Jazz Piano?

I have loved jazz piano for more than 40 years, and had the great pleasure to hear some of the "giants" of the instrument, including Earl Hines, Erroll Garner, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Teddy Wilson, George Shearing, Jimmy Rowles, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Randy Weston, Marian McPartland, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, Chick Corea, Chucho Valdez, Michel Camillo, Gene Harris, and Michel Petrucciani. If I had to pick a "short list" of my "favorite four" to listen to for pure personal enjoyment, it would be Garner, Evans, McPartland, and Petruciani.

As Caroline452 notes above, however, no list of piano "greats" would be complete without the name of Art Tatum, one of the most gifted jazz musicians in the history of the music. And from the 1930's era, no one should overlook such greats as Willie "The Lion" Smith, Albert Ammons, Jelly Roll Morton, Meade "Lux" Lewis, and Pete Johnson.

If you further want to dig on electric keyboards jazz(i.e. contemporary jazz) start with Chick Corea's Electric Band and Miles Davis "Bitches Brew".

Check out Night Divides the Day: The Music of the Doors by George Winston

In my previous post, I failed to include a couple of fine pianists that should have been included. Beyond the obvious omissions of Oscar Peterson and Dave Brubeck, I should also have listed Tommy Flanagan, Ahmad Jamal, Barry Harris, Roland Hanna, George Cables, Keith Jarrett, and one of my personal favorites, Kenny Barron. If you want to branch out a bit and listen to some fine foreign jazz pianists, check out Abdullah Ibrahim (also known as Dollar Brand), Tete Montoliu, Eliane Elias, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

My favorites include Art Tatum who is probably the most technically proficient of any jazz pianist I have ever listened to. Very clean and articulate lines as if he were classically trained. He is a must if you are investigating where to start.

I personally like Errol Garner and Earl Hines. Bill Evans is quite enjoyable as well. There are many choices in this genre and many of the above mentioned would be included on my list.