The Session Man, a 90-minute documentary feature film, tells the story of Nicky Hopkins, the highly gifted and prolific session pianist, and unsung hero.
Nicky not only played with The Kinks, The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, he also played on solo albums of all four members of the Beatles in the early part of a stellar career that spanned over 30 years. During that time, he contributed to over 250 albums and a vast number of single releases.
Nicky’s legendary piano riffs and wonderful musical motifs helped ordinary tracks become extraordinary and iconic. So many of them remain popular today. The generations that followed the Golden Era of Rock And Roll soon discover those iconic tracks that made Nicky Hopkins a legend amongst his peers – tracks like Revolution by The Beatles, Like A Rainbow, Sympathy For The Devil and Angie by the Rolling Stones, Jealous Guy by John Lennon from his Imagine album and You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker.
Nicky’s story is told in the film by Albert Lee, Antonia Cipollina, Arthur Rochester, Benmont Tench, Bill Wyman, Billy Nicholls, Bro Paul Brown, Chris Kimsey, Chris Welch, Chuck Leavell, Dave Davies, Glyn Johns, Graham Parker, Gray Levett, Greg Phillinganes, Harry Shearer, Helen O’Hara, Jack Casady, Jim Keltner, Joe Tansin, John Goddard, Jorma Kaukonen, Julian Dawson (Nicky’s biographer – author of And on Piano… Nicky Hopkins), Keith Richards, Merrell Fankhauser, Mick Jagger, Mike Hurst, Mike McCartney, Moira Hopkins (Nicky’s widow), Morgan Fisher, Nils Lofgren, Paddy Milner, Pete Edmonds, Pete Sears, Pete Townshend, Peter Frampton, PP Arnold, Rory Kaplan, Sarah Sleet (CEO of Crohn’s & Colitis UK), Shel Talmy, Slim Jim Phantom, Terry Reid and Tom Speight.
The Session Man’s narrator, Bob Harris, former presenter of the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test, had no hesitation at the end of the film in confirming that, “Nicky Hopkins’ contributions made him rock and roll’s greatest session man.”
World Premiere: Doc’n Roll Festival, Barbican Centre, London, 26 Oct 2023 – OFFICIAL SELECTION
The Session Man poster
Barbican Cinema 1
Barbican Cinema 1
Kylie Olsson, Host
Q&A: Julian Dawson, Paddy Milner, Chris Kimsey, Mike Treen and Kylie Olsson
John Wood, Co-Producer, and Mike Treen, Director
Moira Hopkins and Graham Parker
Don Powell and Alan O'Duffy
Doc'n Roll Festival booklet
Berlin Independent Film Festival, Babylon Berlin, 16 Feb 2024 – WINNER: Best Low Budget Feature
Babylon Berlin
Babylon Berlin
Babylon Berlin
Mike Treen, Director, Natasha Marburger, Festival Director, and John Wood, Co-Producer
Mike Treen, Director, John Wood, Co-Producer, and Alexei Galar, Host
Mike Treen, Director, and John Wood, Co-Producer
Gary Phillips, Moviehouse Entertainment, Mike Treen, Director, and John Wood, Co-Producer
Mike Treen, Director
LA Indie Film Fest, Let Live Theater, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, 16 Mar 2024
John Wood, Co-Producer, Mike Treen, Director, and Gary Rubin, Gary Rubin Consulting
John Wood, Co-Producer, and Michael Shevloff
Rory Kaplan and John Wood, Co-Producer
Andrew Gordon and wife, Robert Wehe and friend
Shel Talmy and Mike Treen, Director
Mark Isham, Rory Kaplan, John Wood, Co-Producer, and Mike Sherman, Co-Producer
Mark Isham, Rory Kaplan, John Wood, Co-Producer, and Mike Sherman, Co-Producer
John Wood, Co-Producer, Mike Sherman, Co-Producer, Joe Stevens and Paula Fouce, Paradise Filmworks
John Wood, Co-Producer, Harriet Schock and Mark Giffin
Mike Treen, Director, John Wood, Co-Producer, and Harriet Schock
Tamra Meskimen and Mark Giffin
Rory Kaplan, John Wood, Co-Producer, and Mike Sherman, Co-Producer
John Wood, Co-Producer, and Shel Talmy
Randy Johnson and John Wood, Co-Producer
Shel Talmy with his helicopter pilot
Victoria Summer and Fabrizio Vaccaro
Frankie Sullivan, Frank Stallone and Mike Sherman, Co-Producer
Let Live Theater
Let Live Theater
Let Live Theater
Let Live Theater
Let Live Theatre - John Wood, Co-Producer
Q&A: Mike Treen, Shel Talmy, Rory Kaplan and Joe Tansin
Q&A: Mike Treen, Rory Kaplan and Joe Tansin