Musicians who are pretty damn impressive on more than one (type of) instrument

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I mean more than just 'great on one instrument, adequate/basic/dilettante on another' (e.g., Paul McCartney-great on bass, adequate on piano), but that they could more than hold their own quite well/possibly even make heads turn in a band on at least two different kinds** of instruments...with the understanding that the line between 'adequate' and 'impressive' may be blurry. Also, try to give some context and/or examples.

**Let's say common instrument pairings (bass & guitar, sax & flute, etc.) don't count, unless it's a notable exception of some kind.

Examples:

Alice Coltrane - kicks ass on both harp (her solo albums, "Message from the Nile" on McCoy Tyner's Extensions) and piano ("Seraphic Light" on John Coltrane's Stellar Regions).

Anthony Phillips - original Genesis guitarist, masterful 12-string and classical acoustic player (solo albums Antiques and Twelve. After leaving Genesis learned classical piano and has made albums of just piano (Ivory Moon>).

Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) - of course the flute, but also I'd say his acoustic guitar lines (e.g., "Thick as a Brick") seem pretty intricate as well.

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 18 March 2006 18:29 (twenty years ago)

Anton Newcombe from The Brian Jonestown Massacre plays about 30 instruments and is brilliant on all of them check out http://www.brianjonestownmassacre.com you can download Thank God For Mental Illness, great album.

― Dom Muz, Saturday, 18 March 2006 18:42 (twenty years ago)

Prince.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 18 March 2006 18:51 (twenty years ago)

Well his guitar playing is shockingly bad. I mean just on that level of bad that it's doing nothing interesting in any way whatsoever.

― Period period period (Period period period), Saturday, 18 March 2006 19:18 (twenty years ago)

Eric Dolphy, sax and flute

― gear (gear), Saturday, 18 March 2006 19:21 (twenty years ago)

Steven R. Smith of Hala Strana/Thuja/Mirza.

Amazing on a shocking number of oddball and obscure instruments.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Saturday, 18 March 2006 19:22 (twenty years ago)

Robin Williamson

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 18 March 2006 19:41 (twenty years ago)

I'd say that Paul McCartney was also pretty rad on lead guitar as well (see: Back in the USSR or Taxman).

― musically (musically), Saturday, 18 March 2006 20:25 (twenty years ago)

Peven Everett

― blunt (blunt), Saturday, 18 March 2006 20:43 (twenty years ago)

Todd Rundgren and Stevie Wonder.

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Saturday, 18 March 2006 21:14 (twenty years ago)

What else for Stevie Wonder besides keyboards? (Harmonica?)

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 18 March 2006 21:44 (twenty years ago)

I read that he played almost everything on Talking Book.

― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 18 March 2006 21:52 (twenty years ago)

Cue "Superstition" backbeat...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 18 March 2006 21:55 (twenty years ago)

Charles Mingus -- bass and piano

Ornette Coleman -- alto sax and violin

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:00 (twenty years ago)

I love Ornette as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't exactly call his violin playing "pretty damn impressive"...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:05 (twenty years ago)

Steve Winwood - keyboards, guitar and saxophone ( I think?)

― Jeff K (jeff k), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:05 (twenty years ago)

Sly Stone (most everything)

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:06 (twenty years ago)

Damon Che - Drums with Don Caballero,Guitar with Thee Speaking Canaries.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:07 (twenty years ago)

Who can comment on Anthony Braxton the pianist?

― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:24 (twenty years ago)

I love Ornette as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't exactly call his violin playing "pretty damn impressive"...

compared to what? Alice Coltrane on harp? sheesh

there's rock guys like Allan Lanier of BOC (keybs/gtr) and
Dave Grohl (drums/gtr) now themI wouldn't call impressive

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:30 (twenty years ago)

John Cale on Viola, Piana, and sometimes gitar.

― Dave AKA Dave (dave225.3), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:39 (twenty years ago)

Neil Young on guitar, harmonica, piano.

― StanM (StanM), Saturday, 18 March 2006 22:50 (twenty years ago)

Jamie Stillman - Guitar with Party of Helicopters & Drums with Harriet the Spy
jaw-dropping on both...

As someone who plays saxophone, I find flute playing quite difficult and see it as a different instrument for sure and not so much a "common instrument pairing"...

I second Prince also.

― bobby.lasers (bobby.lasers), Saturday, 18 March 2006 23:00 (twenty years ago)

http://www.step.no/music/images/RolandKirk.jpg

― earlnash, Saturday, 18 March 2006 23:05 (twenty years ago)

http://www.moonstoneguitars.com/sklr.JPG

― meth lab for doug flutie (sanskrit), Saturday, 18 March 2006 23:30 (twenty years ago)

Izzat Leland Sklar?

