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Rating: 
Summary: If you want to play just like EJ at the piano, get it!
Review: Before reading this book, I thought that it might be just another usual collection of EJ's sheet music, where the piano arrangement is nothing but a repetition of the vocal lines in chords. But much to my astonishment, it is'nt. Being a fan of EJ for over 20 years who enjoys playing his songs (for leisure only, of course), I can tell from the transcriptions, simply by looking at it, that the Publisher is true in advertising it as the authentic piano transcriptions. The only complaint I have with this book is that there are 2 to 3 songs which are in fact not that popular, and should have been replaced by more popular ones such as "Sorry seems to be the hardest word" and "Skyline Pigeons" etc. I am also puzzled why "Friends" were included but "Seasons" were not. Anyway, this is only a minute flaw which bears no significance comparing with the great joy that I get from this book. I hope that the publisher will consider publishing Vol. 2. One word of opinion : get the Billy Joel Keyboard Book as well. BJ is as good as EJ!
Rating:
Summary: A-OK
Review: Extremely valuable if you call yourself an Elton John fan that plays piano. Get the similar Billy Joel one too. Can you buy me the Beatles one though, I don't have that yet! It has though a couple songs that could've been edited out (Friends). The book goes to show how good a musician Elton is by the difficulty of the music!
Rating: 
Summary: Great book
Review: First of all this is a great keyboard book, for learning the precise methods for playing some of Elton's excellent work. The quality of the transcriptions is great. You'll learn a ton.
My only complaint is with regard to 4 of the songs selected for this type of detailed transcription treatment. Specifically, you will find the following 4 songs to be uneducational:
- Honkey Cat (10 pages of very repetetive material. Wasteful)
- Crocodile Rock (Not a great song for learning the Elton style. If you want the chords, you can find them anywhere)
- Empty Garden (Same comment)
- Friends (Same comment)
Now don't get me wrong; All of these are great songs, but these 4 are not worthy of a book devoted to detailed transcriptions of intricate material. Every other song in the book is worthy, and is also transcribed excellently. Again a great learning tool.
Here are 4 songs that should have been done in place of the 4 above. Then the book would be a solid 5 stars!
- Take me to the Pilot
- Funeral for Friend
- Loves Lies Bleeding
- Skyline Pigeon (live version keyboard arrangement)
Bottom line: Buy the book, it's great, but recognize that you will be disappointed with the 4 songs above, and wishing that the editors had done a little bit better.
Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: Here you'll find Elton John's music transcribed down to a tee. This is a welcome change to nonsensical 'interpretations' that conspicuously sound exactly the same as the melody line. You want to play 'Bennie and the Jets' from the starting heavy chords to the verse to the jazzy piano solo, here you go. Blue Eyes, Rocket Man, Someone Saved My Life Tonight (excellent song)... it's all here. In some instances (like Honky Cat for example), there's just no point in bothering to learn the music EXACTLY, because Elton John just improvised within chords in the first place. So it's best for you to do the same unless you want to pore through pages of the same music phrased slightly differently. Next time it would be better to include the more 'precise' songs in Elton's catalogue.Anyway, this is a great collection. Some of the songs aren't very well known but get the album they're on and you're away. Hours of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Even Me!
Review: I DON'T Play an instrument, but I enjoy any books that feature
EJ! Lots of wonderful pix & information. Great books for collectors like myself!
Rating:
Summary: Even Me!
Review: I DON'T Play an instrument, but I enjoy any books that feature
EJ! Lots of wonderful pix & information. Great books for collectors like myself!
Rating:
Summary: The best Elton book I've found.
Review: This is the best book of Elton John's sheet music I've ever found. The transcriptions are almost perfect. My only complaint is a couple of the songs that weren't included (Levon, Burn Down the Mission), but the songs that are included more than make up for it.
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