Liberace Flight of the Bumblebee and The Bumble Boogie

Liberace Plays the Classic Flight of the Bumblebee and its modern day counterpart The Bumble Boogie from his 1950s TV Show

[@joey_bonin]

Man, those flyin' fingers. He makes it look easy.

[@RSVPini]

He was a great talent. It's also amazing how quickly he could change piano and clothes without missing a note.

[@cherilynnfisher5658]

He was a national treasure. R.I.P. Mr. Showmanship.

[@johnhunter2294]

I saw an interview once where he was asked what he thought of the critics who were so harsh to him. He said "I don't play for the critics. I play for that nice little housewife in the fifteenth row who's put down her hard-earned money for an evening's entertainment. And by GOD, I'm gonna give her an evening's entertainment."

[@pt68picaso]

Jay Leno joked; other than that intereuption, how was the show Mrs. Lincoln? to audience groans. Too soon? Lee died a year prior to Roy Orbison, 36 years ago.

[@jamesrogala]

His finger dexterity is nothing short of amazing.

[@pt68picaso]

Wonder if double jointed?

[@bennydanielz8762]

My Grandmother is to thank for my respect for this extraordinarily great man.I laughed at his voice,and mocked him when he was on tv...My Grandmother (was a huge fan of his)sat me down at her piano and told me to play like him,no way!!! Before he died I met him,and told him the story,he laughed so hard.He said,"At least she didn't spank you".He gave one autograph for me and one for her.Very nice man.

[@HaggenKennedy]

Wow, you actually met him? What a great story!

[@Native_love]

That's a cool story!

[@bradleycyrus4481]

instablaster.

[@elainekomara8555]

Haggen Kennedy after his shows and you bought a picture of him you could meet him and talk with him. He would autograph the picture for you too..

[@cajsheen2594]

Saw him at the Palladium, London, in the 60s. It only took him about 8 minutes to completely win over his audience. I was only about 14 years old, but I always remember that remarkable evening, we all came out walking on air, where we'd picked up the feelgood factor! XXX

[@louislandi938]

How many of his critics could sell a single ticket to hear them play? He was a true genius at the keyboard and a genuine entertainer. His audience was always smiling.

[@scorpius6667]

Many people didn't realize how talented a piano player Liberace was! That was an amazing display of a very nimble fingered and talented pianist! He was a Showman to say the least! 🦂🥂

[@pt68picaso]

He had his own TV show in the '50's when 30 million households tuned in & USA population was 150 M. Talk about saturation. Superbowls don't draw that attention with the country twice as populated.

[@buff6637]

Admittedly had labeled and categorized this man growing up in the 70's..Never bothering to notice what a phenomenal talent this Guy was...Wow..☮️🙏

[@LongTrout]

He definitely spent a lot of time in the wood shed working on his chops......Unbelievable finger memory

[@patriciajrs46]

Ni doubt. If the Devil went up against I think he would get schooled. Liberace had to be king of the piano.

[@rnordquest]

At one time he was the highest paid entertainer in the world.

[@jeffkerr807]

Deserves every penny

[@THECLARENCES]

Long live Liberace’s memory. xoxo The Clarences

[@elsemorris906]

I have a feeling he could have played this at an even faster tempo. What technical genius!

[@joyciejd9673]

What a fabulous talent. Rest in Peace, Liberace

[@liamthomas4644]

If I could go back in time, going to see Liberace play live would be on my to do list.

[@Native_love]

His talent was unbelieveable! Try to play the pieces he did at that speed while looking up and to the side! Amazing!

[@Franz_Liszt_Korean]

Agree

[@claudiaaperez197]

Wow......so much respect for him....not only the fact that he is playing an extremely difficult piece by memory not a single partiture on sight....but also the fact that he is playing two different types of rithms with different hands....wow.....