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Saturday, 18 March 2006 23:32 (twenty years ago)

I think there's a lotta 'good/adequate or less' on this thread. Heck, I can only think of three guys who's electric and acoustic guitar playing are both really exciting for me:

Neil Young, John McLaughlin, Richard Thompson.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Sunday, 19 March 2006 00:13 (twenty years ago)

John Paul Jones

― Lotta Continua (Damian), Sunday, 19 March 2006 00:36 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, John Paul Jones is a good example...

― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 19 March 2006 01:17 (twenty years ago)

Kerry Minnear (Gentle Giant) - monster at keyboards as well as tuned percussion (vibes, xylophone, etc.), though I suppose these might fall under the 'similar pairs' exclusion

― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 19 March 2006 01:18 (twenty years ago)

Alessandro Alessandroni, as both a whistler and a guitarist.

― Pangolino 2, Sunday, 19 March 2006 06:42 (twenty years ago)

Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow etc) - sax and keyboards.

Christian Vander (Magma) - a monster on the drums, very impressive on piano too. There seem to be a lot of drummers that are good pianists too, I guess they're not that dissimilar in some ways as the piano is essentially a tuned percussion instrument.

Classically trained musicians are often at a very high standard (by rock musician standards) on multiple instruments - I know a violinist who suddenly ripped out a Bach piano piece in rehearsal one day, then said "oh I can't really play the piano"! It's a different world.

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Sunday, 19 March 2006 09:34 (twenty years ago)

Mick Karn - Fretless bass, Tenor and soprano saxaphone, Clarinet, Accordion, Dida, Keyboards, Drums and percussion

Rob Burger - Accordion, piano, Celeste, Banjo, Pump organ, Glockenspiel

Fred Frith - Guirar Violin, Xylophone, Bass, Keyboard

― Cliftonb, Sunday, 19 March 2006 09:58 (twenty years ago)

Steve Hackett of Genesis is well-known for his guitar work ("Firth of Fifth solo), but not so well-known is that he is also pretty damn good at the harmonica (perhaps the only element of his Blues with a Feeling album that was interesting to me). And not just a lead vocalist poseur-totemistic kind of thing--he can really play.

― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 19 March 2006 12:27 (twenty years ago)

Ian Underwood of early Zappa fame-- keys and sax. He totally owns Hot Rats as much as Zappa.

― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 19 March 2006 12:28 (twenty years ago)

Stevie Wonder seconded. He was an amazing drummer, pianist/keyboardist, harmonica player, and of course vocalist.

― Elastique (Elastique), Sunday, 19 March 2006 14:25 (twenty years ago)

What else for Stevie Wonder besides keyboards? (Harmonica?)

Isn't being one of the best harmonica players ever enough?
(Besides he is an excellent drummer too)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 19 March 2006 14:30 (twenty years ago)

Leaving aside the question of the line between "virtuousity" and "adequacy" in a pop music context, it was impressive to me that former Replacements drummer Chris Mars turned out to be a "plays everything himself" guy on his solo records. One wouldn't have thought so, given the context of the band's performances.

Also, Charlie Benante of Anthrax. Among the top of his class in metal drumming, with some serious double-bass work, he also plays lead guitar on the Anthrax records and writes most of the band's riffs, too.

― phil d. (Phil D.), Sunday, 19 March 2006 15:41 (twenty years ago)

Peter Gabriel did some great flute work on early Genesis albums and later became sort of a keyboard wizard, being one of the first artists to utilize the Fairlight.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 19 March 2006 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Jack Endino ?

― blunt (blunt), Sunday, 19 March 2006 20:57 (twenty years ago)

With the possible exception of some OTHER Sam Rivers album, I know of no other jazz LP like this live-at-Montreaux one...
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc300/c338/c33824w710g.jpg

...wherein he rotates from tenor sax to flute to piano, then climaxes on soprano. (Even throws in a few Damo Suzuki-isms!)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 20 March 2006 09:14 (twenty years ago)

Gotta say that, no matter what I think of (or try NOT to think of) their music, I've always been way-impressed (and often jealous) of those I-can-play-everything-with-no-apparent-effort guys (Prince, Rundgren, John Fogerty, even Lenny Kravitz.)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 20 March 2006 09:30 (twenty years ago)

keith jarrett - piano and soprano sax
jack dejohnette - drums and piano
j mascis - guitar and drums
keiji haino - guitar, hurdy gurdy, lotsa diff percussion

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Monday, 20 March 2006 09:44 (twenty years ago)

Are there any worthwhile recordings of Jack DeJohnette on piano?

