Ray Manzarek
Electric Piano Solo on
The Piano Bird

About

Ray Manzarek's electric piano solo is the first of two improvisations on this track, entering at approximately 1:55 over the A-minor tonality at 168 BPM. Spanning about 91 seconds, it is one of his more extended statements in the post-Morrison catalog, the electric piano's bright timbre cutting through the rhythmic texture with jazz-inflected lines that reflect his deep musical training. The expansive canvas provided by this Jack Conrad and John Densmore composition allows Manzarek to develop his ideas at length, building through multiple phases of intensity and melodic exploration.

Ray Manzarek was 32 to 33 years old at the time.