Piano Vibrations was recorded when Wakeman was a session musician and a member of the folk rock group the Strawbs. The album features covers of pop, jazz, and folk songs with Wakeman on piano, John Schroeder and his orchestra, and a singer called Chris. Wakeman was paid a total of £36 for the four sessions it took to record the album. His name, and that of the lead vocalist, are not even written on the cover.