[@thenetsurferboy]

I think he and others play by EAR Knowing all the RUNS etc

[@YerkoYoga]

Liberace's hands with one ring ... The Best version 🤭

[@GeraldWilhelmBradenComposer]

Absolutely amazing! There are tons of people out there that appreciate this video performance, and most others that they have seen Liberace perform. Though please allow me, as a pianist, composer, and former music professor, to share the fact that this piece, and many others we've seen Liberace perform, was very difficult. He is playing a boogie woogie bass line with his left hand, and then also the insane, and very fast chromatic Bumble Bee theme with his right hand. The pianistic talent it took to accomplish this is off the charts! I will always fondly remember, and have the deepest respect for Liberace.....Peace!

[@claravela289]

My respect. You are totally right.

[@Sweendogization]

You’re a pompous elitist. You professors are all the same. People can appreciate his talent without being a pianist.

[@HERU-ls9jn]

@@Sweendogization you're a jerK

[@Sweendogization]

mega monkey so is everyone else, you disagree with, I bet. Wimp.

[@roycey32]

Amen

[@lindamanas954]

I can play Rachmaninov’s version of the Bumble Bee at about 85% speed but this Boogie Woogie version is insanely difficult. I can’t play that! Even more impressive is the way Liberace turns sideways to grin and wink at the audience without even looking at the piano keys! I once played the Flight of the Bumble Bee on a public piano and felt quite pleased but then so someone sat down after me and played Bumble Boogie! I was envious and impressed at the same time!

[@alisonbewick5550]

No sheet music, played at pace, and in front of a live audience and recording. Wonderful talent :)

[@alaggan]

An extraordinarily gifted man, brilliant pianist.

[@kenhoughton2594]

What extraordinary playing - virtually superhuman, omg.

[@leeweaver8159]

My new favourite. Utterly stunning talent

[@dianeashworth1420]

This was filmed before he began wearing flamboyant clothes. A wonderful talent, great showman, and always a true gentleman. Years later, he explained that he wore bright, shiny outfits so that he could be seen by concert goers who were farthest from the stage.

[@feralbluee]

People, especially women, were crazy for this guy. He was amazingly popular and had a show, this one, on TV. he was also an excellent classical pianist. Jack Benny was a very good friend of his and once played his violin with him in a Jack Benny style concert. (it’s on YT somewhere :) being gay was, of course, very difficult back then, but he had lots of support and friends in the business out there in Hollywood :) 🌷🌱

[@cantalope67]

Simply Amazing lightning fast hands and never hit the wrong key I don't know how he does it what an amazing talent rest in peace and your brother George 2

[@JHParee]

A phrase I was taught in high school was “Practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect.” Liberace applied it.

[@donbaxley5530]

My God he was great!

[@irenerussell5769]

Liberace was one of a kind at piano playing.!!!

[@trainliker100]

My mother was a professional concert pianist who played solo performances in Orchestra Hall in Chicago. And she really liked Liberace's playing and respected it. Me, too. There was real talent underneath all that showmanship. Few performers nowadays can match his showmanship and even fewer can match the talent.

[@HaggenKennedy]

I like what you said, and I agree. When showmanship is properly underlain by talent and substance, as is case here, performances take on a whole new level of quality.

[@donaldcampbell5277]

He would flaunt his diamonds and costumes to the audiences then tell them "you paid for them". Great talent and performer. Grew up watching him and George.

[@scottkuzminski8114]

Astounding, for those times AND now

[@RichInternationalAir]

Enormous talent, earned from his dedication and love of music. Liberace was also a gracious, generous man. When the simpletons that laughed/ridiculed him at his expense are LONG forgotten, many remain impressed and admiring of Liberace's virtuosity and showmanship.

[@rowwdycolt654]

What a great comment.

[@josephphillips9485]

The words you said are the ones I'd said.as a little boy at 6 years of age .the great Liberace was alive.i heard so many people bash him for who he chose to sleep with.sorry I loved him for what he gave me .HIS GIFT OF MUSIC & HE WAS KIND.THANKS FOR BE YOUR POST' IIT KEEPS HIM ALIVE!!!

