we are auctioning, went on to say "While playing, you can see his incredible bond with the instrument, which became the most important tool in his long, distinguished career. Black-and-white photography and precise frames perfectly highlight one of the greatest Minimoog wizards in the history of music!"

YES (official)

17/04/2024

Attention keys players - this is the property you are looking for.

11/04/2024

And here we go again! Episode 111 sees us speaking with Jim Sheridan, who spent many years as MD and keyboard player with RTÉ 's Late Late Show.

But that's only one small part of an amazing career including Jim's current role with Name That Tune Add in lots of fascinating insights about music production in TV, session work and live performance and you have one well-rounded interview. Enjoy!

Jim Sheridan is a hard keyboard player to quantify, as his career has been incredibly diverse. That said, it’s fair to say he’s a TV production expert from a musical viewpoint, and it’s given him some fascinating perspectives on composition, production and musicianship. To listen / watch: Audi...

06/04/2024

We had the pleasure last year of speaking with Paddy Milner Music Page, who has been holding down keyboard duties with the iconic Sir Tom Jones for close to ten years, as well as fronting his own brilliant outfit Jawbone

Paddy (and Sir Tom) were in town for the Australian leg of their tour so we took the opportunity to check out the show (which was unsurprisingly brilliant) and to watch Paddy’s work across what is an amazingly diverse back catalog.

Enjoy!

We had the pleasure last year of speaking with Paddy Milner, who has been holding down keyboard duties with the iconic Sir Tom Jones for close to ten years. Paddy (and Sir Tom) were in town for the Australian leg of their tour so we took the opportunity to check out the show (which was...

31/03/2024

Now for some fun: our first bloopers reel :)

There are some great guest bloopers we can't include - but if you listen to our 100th episode we do cover off the details of those without exposing identities...

Warning: contains language and also a stark reminder that David pretty much makes all the mistakes ;)

We definitely get it wrong and here's the proof!Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/keyboardchronicles Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/keyboardchroniclesT...

29/03/2024

Episode 110 is out and about, and it features a conversation with the humble but brilliant David Ryshpan. If you like hearing about gigging in foreign countries or have a love for Brazilian Jazz like David does, there's lots in this one for you.

David hails from Canada but we go to Beijing, Tokyo and São Paulo to name just three, where David has gigged with iconic artists such as Jorge Ben Jor and Vox Sambou as well as with his own Trio Bruxo and the mind-blowing Oktoecho. Enjoy!

Interview starts at 1:11 David Ryshpan is a multifaceted Canadian musician whose talents extend to being a pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger, and DJ. Born in Toronto. David has collaborated with a range of artists, including the likes of Vox Sambou, Jorge Ben Jor, and Trio Bruxo, showcasing h...

27/03/2024

Went to see this little band tonight - not enough keyboards though 😃