beautiful piano recordings: solo or small ensemble

Joe Sample's "Soul Shadows" is a must have. Perhaps my favorite solo piano recording. You can almost hear the spirits of piano music channeling thru Joe's hands.

Dave Brubeck's "Just You Just Me" is very good.

Pablo's "Basie Encounters Peterson" is a keeper.

Also check out Monty Alexander's Trio Live At Montreux for some high energy fun.

Ray Bryant also has some good live performances but some of the recordings are not so great.

Phillip Aberg's "Cinema" has some haunting versions of movie music.

Dave Grusin's "Now Playing" and "The Gershwin Collection" are great.

Dick Hymann has records of Duke Ellington and Fats Waller music that are fab.

Dr John has some of his own gumbo on "Dr John Plays Mac Rebenac".

Chuck Level has "Forever Blue"....

Bill Evans, "Conversations with Myself"
Red Garland, "Groovy"

I don't have strong opinions on the recordings; if you like Jazz from around then, the music is must have.

jmd

Thelonius Monk's Straight No Chaser SACD has some of the best classic jazz piano sound. I love Jacky Terrasson (Blue Note) and his somewhat clinical-yet-smooth modern style. For classical, the SACD's from Pentatone's Mari Kodama (Beethoven Piano Sonatas) are incredible. May be the best recording of piano I've ever heard.

Just a few names of great pianists, who you could trust that they, as an average, play wonderfully: Svjatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Géza Anda, András Schiffer, Annie Fischer, Dinu Lipatti, Clara Haskil, Rubinstein, Schnabel, Malcolm Bilson, etc