Jan Hammer rocks his keytar

1987: Jan Hammer shreds on his keytar (a Yamaha KX5) and Fairlight synth. Video link. If this isn't enough Jan for you, here's the music video for the Miami Vice Theme.

• [Anonymous]

  Wow, I either don’t remember or have never seen the “full-length video” of the Miami Vice theme… the way they edited in Jan so it looks like he’s being chased is super-cheez-tacular. Though personally I think Crockett should have just shot him in the back…

• [Mister44]

  IIRC, his “Miami Vice Theme” is the only instrumental to reach Billboard’s Hot 100 number one spot.

  • [Anonymous]

    And, on a largely unrelated-but-put-on-your-ADD-goggles-and-you-might-see-it, A Flock of Seagulls’ “D.N.A.” won the Grammy Award in 1983 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

    • [Wingo]

      Also never forget: Faltermeyer’s “Top Gun Anthem” (feat. Steve Stevens!) won the 1987 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

• [Wingo]

  Gotta love the good ol’ days back when digital synths were ‘futuristic’.

  ‘Wow, that dudes tiny keyboard *almost* sounds like a rockin’ guitar! Radical!’

  And @MrsBug re: point 2… it is a known fact that Herbie Hancock *and only* Herbie Hancock can really look ‘cool’ playing a keytar.

  http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/11/26/herbie-hancock-is-the-only-guy-ever-to-look-cool-playing-the-keytar/

  • [MrsBug]

    That’s because Herbie Hancock is inherently cool. He’d be cool playing a kazoo.

• [Anonymous]

  If you’re interested in the song, it’s called “Star Cycle” and appears on the Jeff Beck album “There And Back”. Very much in the fusion vein he started with “Blow By Blow” and “Wired”

• [Anonymous]

  The original Mahavishnu Orchestra.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqfjMDOr-tU

  live recording, Bananafish Garden NY 1973

  * John McLaughlin – guitar
  * Jan Hammer – keyboards
  * Jerry Goodman – violin
  * Rick Laird – bass guitar
  * Billy Cobham – drums

• [MrsBug]

  1. Miami Vice is so full of cheese that vegans can’t even watch it.
  2. I don’t care how amazing a keyboard artist you are (and Jan Hammer is good), you’ll never look like a stud playing a keytar.

• [Anonymous]

  That’s not rocking a keytar, THIS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQF0oervpoU is rocking a keytar! You have to wait until about 15 seconds in.

• [andydub]

  I loved Rock School.

  Nile Rodgers was great on it too. (around 8:50 here)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HvPxNW7iyY

  Dangerous Minds recently:
  http://www.dangerousminds.net/comments/nile_rodgers_walking_on_planet_c/

  http://nilerodgers.com/blog/walking-on-planet-c

  Perhaps send a well wish his way? “We are family.”

• [sbarnes2]

  The only thing better
  Than Star Wars
  Is a keytar solo
  From 1984

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VqJGRHuKUE !