My guitar teacher used to tell this typical jazz lore story about how Jack DeJohnette was at some Coltrane concert and had never actually played the drums before, but Elvin Jones was sick and Jack asked if he could play and of course was able to hang immediately. Sounds hard to believe, but I dunno.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 20 March 2006 14:54 (twenty years ago)

http://ommadawn.web.infoseek.co.jp/wall/tubular_bells.jpg

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 20 March 2006 14:57 (twenty years ago)

George Harrison became quite good at playing the sitar throughout his career.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 20 March 2006 14:59 (twenty years ago)

His bio in the Grove Dictionary of Jazz says he started studying drums at 18 (born in Aug. 1942, so '60-'61), and had a chance to sit in w/Coltrane "in the early 60s." So, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but not a whole lot. (Dejohnette xpost)

― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Monday, 20 March 2006 15:04 (twenty years ago)

Joe Mcphee, reeds and brass, but I think most impressive is Hal Russell who had a long career as a jazz drummer before swtiching to saxophone in his forties and became most famous as a tenor player.

― chris besinger (chris besinger), Monday, 20 March 2006 15:07 (twenty years ago)

Shit yeah, Sam Rivers!

Also Joe McPhee. When I saw him on trumpet with Peter Brotzmann I thought 'this CAN'T be right' but it was.

xpost!

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Monday, 20 March 2006 15:08 (twenty years ago)

I've never heard it, but I'm sure that DeJohnette at least has 'chops' when it comes to the piano:

he jack dejohnette piano album - album reviews
This album was a surprise when it was released for it features drummer Jack DeJohnette exclusively on piano and synthesizer in a trio with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Freddie Waits. DeJohnette on a couple of the tunes was among the very first pianists to really capture the sound of Thelonious Monk. Other selections are more in his own style and he displays a strong technique that does not sound like the work of a drummer who is moonlighting. In addition to three of his originals, there are selections by Gigi Gryce ("Minority"), John Coltrane, Denny Zeitlin and Cyndi Lauper ("Time After Time"). Worth checking out. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Actually on his debut alb Jack also plays a mean melodica (see also Albert Ayler 'doubling' on bagpipes on 'music is the healing force'...)

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Monday, 20 March 2006 15:36 (twenty years ago)

amazed that nobody's yet mentioned Brian Jones. He's all over the place through the early Stones discography. xylophone on "Under my Thumb," organ on "Can't Always Get What you Want," crazy slidework on "Jigsaw Puzzle" and "No Expectations," many others...

― drew l, Monday, 20 March 2006 17:50 (twenty years ago)

PG6

― Russell (Russell), Monday, 20 March 2006 19:55 (twenty years ago)

Al Kooper

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Monday, 20 March 2006 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Richard Manuel

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Monday, 20 March 2006 20:02 (twenty years ago)

I remember Richard Meltzer praising that Jack DeJohnette LP (if it's the one I'm thinking of) when it came out, saying something to the effect that DeJohnette was the only Monk imitator to insert "TOTALLY Monk-ish piano notes" into his accompaniment when not soloing.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 20 March 2006 20:16 (twenty years ago)

Meltzer had kind words for Ornette on "fiddle" too !!

saxophonist Ben Webster could also play a mean boogie/woogie piano, check the last few cuts on his great 50s album Soulsville

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Monday, 20 March 2006 20:19 (twenty years ago)

Yoshimi P-We, anyone?

― Raffles: Gentleman Thug (Raffles: The Gentleman Thug), Monday, 20 March 2006 20:25 (twenty years ago)

Ian Underwood of early Zappa fame-- keys and sax. He totally owns Hot Rats as much as Zappa.
-- Joe

Heh heh...and apparently he was hoping to join Beefheart's Magic Band on second guitar (replacing Jeff Cotton) around that same time - despite being an absolute beginner who could only play a C chord and nothing else! This according to Zoot Horn Rollo.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 20 March 2006 20:43 (twenty years ago)

heck, of the Band, only Robertson could only play one instrument…

Richard: piano, drums…
Rick: bass, fiddle…
Levon: drums, guitar, mandolin…
Garth: all keybs, sax and probly every instrument ever…

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Monday, 20 March 2006 21:06 (twenty years ago)

Elvin Jones: drums and cymbals. That's more than enough.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Monday, 20 March 2006 21:14 (twenty years ago)

Jack Bruce on bass and harmonica (see "Traintime" on the Wheels of Fire LP).

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 20 March 2006 21:54 (twenty years ago)

david bowie is both a good piano and sax player.

elvis costello.

mark mothesbaugh.

i think aretha franklin counts as being both an excellent piano player and one of the greatest vocalists who ever lived.

joni mitchell.

and let's not forget jonny greenwood, who plays like every instrument ever. sufjan stevens too.

