Amazing Solo Piano Recordings

914nut. I have the Norah Jones LP and its definately not your system. The recording of the instruments are great (even though the piano mix is spread across both channels instead of from a particular spot on the soundstage.

Norah's voice however is processed to hell. The sound effects added make it sound like she's singing through a toilet bowl.

I'll have to listen to track 13 again and see if I can figure it out.

I've got 3 or 4 worthy classical candidates for most amazing solo piano recording:

1. Chopin, Etudes, Murray Perahia. Sony CD. Recorded in 2001; engineered by Andreas Neubronner. Dazzling. The best playing I've ever heard from Perahia (and I've heard a lot of him, both live and recorded), the best version of the Chopin Etudes, and the best piano sound ever heard from Sony. (The sound is exceptionally vivid, close-up, and full-range; if you don't like close-up piano sound, you won't like this one.)

2. Piano Transcriptions, various composers, Arcadi Volodos. Sony CD. Recorded in 1996; engineered by Richard King. Simply astonishing playing, and first-rate piano sound. If you like virtuoso piano transcriptions, you'll love this one. Great fun.

3. Nojima Plays Liszt. Reference Recordings CD. Recorded in 1986; engineered by "Profesor" Keith Johnson. This one is already well known to many audiophiles and piano buffs, but it won't hurt to recommend it again. Breathtaking pianism and superb sound. The companion volume, Nojima Plays Ravel, also on RR, is also excellent. (I have reviews of both on Amazon.com.)

Well, since this subject has been revived - here's one:
Gershwin - Fascinating Rhythms - Clive Lythgoe, piano on Tioch Digital 1006 (LP - not sure if this is issued on CD.)

Beautiful recording and very, very nice interpretation - and I am by no means a Gershwin fan.

Phineas Newborn - 'Solo Piano' originally released by Atlantic (1672) in 1974, now available from Collectables. Some folks find Newborn too self-indulgent (in contrast to Powell, Tatum or Peterson) but this collection of standards allows Newborn to stretch his creative legs and still deliver the requisite homages...not as enjoyable as 'Harlem Blues' or 'A World of Piano' but a good place to get acquainted with a great pianist.

Tsuyoshi Yamaoto, Midnight Sugar:

Not "solo", but a amazing sounding record for piano - I have the three blind mice vinyl. Now out on SCAD as well.