Piano and keyboard guide part 1: Jools Holland on his love for the piano

At the age of eight, Jools Holland was beguiled by his grandmother's piano. Here, he recalls how no one - not even Hitler - could stop him falling for the 'king of instruments' Tomorrow: Don't miss part one of your two-part guide to playing the piano and keyboard, free with the Guardian Jools Holland: 'The piano made me irresistible to women'. Photograph: Myung-Jung Kim/Press Association The piano I learned on was a beaten-up pianola. My grandmother was given it as a wedding present by her mother in 1937, and it was in her little front room in Charlton. The bombs dropped at the end of the street killing a load of people, the windows of her house were smashed in and the outside of the piano was charred, but when you opened the lid it was still nice rosewood inside. So even Hitler wasn't able to stop me. Lesson number one is... [read full story]