David Bowie
It is pointless to talk about his ability as a pianist. He is exceptional. However, there are very, very few musicians, let alone pianists, who naturally understand the movement and free thinking necessary to hurl themselves into experimental or traditional areas of music, sometimes, ironically, at the same time. Mike does this with such enthusiasm that it makes my heart glad just to be in the same room with him.

Billy Corgan, Alternative Press (October, 1999)
Of the whole lot, Mike is the true genius; we are all just toys in his atonal wonderland.

Billy Corgan, Addicted to Noise (September 5, 1999)
He's a master piano [player]... he was the first person who probably introduced my young mind to the concept of atonality. Bowie's music at the time in the '70s was the first music I ever heard that I thought, 'This is different, where did this come from?'

Trent Reznor (In a 1995 Interview)
My latest thing I'm hot to do is collaborate with some other people. Probably at the top of my list this second is Mike Garson from Bowie's band. He's a phenomenal pianist/keyboardist. We've been messing around at the soundchecks, just playing stuff, and I don't understand how that sound's coming out of his instrument.

Chick Corea
Mike Garson speaks with emotion in his hands. Melody, harmony, and rhythm get churned into a Garsonian spread with wild and extraordinary spices. I won't forget the night he exploded my piano into thousands of inspired notes finely funneled into the tape recorder. He mixes history with true abandon. He eats the piano like a box of popcorn. He makes music out of anything and nothing. He makes me laugh. He gives people joy.

David Cavanagh, Q Magazine: Changes Fifty Bowie (1997)
Garson...is a phenomenal keyboard player who brings a strong visual presence to the show…at soundchecks, he executes astonishing flourishes of concert piano without even looking at the keyboard. He is enjoying working with his old boss again.

Lex Marburger, Lollipop Magazine Review of Earthling (1997)
[Garson] completely fractures the symmetry of the song with his Cecil Taylor impersonations, so arhythmically that the Jungle beats have to race to catch up. Garson's done some amazing work for Bowie before, but he truly stands out on this album.

Goldmine Magazine on Aladdin Sane (December 3, 1999)
Mike Garson's angular piano playing is the perfect representation of the mood that permeates this album.

Gary Grain, Mr. Showbiz Review of "The Fragile"
Ultimately, though, Nine Inch Nails' appeal is… how good Reznor and company — which this time out includes King Crimson's Adrian Belew and David Bowie keyboardist Mike Garson — make it sound.

Harvey Siders, Los Angeles Music Critic
Garson has a dry wit, is an excellent writer, exciting soloist, and he comps sympathetically, listening to his sidemen, answering their phrases. His body language at the keyboard reflects every rhythmic nuance.

James Liska, Los Angeles Music Critic
A teacher of budding pianists, a composer and arranger and leader of his own trio, Garson is clearly coming into his own and will, no doubt, become one of the major artists in jazz.

Lee Underwood, Downbeat Magazine
He took us through a journey that encompassed at least 50 years of American jazz and 100 years of European classical music. He transformed Over the Rainbow in a fashion that would have pleased Art Tatum, Bud Powell and Lenny Tristano... Sometimes he alluded to the melodic theme; at other times he utilized it only as a springboard for surrealistic improvisational or Rachmaninoff... He displays a thorough knowledge of the classical giants, a thorough knowledge of the elusive art of improvisation. He brings all of these elements into a new light through his personal, unique vision.

Jim Merod, StereoTimes.com (December, 1999)
Among pianists today, few are as emotionally engaging and simultaneously explorative as Mike Garson is.

Newsgroup Posting on Bowie's album "…hours"
Survive is also nice on the Jools show, nice piano break in the middle (if only there was Mike Garson's piano on Hours...what a great album that could have been)… Mike Garson made it come alive in concert, while in the studio stuff there is a missing element.

Newsgroup Posting on Bowie's album "…hours"
Tonight I listened again to a few of the official studio tracks, specifically "Something in the Air", "Survive", "Thursday's Child" and it comes to me — no Mike Garson!! There is no creative piano playing on 'hours...' and this aspect of the live performances is what, for me at least, makes them so much more interesting. And, what really rounded out the Outside and Earthling releases. What a shame that Garson was not in on these tracks from 'hours...' (That) would have changed the whole thing.

Newsgroup Posting on Bowie's VH-1 Storyteller's Show
Mike Garson was his usual brilliant self, putting his own stamp on and breathing new life into old songs (which really great guitarists can do, but I don't know of any other pianist who does it).

Newsgroup Posting on the "Stigmata" Soundtrack
Billy's and Mike Garson's music is extraordinarily brilliant. Atmospheric, lush, haunting, swirling, pulsing...it's amazing as they all can get. The soundtrack was what got me interested in the movie.

Newsgroup Posting on the "American Psycho" Soundtrack
The remix version of "Something in the Air" on this is spectacular… Capturing the great Garson piano sound from the live tour last fall, with a contemporary sequenced bass line, for me at least its far preferable to the 'hours...' version.

Newsgroup Posting about "The Fragile"
Anybody notice all the Aladdin Sane stuff, ala Bowie? Obviously due to Mike Garson's piano playing, but wow, I love it so. Makes it all worthwhile for a very old rocker like me to stick it out. It all comes full circle eventually.

Newsgroup Posting from a Nine Inch Nails & Pumpkins Fan
I was just reading "the fragile" book and it said Mike Garson played piano on it. After listening to his influence on the Adore tour, and his stuff on Stigmata and now on "the fragile," I have become a fan of his piano style.

Newsgroup Posting from a Smashing Pumpkins Fan
I think that little piano bit in the middle of "Just Like You Imagined" really added to the song. It's a shame he didn't feature more on the album.

Newsgroup Posting about Mike as a Teacher
Jazz feel can be taught, just as classical or baroque feel can be taught. However, finding the right teacher and absorbing yourself in the style is mandatory. When I started learning jazz my teacher, Mike Garson, told me that I must eat, sleep, and breath jazz all day long. It paid off!