Opus 80|A Musical Opus from the 1980s

I must admit, that over the years I have developed an affinity for piano playing rock stars.  I just like listening to piano music for some reason.  Could be the fact that my father taught himself piano, and played quite a bit in my younger days.  We still have that piano as a matter of fact, and all my kids have learned to play on it.  Kinda cool, but I do digress.

Bands and artists that feature piano players prominently like Billy Joel, Elton John, Marc Cohn, Bruce Hornsby and Five For Fighting have always been favorites of mine.  Of them all, Billy Joel would be my first choice for a private front row contest, if I was ever given such a wonderful choice.  I saw him perform live back in Detroit back in the eighties, and even back then I was impressed by the range and size of both his songs and his fans.  He played for what seemed like hours.  And, there were grandparents with their grand-kids amongst the fans.

His concerts in Russia back when travel into that country by westerners was largely unheard of was ground breaking.  I believe, he was the first western artist ever to perform behind the iron curtain.  And in spite of that little fit he had where he flipped a piano on stage, it was one of the most amazing concert experiences to be captured on film.

Billy Joels versatility as an artist has always impressed by as well.  I should make that statement a little broader in scope, to include his band members as well.  There all incredibly accomplished musicians.  I remember seen a documentary on him on VH1 as part of the series “Story Tellers”.  I think his bio had to be broked into two episodes.  But the one piece that sticks in my mind, was where they picked out a song that was from about ten years before there time, and very atypical compared to what they normally play, but they just started playing it flawlessly.  I think it was something by Creem.

There are very few artists that can put out an album where every single song is hit worthy.  Piano Man was of course just such an effort.  And to carry that thought a little further.  When he released a greatest hits double CD, every single song on that was amazingly wonderful as well.  His journeys down alternate music paths, have been equally successful as well.  The jazzier stuff he did with the likes of Ray Charles ranks among his best work I think.  Mulberry Street is a terrific piece.

In summary, I must say Billy Joel is one of the few musicians from the eighties that stayed relevant and continued produce wonderful music, and exploring alternate musical paths long past the swan song of his contemporaries.