I am always entranced when I play the Tatum Group pieces. My favorite are the Love for Sale concepts with Buddy Rich, and Lionel Hampton.
My favorites: Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Willie the Lion Smith, James P. Johnson, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Marian McPartland for deceased pianists. Bernd Lohtzky, Dick Hyman, Bill Charlap, Joe Sample for living pianists. B
For me it's Bill Evans. I get more joy from listening to Bill Evans' music than just about anyone in jazz. I love jazz piano, and really like Ahmad Jahmal, Red Garland, and Oscar Peterson to name a few.
I don't believe in "best" for musicians...it isn't a competitive sport, like baseball or football, swimming etc. But, I highly recommend Alfredo Rodriguez. Quincy Jones initially produced his first albums and now co-produces with Rodriguez. I saw him live in Boston last year or so and he was worth the ticket. He is young and lively. Hands are fast and his stuff is uptempo Latin Jazz.
+1 for Brad Mehldau, how about Esbjorn Svensson (EST), Aaron parks, Renee rosnes, Kenny Werner, Sam yahel (well, organ), wessell Anderson, craig taborn, mulgrew miller. Vijay iyer, Fred Hersch, Robert glasper, so so many!
Through listening to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers I have discovered the greatness of Bobby Timmons. Not the best, but there are too many great ones to say "best."
None mentioned Carla Bley -- she's a true piano and band maestro and my favorite jazz pianist. I've got almost complete collection of first issues of Dave Brubeck; Adore Dollar Brand and certainly Chick Corea.
I love Bud Powell. I love Claude Williamson. I love Hampton Hawes. I love Brubeck. I love Art Tatum. I love George Shearing. I love Bill Evans. I love Tommy Flanagan. I love Phineas Newborn Jr. I love Ahmad Jamal.
I loved Billy Taylor. He was a great pianist and he contributed greatly to jazz in NYC. He was a gentleman and an educator. I spent my musical formative years going to The Knickerbocker in the village to hear him. It was his home base and he was there most weekends. There was no cover charge and that was about what I could afford. Bradley's was just up the street and there were other clubs within a few blocks. He will always have a special place in my (musical) heart and music collection.
Understood Charles, and completely agreed with. I find the lyricism in the playing of guitarist Ry Cooder much more musically relevant and satisfying than mere virtuosity. Too many musicians approach the playing of their instrument as if it were sport---the greater the number of notes and speed at which they are played, the "better" the musician. Taste, economy, and style are qualities impossible to quantify, and more appreciated as one gets older.
Bdp24, Technical chops are as you note a different criteria and just a portion of what makes a musician someone you love to hear. Buddy Rich is an excellent example, supreme virtuoso yet there are numerous other drummers I'd rather listen to as when playing with a group or jazz combo.
There's that all important emotional connection factor and certain players have that special ability or talent that goes straight to one's soul. Hard to describe but we know it when we hear it. I fully understand the accolades bestowed on Tatum from the many admiring pianists, perfectly understood. Yet at the end of the day I listen to T. Monk far more often than I do Art Tatum, despite the extraordinary chops and all. Charles,
I find the polarization in opinion of Art Tatum's playing interesting, as there is a corollary amongst guitarists. It was either Basie or Ellington who uttered this quote about music: "It's not the notes you play....it's the ones you don't". Some listeners find Art's playing too busy, with not enough notes left unplayed, merely implied. Those listeners prefer a more economical, spare style of piano playing But amongst pianists, Art Tatum is viewed as others have already written here---the Master. That is because players are listening for technical proficiency above all else. It's very difficult to play as Art did, physically. It is for the same reason Buddy Rich is revered amongst drummers, not for his abilities at playing music, particularly.
Jimi Hendrix is to electric guitarists as Art Tatum is to pianists and Buddy Rich is to drummers. I, personally, find Hendrix's playing rather unmusical, with poor phrasing and obnoxious tone (like barbed wire being scraped!). But I am in a very small minority, while it appears Art's playing is disliked by a fair percentage of Audiogon's Jazz aficionados.
Oregonpapa, Whence I first became really interested in jazz I was naturally drawn to the big and established names. So it was a lot of Oscar Petterson, I like him. Later on I discovered Thelonious Monk. I wouldn't say Oscar lacks soul but he doesn't move me as Monk does, just an entirely deeper level. Natural evolving process with added time, lisstening and exposure to this wonderful genre.I respect Petterson but have the highest admiration and love for Monk''s playing and equally for his fabulous compositions. There is a profound emotional connection with Monk that isn't evoked with Petterson. Purely subjective obviously as we're discussing artists of enormous talent with different appeal. Charles,
They are all excellent and each have had they're special moments. Steve Lawrence relayed a story about being a guest at a club in Europe with Fran Sinatra.On stage,the piano player asked Frank if there is something special he would like to hear. His reply was Oscar Peterson but he's not here. I'd like to add Vince Guaraldi to the already mentioned greats
I love Monk. I love Bud Powell. I love Claude Williamson. I love Hampton Hawes. I love Brubeck. I love Art Tatum. I love George Shearing. I love Bill Evans. I love Tommy Flanagan. I love
Phineas Newborn Jr. I love
Ahmad Jamal.
