Ray Manzarek: Three enduring examples of his artistry

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Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of the Doors, died Monday after a battle with cancer. (Matthew Peyton / Getty Images)

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Manzarek starred in Tom DiCillo’s 2009 documentary “When You’re Strange” about the life of the Doors. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Manzarek signs autographs at the Doors’ 40th anniversary celebration at the Cat Club in West Hollywood. (Chad Buchanan / Getty Images)

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Manzarek performs at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. (Ann Johansson / Los Angeles Times)

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In the 1980s, Manzarek served as producer for Los Angeles punk quartet X. (Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)

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Manzarek and Exene Cervenkova of L.A. punk band X at his Beverly Hills home. (KH Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

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Doors members Manzarek, left, and Robby Krieger discuss their time with the late Jim Morrison. In 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened an exhibit to mark the band’s 40th anniversary. (Mark Duncan / AP)

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Manzarek performs at the Sunset Strip Music Festival in West Hollywood. (Chris Pizzello / AP)

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Manzarek’s piercing electric organ sound defined the Doors career-establishing hit “Light My Fire.” (Frank Micelotta / Getty Images)

By Mikael Wood

May 20, 2013 3:27 PM PT

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Though Jim Morrison drew much of the attention (and nearly all of the eyeballs), Ray Manzarek of the Doors did as much as any of his bandmates to define the sound of the legendary L.A. group, which helped push 1960s rock to trippy new extremes.

As Pop & Hiss reported earlier, Manzarek died Monday in Germany at age 74.

“Words cannot express,” wrote Slash on Twitter. Added Benmont Tench of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers: “His playing showed me the path to, and the joy of, improvisation. Indescribably important.”

Here are three of Manzarek’s signature performances.

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“Light My Fire”

Nearly 50 years after it introduced one of the Doors’ earliest hits, Manzarek’s opening organ lick remains instantly identifiable.

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“Break on Through (to the Other Side)”

In addition to providing atmosphere and melodic detail, Manzarek served as the Doors’ de facto bassist, anchoring tunes with jazzy lines like the one here.

“Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”

Manzarek’s inventive playing opened the Doors’ music to dimensions untapped by most of the band’s peers. Its version of this Brecht-Weill classic is a prime example.