― Emily B (Emily B), Monday, 20 March 2006 22:04 (twenty years ago)

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 20 March 2006 22:06 (twenty years ago)

chris brokaw (gtr, drums)
john entwistle (bass, french horn)
david hidalgo (gtr, accordion, violin, 8 million other things)

lots and lots of producers (mitchell froom, jon brion, blah blah blah blah blah) who'll play pretty much whatever you put in front of them, and play it well

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 20 March 2006 22:51 (twenty years ago)

I haven't listened to anything he's done in years and years, but Adrian Belew is taken seriously as a drummer, isn't he?

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Monday, 20 March 2006 23:47 (twenty years ago)

Ollie Halsall of Patto started out on drums, then taught himself to play vibes, then guitar and then piano. You may known him for his work as Leppo of the Rutles. Rikki Fataar, the Rutles' Stig O'Hara, is also supposed to be a talented multi-instrumentalist.

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Monday, 20 March 2006 23:59 (twenty years ago)

Hell yeah! to Mingus (mentioned above). (If you're interested in Mingus and haven't heard "Mingus Plays Piano," get a copy as quickly as possible.)

Apropos of the thread: the first image in my head for some inexplicable reason was Eugene Chadbourne, master of both the banjo and the...ahem...electric rake.

And Andy Statman is freakishly talented on both clarinet and mandolin.

― St. Joy (St. Joy), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 02:16 (twenty years ago)

I haven't listened to anything he's done in years and years, but Adrian Belew is taken seriously as a drummer, isn't he?

I'd say he's adequate, but not impressive.

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 02:22 (twenty years ago)

Re: Geir/Tubular Bells cover

Mike Oldfield's big sis Sally is no slouch either (on guitar and keys).

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 02:23 (twenty years ago)

Ben Folds did session work as a drummer in Nashville and is a terrific piano player; is also proficient at the bass guitar.

― don weiner (don weiner), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 02:25 (twenty years ago)

Hell yeah! to Mingus (mentioned above). (If you're interested in Mingus and haven't heard "Mingus Plays Piano," get a copy as quickly as possible.)

Yeah, Mingus knew beaucoup keys...

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 02:26 (twenty years ago)

badly drawn boy is impressive

― rico_suave, Wednesday, 22 March 2006 18:14 (twenty years ago)

Besides vibes, Lionel Hampton was a great drummer (listen to "Jack the Bellboy" for proof); drums were was his first instrument. There are probably many other drummers too handy with the vibes/marimba/etc.

Though I guess he wasn't exactly a virtuoso with any of them, I like Fela Kuti very much as a keyboardist, vocalist and a saxophonist.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 19:07 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't Dannie Richmond a pianist or horn player or something before Mingus recruited him to drums?

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 23:54 (twenty years ago)

Robert Wyatt - drums and piano (I'll reserve judgement on his trumpet playing)

― Dadaismus, the Male Poster (Dada), Thursday, 23 March 2006 10:37 (twenty years ago)

Andrew Hill -- piano and soprano saxophone

Add Pete Townshend to the list of "I can play everything" musicians. His demos (especially in the 70s) were often him on all instruments -- guitar, piano, bass, synthesizers and, most impressively, drums.

― Lawrence the Looter (Lawrence the Looter), Thursday, 23 March 2006 17:38 (twenty years ago)

Daniel Fichelscher (Popol Vuh) - drums and guitar!

― Dadaismus, the Male Poster (Dada), Friday, 24 March 2006 10:16 (twenty years ago)

three years pass...

After leaving Motown, guitarist Joe Messina, who had also played with many jazz greats as part of Soupy Sales's house band, switched over to bass harmonica!

The late Mario Rivera could play every kind of saxophone as well as flute, vibes and lots of different percussion instruments. Here's a brief discussion: http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/2007/08/16/mario-rivera-the-true-multi-instrumentalist/

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 24 March 2009 14:04 (seventeen years ago)

heck, of the Band, only Robertson could only play one instrument…
Yup, with Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel leading the way.
Garth: Master of the organ, but also played saxophone, piano, accordion, melodica, slide trumpet, piccolo and bass.
Richard: Great pianist and singer who also played organ, drums, lap slide guitar, harmonica, clavinet, marimba, conga.

― Jazzbo, Tuesday, 24 March 2009 14:26 (seventeen years ago)

Elliott Smith played a lot of instruments on his records (guitar, piano, bass, drums) and I'd say he was impressive on at least the guitar and piano. His vocals were also angelic, at least on his recordings.

― ColinO, Tuesday, 24 March 2009 14:37 (seventeen years ago)

Another one from the Latin Jazz side: Mark Weinstein switched from trombone to flute.

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 5 April 2009 06:33 (seventeen years ago)

Edgar Winter.

― Josefa, Monday, 6 April 2009 04:15 (seventeen years ago)

Surprised noone has mentioned Iggy Pop's drumming skills. He's also a mighty fine vacuum cleaner player

― Duke, Monday, 6 April 2009 11:37 (seventeen years ago)

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