[@dgflyerxx]

Versi hammond

[@1953mazda]

@Val O'Brien He was asked why he did not become a concert pianist. His answer was because he wanted to make money!

[@tradingpost2472]

He was the greatest pianist there ever was or would be again, look at his fingers move over those keys like a hot knife through butter!

[@tombstoneharrystudios584]

Lee was a huge jazz fan, and adored Art Tatum‘s stride stylings He also was canny enough to know that the boogie groove was simple enough for anyone to recognise and follow…yet incredibly flexible as seen here Also, boogie comes round in some funky variation every few years and it made his act seem a little fresher than other performers

[@anakenbond7203]

Flight of the Bumblebee plus a booster version. Only Liberace could do that!!!!

[@adamsimmons631]

His ability to “improvise” is incredible. What an extraordinary talent.

[@CandC68]

What is amazing to me is when I listen closely, I often don't hear the individual keys. The sound, the tone, the music is flowing smoothly from note to note. Blended. Not separate notes.

[@tarheelblue9245]

Totally in awe of his talent! Absolutely incredible

[@mihaeladumitrasconiu5205]

Absolutely magnificent ❤

[@tradingpost2472]

The greatest pianist ever, who has or could play a piano like he did? No one, he's the best ever! End Of!~breath

[@carlopietrantonio6884]

Beethoven

[@cashcoolerj8271]

Herbie Hancock....Mozart......

[@DiegoAlvarezBeltran1993.]

His fingers are almost a blur, that's astounding.

[@warongratratanawarang3057]

The great pianist i always love all songs he performed thank you Liberace R.I.P. 6 Oct 2019

[@Franz_Liszt_Korean]

Agree

[@johnjensen4984]

LIBERACE really CAN PLAY BOOGIE WOOGIE 👏👏 MR. SHOWMANSHIP "Lee"

[@cindyshih8206]

Great pianist with excellent piano skills!

[@urbanbraun6218]

Love this vidieo. Great job guys!!

[@U2WB]

Jack Sperling on the snare drum ! Another great musician.

[@NicleT]

U2WB thanks for the reference!

[@adelasmart]

Magnificent skill set as always. He plays it to where anybody can learn. So un unassuming. Master skills.

[@ddoyle11]

He was a truly unique individual. Bravo!

[@madjakkrealms]

Was looking for this. Fascinating how this version is pulled off.

[@ellacritchlow258]

Loved watching his TV show every week. He could sure make that piano talk

[@jajjajj3]

This guy is someone I want to meet in the afterlife.

[@tishthedish7684]

Crazy amazing that man. He’s the reason I wanted to play in the 2nd place with my Granny being the first! My Granny always said a man came to their town & happened to see her play at a some local talent show thing. He preceded to go ask her daddy if he could take her to New York because he could get her into Carnegie Hall,. Her daddy said no - told the man she was too young & also needed her home on the farm. She helped her daddy as a farmhand especially when he got sick with cancer. She had to quit school her Junior year I believe, to work the farm when her Daddy couldn’t. Anyway…she would often dream about what it could’ve been like . I think it was safer to stay home with daddy anyway, 😏 No telling if that man was truthful or not, but he sure liked the way she played. Talent, she had! She always played “More”! Not Liberace More, but definitely could find some other notes, Melodie’s, and Chords within a song - which was NOT written in the music. Her piano teacher always complained that she wasn’t playing it like it was written. 😂 She ended up quitting lessons because - she Got it down good, The teacher wasn’t really teaching her anything anyway, Plus it would save money, being the depression and all. The piano was supposed to be her older sister’s piano - but my Granny went and surpassed her in music- so her sister quit…still learning basic notes. Haha she Said, “ok I give. I’m obviously not the talent in rhe family,” , and Never okayed again. My Granny was born in 1920. If she went with that man, I may not have been born, so she was happy to stay with her family. She said it felt good just for him to ask. She told this story countless times! I first saw Liberace on Tv - with Her. I was probably around 6 or 7. He’s brilliant, Love his style. Man that boogie rhythm going along with the bumble bee is CRAZY good. Finally, just want to add… when my Granny died in 2011, I contributed to her eulogy, with 2 Short story poems …and as an added extra message to her in the end, I said, - “Granny, go play that Golden Piano in Heaven, that ‘Carnegie Hall ‘ in the Sky…. ….we’ll Be Listening.”

