good jazz piano

His last name is Garfinkle. (See previous post)

Slick2: There are some good suggestions above, but here are a few more that you should add to your list:
1. Michel Petrucciani -- a French player who suffered from osteogenesis imperfecta (also known as china bone disease). He's now deceased, much too young, but a marvellous player with some excellent group and solo recordings.
2. Chucho Valdez -- a Cuban pianist with a lot of Latin fire. Check out his recent solo album recorded (I think) at the Village Vanguard.
3. Abdullah Ibrahim, the jazz pianist formerly known as Dollar Brand -- a South African pianist with a wonderful swinging lilt to his style. One of my favorites recordings by him is "Water From An Ancient Well".
4. Erroll Garner -- one of the truly great American pianists. His recording "Concert by the Sea" is a classic, and truly deserves to be.
5. Marian McPartland -- originally from England, Marian is the real deal. She hosts a NPR show called "Piano Jazz" which features a lot of great players.
6. McCoy Tyner -- the piano player for many years in John Coltrane's great quartet of the 1960's. Tyner has a lot of fine recordings, but I'd start with "New York Reunion" on the Chesky label.

All the aforementioned are wonderful jazz giants each and everyone. Here's two more great jazz pianists on exceptionally well recorded releases. Ahmad Jamal's "I Remember Duke, Hoagy, and Strayhorn" Telarc (1994) is filled with very lively keyboard work that will test your speakers. He's accompanied by bass and drums on some tunes but it's mostly him playing great piano. Telarc did it's usual great job in recording. Second suggestion is Tommy Flanagan's "Alone Too Long" a solo recording made in Japan and available only as an import. Ella Fitgerald's accompaniest for many years has a jazz pedigree that's a "Who's Who of Jazz" and deserves the spotlight among jazz's great piano players. Well recorded featuring gorgeously long reflective keyboard pieces. Wonderful music for a quiet evening.

KENNY BARRON
JAKI BYARD
CHICK COREA
KENNY DREW (on STEEPLECHASE!!)
BOBBY ENRIQUEZ
BILL EVANS
TOMMY FLANNAGAN
RED GARLAND
HERBIE HANCOCK
KEITH JARRETT
HANK JONES
WYNTON KELLY
MARIAN MCPARTLAND
MULGREW MILLER
THELONIUS MONK
TETE MONTOLIU (on STEEPLECHASE!!)
OSCAR PETERSON
MICHEL PETRUCIANI
BUD POWELL
ART TATUM
MCCOY TYNER
MAL WALDRON
CEDAR WALTON

Want artistry that will last. This is it.......Frank

Ditto to all previous postings! To throw a few different names into the mix, one of the best from-every-perspective recordings I've come across in recent history is "McCoy Tyner with Stanley Clarke and Al Foster," - Telarc 2000. On a decent playback system, it really gives you that intimate jazz club, you are “there” live, experience. Also, check out Lyle Mays’ (of Pat Metheny Group fame) “Fictionary,” with Marc Johnson and Jack DeJonnette,
- Geffen 1993; an excellent virtuoso performance most closely aligned with mainstream classic jazz. Mays’ “Lyle Mays,” – Geffen 1986, on the other hand, is actually a “suite” of original works showcasing an amalgamation of styles that is Lyle’s alone. To me, it’s a work of pure genius. Finally, anything by Eliane Elias.