Pianist or Piano player ???

[eugene]

Hi there !

I was wondering who played the piano on Cliff&The Shadows' tunes in the sixties.

For example,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=364QPG7rY8E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjkJOosUVO8

Would you tell me who the pianist or the piano player is ?

So sorry for my poor English.

Sincerley yours.

eugene

[JimN]

Without checking the Goodall/Lowry Chronology (which in any case isn't always accurate), I'd say that the piano on True True Lovin' sounds like Hank (on an overdub), playing in his Floyd Cramer style. Other possibilities would be Norrie Paramor or Brian Bennett, though that style doesn't sound typical of Norrie.

JN

[donna plasky]

Hi, Eugene. I checked the books I had in my bookcase. Here is what the books said -- but it's exactly what JimN said. Jim your knowledge is incredible.

Book title: Cliff Richard The Complete Recording Sessions 1958-1990 (by Peter Lewry and Nigel Goodall)

True True Lovin: Studio Session for Columbia on 26 March 1964 at Abbey Road. The books lists the guitar and percussion players (Hank, Bruce, John R, Brian) and that Norrie Paramor was the producer, but no mention of piano.

Book title: The Cliff Richard Recording Catalogue 1958-2010 (by Victor Rust)
True True Lovin: Same credits as above for guitars, percussion, and producer. It lists piano as "Unknown" but it also says:

"With a piano glissando, uncredited but likely to be Norrie Paramor, running down the keyboard, the crashing guitar, bass and drums come in with the brilliant harmonies provided by the melding of Cliff's, Hank Marvin's, Bruce Welch's and John Rostill's voices producing the classic sound from the era. The foot-tapping upbeat song is a love song that ends on an unresolved minor chord."

As for Jigsaw, the only info I could find was the recording date 22 April 1967 and that the personnel were Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, John Rostill, and Brian Bennett. This is from the book "A Guide to The Shadows and Hank Marvin on CD" by Malcolm Campbell and Les Woosey.

Best wishes,
Donna

PS: Just found this video from 1969. Hank Marvin is playing the piano! You can see him best at the 0:37 marker.

[JimN]

Just found this video from 1969. Hank Marvin is playing the piano! You can see him best at the 0:37 marker.

Hank was fairly well-known for playing piano in the early days. Stand Up And Say That on the first LP features Hank's pianistic skills, as did Kinda Cool on "Out Of The Shadows". The first time I ever saw the group live (April 1962, in Liverpool), they (probably) played Stand Up And Say That, with Hank on a white grand piano. For some reason, it has gone down in the unofficial history that they featured Kinda Cool that week, but given the way in which the tune developed (not least the description in the album's sleeve notes) and bearing in mind that Licorice had joined only a few days earlier, I find that unlikely. And I can't remember which it was, even though I was there.

After the single of The Next Time / Bachelor Boy was released in late 1962, Hank played piano on several live TV performances, including "Sunday Night At The London Palladium", to promote Bachelor Boy.

I can't really remember when the piano dropped out of the (original, four-man) act, but I'm sure there were no piano numbers on the 1964 or 1965 tours and the next time I saw them (1969), they had Alan Hawkshaw on keyboards anyway...

JN