[@418cjpaul]

that was incredible!!

[@Charlesslides]

A bit before my time, but he’s just so damn likable.

[@tettazwo9865]

Thanks for uploading this jewel!

[@doraran2138]

I have no musical talent. The dexterity and performance are admirable. Great talent.

[@evanlee1617]

He looks happier playing the bumble booogie

[@philippemortel-laurent2196]

A real musical phénomèn

[@mdiri2013]

Finest pianist that ever lived & never to be equaled!

[@justinmacdonald6079]

Watch Tom Brier.

[@llg3pe]

Margaret DiRienzo unfortunately he wasn’t respected among his peers. Concert pianists looked at him the way athletes might look at WWE wrestlers. If you google lists of the greatest pianists of all time, he’s never mentioned once in any of them. Honestly I think it is jealousy on the other pianists’ part. He took his talent and combined it with sportsmanship like no other. In my book, he’s a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

[@cindylawrence1515]

Well, except for Jerry Lee.....

[@stevenclinton4967]

I think you haven't heard Oscar Peterson 🤔

[@garethharrison5797]

He wasn't anywhere near. He was obviously very, very talented and played with great flair but his technique is unbelievably patchy and that is demonstrated countless times on this video. The performance is borderline messy and that would be clear without the band playing with him. The solo section at the beginning is also unpolished. Also, what he's playing here is flashy but not as difficult as it appears. Tom Brier is a tremendous player but the best ever, playing Ragtime? Even the hardest Ragtime pieces are only borderline advanced level, although he does play at tremendous speed. His improvisations are fantastic but as good as he obviously is, he plays a style of music that pretty much plays itself when you have that kind of experience playing it. He also plays with virtually no dynamics because of the style of music that he plays. Jerry Lee Lewis was another great player at what he did but that's all the evidence there is. Again, it's basic stuff but he does it tremendously well, of course and he was a sensational performer. Oscar Peterson was an absolute monster. I'm not sure that he would be on the level of the best Classical players ever such as Liszt and I'm not sure he ever did quite reach Art Tatum either but whatever your opinion, and all of this is only mine, he was an absolute beast and had ridiculous technique. I'd imagine Liszt or some of the best 20th C concert pianists would be the best overall. Liszt would certainly be the most celebrated. He and the likes of Chopin were also supreme improvisers as were most top Classical players back then.

[@terencedove5047]

OMG! Being a pianist myself, I wish I'd practiced more, after hearing this...

[@PIANOBYMAURICE]

Simply magnificent!

[@michaelpthompson]

That's amazing!

[@silvercircles9580]

Genius talent!!

[@xrayqqq]

A pleasure to see...

[@jaykaplan]

If you notice Liberace has no sheet music in front of him. Amazing talent.

[@MuzixMaker]

Who needs sheet music one you know the piece?

[@markmasters8542]

My mother loved him and she played very well without sheet music. Like Liberachi she played by ear. My mother though lost her hearing at age 50 and relied by the feel of the piano if she hit the wrong note, but otherwise was a damn good player. Not prolific enough to be a Liberachi, but good enough to be on the radio back in the early 40s playing.

[@johnhunter2294]

It's said that he wouldn't allow a piece to go onstage until he'd played it 100 times without a mistake. His memory for music must have been savant-level.

[@garethharrison5797]

@@johnhunter2294 He makes numerous mistakes in this performance. Numerous. Listen carefully. He hides it well and he has a band to cover which helps enormously but the mistakes are very, very obvious to someone who knows what they are listening to. My guess is that he didn't actually practice that much because he was clearly supremely talented and played with great flair but, considering his stature, his playing is extremely loose and he is not as refined as one might expect from someone of his talent and reputation. What he is playing in this video isn't anywhere near as difficult as it looks as well.

