Justin Avery
 

I'll save my review of the new DVD for when I have more time, but there's one thing I feel the urge to comment on. Justin Avery is a fantastic addition to the band. Mark Alexander was a great keyboardist, but Justin brings something to the table that has been lacking for several years. It's just a shame that Meat didn't discover him years ago. :shrug:

When does his cd come out?

100% agree with that - Mark was great but Justin is in a class of his own. His fingers dance around on that keyboard like he was born on a piano stool. I love what he has done with Rock n Roll Dreams - the piano solo is a great addition, and what's more, his solo is different every time. I get what Meat means when he says JA doesn't think, he just plays.

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Damn straight!

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Best pianist Meat has ever had. I absolutely love the part in the show when Meat says if Jim was there he'd be standing up screaming! And he would! He would have loved what Justin and the rest did.

Second best. Nobody played Steinman songs like Steinman.

I am a huge fan of Mark Alexander's work. I adore him; he is a fun guy to be around as well as a great musician. I will agree that Justin is a wonderful, talented, and well needed addition to the band. I think he has more personality as a performer than Mark did. Justin is so much fun to watch. I remember the first time I saw Justin perform with Meat in 2010 though; he was almost like a scared timid child. He had just joined the band and was still learning the ropes. He has grown tremendously as a peformer. I love the moments when he gets to take center stage with Meat - he truly shines.

:twisted: Mark is a great player, but Justin is insanely talented.
He brings a hell of a lot to the band.

I love Justin's playing, I wish I could piano like him. Then again, I wish I could play the piano...

I woul dlove to hear Justin's rendition of Objects!

I'm sure this is going to get me a hell of a lot of hate, but I'd actually have to disagree on this. I mean absolutely no disrespect to Steinman, considering he's composed some of the most amazing songs in all of history...but his playing has never really reached out and captivated me. Heaven Can Wait and Objects from LATW come to mind, and that's because there were actually a few painfully wrong notes in there. That's not to say he's not a decent piano player (like I could do any better :lol:), but he never actually struck me as an amazing piano performer like Justin does.

I dunno, maybe it's just me :oops:

I agree with Happy.

I think Steinman at his heights was probably on the piano level I am at now, thereabouts I think. I was never classically trained so no clue what grade that is. Avery is however in the stratosphere with notes at times. A bit like Steven Margoshes sounds on Pray Lewd or Roy Bittan from E Street. Very difficult to play like that and probably requires a bit more dedication / classically training. Better than Mark Alexander too.

Not just you. No disrespect toward Jim or Mark Alexander for that matter. I always found Jim to be great in his own way, but not in a great classical pianist way. Bittan, Margoshes, and even Avery are in a class unto themselves. Yet without Jim they would not have the songs.

I like this clip :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmxQ9...feature=relmfu

'The piano is too retarded and slow' - lol - Jim is a brilliant pianist but his songs are too difficult !

I agree that Jim's playing seems a bit sloppy to me sometimes. But, having said that, at other times, there's no one I'd rather hear play those songs. There's something to be said for expressing emotion as opposed to technical perfection.

I do think Justin is fantastic, though. If there's one player he reminds me of, it's Bruce Hornsby.

I think Tom Brislin is underrated. He remains my personal favorite on piano. Every piano player has been extremely talented though.

Tom is awesome, agree there.
Justin is brilliant, and works so well in the NLE.

I think Tom Brislin is definitely underated. But that could be because his stint in the NLE was quite short.

Justin is the best piano player on the planet. bar none. there are no exceptions. Billy, Elton and Jimmy come close tho

Roy Bittan is the best :)

I agree about Roy Bittan being the best I've seen live.

I saw Elton live a few months ago and he was AMAZING. Having not seen Justin...yet I can't comment but I will report to you Friday night if I'm not too frazzled!