To the OP... I think you are expecting too much for someone that fits your criteria, creative, expressive, original, playing from the heart, and then expect them to play an arranger! The exact OPPOSITE of all of that...
Players that fit your criteria play with REAL musicians. Not machines.
I couldn't disagree more, Diki. I know a lot of so called real musicians, guys that are Peabody trained, can play a piano better than anyone that I've ever come across, real musicians in every sense of the definition. Several of them, particularly in the past decade, have switched to playing an arranger keyboard. Why? Because it stimulates their creativity and makes them want to play more than ever. You don't have to be a guitar player to be a real musician, anymore than you have to be a piano player with a Steinway Grand - that's BS. An arranger keyboard IS A REAL INSTRUMENT! You must possess all the skills required to play any keyed instrument, piano, organ, accordion, etc...,but additionally, you need the technological skills to play it well. If anyone should know that, it should be you, Diki.
Just about everyone on this forum has played an instrument other than an arranger keyboard at one time or another. I played guitar, and at one time I was considered damned good at it. Don Mason played trumpet and was first seat. DNJ played an accordion, and if I recall so does Fran. There's no better piano player on this forum, IMO, than Joe Ayala. Just because they now choose to play an arranger keyboard over those previous instruments doesn't make them any less of a musician. In fact, I consider it damned well insulting to infer that arranger keyboard players are not true musicians. Are you any less of a musician because you play the G-70? I don't think so. Even if you play that G-70 just as a piano with a group, it's STILL an arranger keyboard.
Now, the OP title is "Who gets your vote for an OMB performance?" Don Mason, DNJ, Fran, Uncle Dave, Eddie Shoemaker, and several others on this forum would be on that list if the list were limited to just this forum. Music is their full time job, and it sure as Hell wouldn't be if they were unable to provide their audiences with outstanding entertainment from their daily performances using the instrument of their choice - an arranger keyboard.
Sorry about the rant, Diki, but that statement was totally uncalled for, IMO.
Gary
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