Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at my isolated piano part for You Can’t Fool Me—a country-rock track with Tex-Mex flavour, that I recently recorded with Chris Missen for his upcoming 2025 album.

Note: The piano doesn't play through the entire song. It enters halfway through Verse 1. To keep things concise, I’ve edited out the sections where the piano isn’t playing.

This is actually one of Chris’s older songs. We used to play it live, and it’s been great to revisit it in the studio with a fresh arrangement. If you're curious, you can watch a live version here to compare how it’s evolved.

My piano part leans into that Southwestern, Tex-Mex feel—anchored by a left-hand rhumba-style rhythm against half-note triplets in the right. It’s not a conventional groove, but it gives the part a kind of rolling, offbeat sway that feels right for this track.

I didn’t have a specific influence in mind while arranging it, but in hindsight I think there’s a bit of Kevin McKendree’s energy in there—his work with Delbert McClinton definitely left an impression. And as with most of my piano playing, Elton John’s influence inevitably finds its way in.

As always, I find it fascinating to hear piano parts in isolation—there’s something revealing about hearing the role they play without the full band around them. Once the finished track is released, I’ll link it here so you can hear how it all fits together.

Listening to isolated piano parts from other players was invaluable in my own musical development, so I hope this offers something educational as well as interesting.

🎹 Interested in learning how to play or create piano parts like this? I offer customised lessons that focus on real-world musicianship—from playing in different popular styles and improvisation to songwriting and arranging. Contact me to find out more or book a free consultation.

Music & lyrics by Chris Missen

Piano part composed and performed by Lisha Kayrooz

🎧 More isolated piano performances from this album are coming soon—each one offering a different look at the arrangement behind the music.