Oscar Peterson = Blazing technique ... no soul.
Keith Jarrett = Please, stuff a rag in his mouth.
So many good choices as to be expected, there have been many talented pianist over the years and then factor in the multitude of styles. I'll base mine on who I find myself listening to the most often. Theloneous Monk, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Barron, Tommy Flanagan and the sleeper on my list Barry Harris (a pure bopper with a beautiful left hand). I could name many more, I 'm just glad someone recorded these fabulous musicians. Regards,
A little surprised by all of the Tatum bashing. From Wiki:
"Numerous stories exist about other musicians' respect for Tatum. Perhaps the most famous is the story about the time Tatum walked into a club where Fats Waller was playing, and Waller stepped away from the piano bench to make way for Tatum, announcing, "I only play the piano, but tonight God is in the house."[55] Fats Waller's son confirmed the statement.[56]
Charlie Parker (who helped develop bebop) was highly influenced by Tatum. When newly arrived in New York, Parker briefly worked as a dishwasher in a Manhattan restaurant where Tatum was performing and often listened to the legendary pianist. Parker once said, I wish I could play like Tatums right hand![57]
When Oscar Peterson was still a young boy, his father played him a recording of Art Tatum performing "Tiger Rag". Once the young Peterson was finally persuaded that it was performed by a single person, Peterson was so intimidated that he did not touch the piano for weeks.[58] Interviewing Oscar Peterson in 1962, Les Tompkins asked, "Is there one musician you regard as the greatest?" Peterson replied, "Im an Art Tatumite. If you speak of pianists, the most complete pianist that we have known and possibly will know, from what Ive heard to date, is Art Tatum."[59] "Musically speaking, he was and is my musical God, and I feel honored to remain one of his humbly devoted disciples."[60]
"Here's something new .... " pianist Hank Jones remembers thinking when he first heard Art Tatum on radio in 1935, " .... they have devised this trick to make people believe that one man is playing the piano, when I know at least three people are playing."[61]
The jazz pianist and educator Kenny Barron commented, "I have every record [Tatum] ever made and I try never to listen to them If I did, I'd throw up my hands and give up!"[62] Jean Cocteau dubbed Tatum "a crazed Chopin." Count Basie called him the eighth wonder of the world. Dave Brubeck observed, "I don't think there's any more chance of another Tatum turning up than another Mozart."[63] Pianist Mulgrew Miller, a noted fan of Tatum, commented on personal growth by saying, "When I talk to the people I admire, they're always talking about continuous growth and development and I look at them and say, 'Well...what are YOU going to do?' But, as Harold Mabern says, 'There's always Art Tatum records around'".[64] Dizzy Gillespie said, "First you speak of Art Tatum, then take a long deep breath, and you speak of the other pianists."[65]
The pianist Teddy Wilson observed, "Maybe this will explain Art Tatum. If you put a piano in a room, just a bare piano. Then you get all the finest jazz pianists in the world and let them play in the presence of Art Tatum. Then let Art Tatum play ... everyone there will sound like an amateur."[65]"
I like Oliver Jones, Jessica Williams, Brad Mehldau, Cecil Taylor, Bobby Timmons, Wynton Kelly, Horace Parlan, Benny Green and Geri Allen.
Not surprised I haven't seen his name on this thread, but I am down with Sir Roland Hanna. An incredibly sensitive pianist with awesome technique. Not necessarily the best, whatever the metrics on that are, but very deserving of our recognition.
Ahmad Jamal is absolutely a stunningly excellent pianist. He is melodic, original, fun and evocative. He tops my list... closely followed by a radically different pianist, Thelonius Monk.
Ah, Art Tatum. Yeah I get where you're coming from Elizabeth and sometimes the arpeggio runs do go a bit over the top but that's Art. On the other hand his harmonic improvisation and the absolute effortless and ease of his playing is really astounding. I particularly enjoy his solo works where he can showcase his special talent. I really love some of his early stuff, the stride style of James Johnson and Fats Waller that has long gone out of style, he really took this up a notch or two. Oscar Peterson of more contemporary pianists is fun to listen to as well in that style. I wouldn't say he is my favorite because I have no one particular favorite, some are so original in their styles that it is too difficult to chose only one but I WOULD say without any reservation that Tatum is technically the best jazz pianist I've ever listened to.
I second bud Powell. I also really enjoy Marcus Roberts and Cyrus chestnut. One surprise - Harry connick jr can really play. Try some of his albums where he doesn't sing.
Emperor Joseph II said "too many notes," not Salieri. And I'd certainly argue that Mozart's "too many notes" deflates Elizabeth's argument. Anyway, Art Tatum and Buddy Powell for me.
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