[@garethharrison5797]

Piano is 99% muscle memory. When was the last time you saw a performance that involved a solo or featured pianist performing to an audience with sheet music?

[@angelomelville9084]

Dude really grooves his stuff!

[@johnlake6794]

This is the Only Entertainer that my Father Ever Paid to see at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada!!!!

[@albertwells8503]

I never knew he was also a quick change artist!!

[@gremlinuk1968]

my late gran , liked him,!! , I 1st heard as kid , 70s,, / I play now, for my kids,!!

[@DCAbsolutJohn1]

Wow. I remember seeing Liberace on TV when I was a little kid on my grandpa’s old box of a TV and it didn’t do him justice. I think if more kids today saw this they might appreciate REAL talent instead of watching people that are just famous for being famous.

[@hayderjabar6637]

I have a respect for that lady

[@kkhett6034]

WOW just WOW!

[@anaxxbear]

The only ONE!! Musical genius!

[@Tenderness1959]

Outstanding performance of both pieces!!!

[@gremlinuk1968]

my late gran liked him,was a kid 70s, i 1st hear , born 1968,uk !

[@marthawilliams8605]

what a talent

[@AndrewMorgan-hg8bu]

An amazing talent

O this is Just Awesome!!!!

[@johnmoreno4212]

A true virtuoso. Amazing talent and a sweet person too

[@r.b.somers2052]

What a beautiful person.

[@MinhNguyen-cn8kx]

Pure genius.. Mr. Liberace

[@juliegreen7396]

He was the best. Absolutely no doubt about it! 😁

[@graymcgoldrick8388]

So gifted

[@juliewilson4847]

I love him so much!!! Still everyday!!! 💋 😘 ❤️

[@robertgoss4842]

Liberace was a brilliantly talented man. Forget the showmanship and the fru-fru. That was all show biz baloney. In truth, Liberace was a deeply gifted musician. He played Chopin and Gershwin with equal verve and gusto. I had to become an adult before I fully appreciated the man for who he was...a God-gifted piano magician who loved being the center of attention. If I had that kind of talent, I'd be the same way. Probably worse.

[@MrLChurchill]

Cat hiding its face during this. Smallest Liberace fan.

[@azzy1971]

Wtf mad skills

[@opticalmixing23]

rock tht bee bud!

[@dgordon130]

Wow. Just wow!

[@donfannin6485]

He was a great pianist but even more, he was a great showman.

[@strike4n]

He was an incredible entertainer and piano player. RIP

[@Finding457]

Incredible

[@heleng8853]

Such a talented man

[@juliegreen7396]

Wow! Magnificent Maestro

[@geojetson9533]

Mad skills. Props

[@tapeinot.5313]

Genious

[@gremlinuk1968]

just wish , my late gran, was with me, now, to hear,!! was her fav,!!

[@unperson5713]

The ultimate Liberace-itutde.

[@davidedwards3361]

It just goes to show the ignorance of so many 'fans'. Not just Liberace, but so many entertainers that people were fans of, then they hear something about their personal life that doesn't effect them, and suddenly they hate that entertainer. The so called fans get stuck on one aspect of the performers life and forget all the good things they have done to entertain so many people over the years. Sure, some people have done things I disapprove of, but I still remember the entertainment they provided, and that's why I was a fan. Not for their private life.

[@michaelvandyke6715]

That's because they are bigots! Show's their true colors, hate!

[@servicesocialservicesocial]

Brillant !

[@lucianoantoniomoraeszanell2374]

Espetacular! Genial! (Rio, 20/jun/2020).

[@user-mq4bg8vb9w]

Ukraine, Kiev, 04 june 2021 y. He was great! 🙋💖👍

[@Thecorgially]

Definitely knew his trade.

[@alan_decker]

Now now, you can all learn this by using simply piano for two weeks