Amazing Solo Piano Recordings

Chuck Leavell has a new solo piano album that I highly recommend!

Solo Monk
Bill Evans, Conversations with Myself
Ralph Sutton, At Cafe Des Copains (stride)

Ray Bryant has a number of solo albums that are lovely.
Cecil Taylor's solo recordings: percussive, very difficult to follow, but truly remarkable.
Matsuda (sp?) Uchido's Mozart Sonatas and Liszt Sonatas.
Murray Perahia's Bach's Goldberg Variations.
Glenn Gould's Bach's Goldberg Variations.
Alfred Brendel's Beethoven Sonatas, esp the 31st.
Keith Jarrett's Shostakovich's Preludes.
The Horowitz Collection on Sony.
Solo Monk.
Marilyn Crispell and Matthew Shipp are also great but they play mostly in group settings.

'Art Tatum - 20th Century Piano Genius' is the most amazing solo piano recording I have ever heard.

Monk and Bill Evans are excellent recommendations. I would add Herbie Nichols and Bud Powell to the list, although most of the great recordings from the last two (not to mention the best Monk, IMO) are in a band context.

I love these kinds of threads. It's great to find new music to check out.

A few other great piano solo suggestions:

Elmo Hope, Hope Full
Earl Fatha Hines, The Father of Modern Piano (5 LP Box Set)
Cecil Taylor, Silent Tongues.

Elmo Hope, like Herbie Nichols, was mostly overlooked while he was alive. He died young at the age of 43. Thanks to A.B. Spellman's excellent book, Four Lives, Herbie Nichols has become better known. Like Herbie Nichols, Elmo Hope was influenced by Theloneous Monk (and Bud Powell).

Earl Hines had a long career beginning in the late 20s. He was influenced by Teddy Wilson and the great Art Tatum. He had a comeback in the 1970s, when Earl Hines was in his 70s.

Cecil Taylor's style is more avant-garde. Some years ago, I heard Cecil Taylor play in a small theatre in Santa Fe, NM. I was blown away. His virtuosity is unsurpassed.

I love Bud Powell's music, particularly the Amazing Bud Powell series on Blue Note and the Essen Jazz Festival Concert. However, I am not familiar with any of his solo piano music.

I have not heard Art Tatum's 20th Century Piano Genius. Based on Waltersalas' recommendation, I will try to find it.