Top Ten Jazz Pianist of all Time

[MylesBAstor]

Agree or disagree? Any votes for Tommy Flanagan, Horace Silver, Harold Parlan or Gene Harris possibly? I might have had Bill Evans a couple of slots higher

http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2013/08/ten_best_jazz_pianists_of_all_time.php

 

[jazdoc]

Would not touch the first three.

Would not include Ahmad Jamal, Chick Corea or Keith Jarrett. I know I'll get crucified for this, but I never really liked Bill Evans or enjoyed McCoy Tyner post Coltrane.

Would add Tommy Flanagan, Ray Bryant and Sonny Clark and consider Brad Mehldau, Ethan Iverson, Vijay Iyer, Oliver Jones, Benny Green, Cecil Taylor, Joanne Brackeen, Geri Allen, Sonny Clark, Wynton Kelly, and Jessica Williams among others.

**I can tell you unequivocally who is my favorite saxophonist.... and he's leaving for Berklee tomorrow!

 

[Jazzhead]

Not Greats yet , but two of my current favs .... Marcin Wasilewski & Tord Gustavsen

 

[jfrech]

Hi, yeah Bill Evans is a little low on the list in my opinion. Brad Mehldau and Bill Evans have some similarities .... I a big bill and brad fan...really wish a audiophile label would pick up Brad Mehldau and release on SACD or Vinyl...

 

[jazdoc]

really wish a audiophile label would pick up Brad Mehldau and release on SACD or Vinyl...

+1

 

[Gordon B]

It is unfathomable for me to leave Cecil Taylor off the list. He belongs in the upper half. I'd take off Chick Corea and Ahmad Jamal and add Taylor and Don Pullen. The latter was a great pianist with his own style who made his bones with Mingus (check out Changes One and Changes Two), co-lead the great George Adams-Don Pullen quartet, and did some excellent work on Black Saint. His solo album on Black Saint, "Evidence of Things Unseen" is one of my two all-time solo piano jazz recordings, along with Dave Burrell's "Windward Passages."

I might also take off Bud Powell, whose output was inconsistent and add the Swiss pianist Irene Schweizer.

My top pick among the younger players is Vijay Iyer.

Honorable mention for Randy Weston. If composing counts, Horace Tapscott and Andrew Hill get on there.

 

[rbbert]

Reading the introduction it seems the list is meant for "virtuosity" rather than composing ability or influence on other pianists or jazz in general. With that in mind I don't see how Cecil Taylor can be left off, even though I don't care for him musically; he should probably be #2. Similarly, I'm not sure I would include Monk or Evans, even though I love both of them musically and they are jazz giants independent of their ability to simply play the piano; I think for virtuosity (even including musicality, whatever that means) there are easily 10 other more talented jazz pianists. JMO, of course.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Reading the introduction it seems the list is meant for "virtuosity" rather than composing ability or influence on other pianists or jazz in general. With that in mind I don't see how Cecil Taylor can be left off, even though I don't care for him musically; he should probably be #2. Similarly, I'm not sure I would include Monk or Evans, even though I love both of them musically and they are jazz giants independent of their ability to simply play the piano; I think for virtuosity (even including musicality, whatever that means) there are easily 10 other more talented jazz pianists. JMO, of course.

Not sure how you couldn't leave Monk and Evans off any list. Guess virtuosity is also in the eyes of the beholder. One thing that has always amazed me about Evans is his ability to play in any setting ranging from duets to trios to quintets to etc, etc., etc. I don't think people appreciate the half of for instance, the Bill Evans/Tony Bennett recording and how Evans basically put the music and whole album together. In fact, it was Evans' meticulousness that really brought the music to the fore.

Oh yes and I am an unabashed Evans fanboy. There's practically nothing that he's done that I don't like. My favorite is his work on The Blues and the Abstract Truth but one can't forget his contribution to KOB either The new Empathy 45 rpm release ain't too shabby either!

 

[MylesBAstor]

Would not touch the first three.

Would not include Ahmad Jamal, Chick Corea or Keith Jarrett. I know I'll get crucified for this, but I never really liked Bill Evans or enjoyed McCoy Tyner post Coltrane.

Would add Tommy Flanagan, Ray Bryant and Sonny Clark and consider Brad Mehldau, Ethan Iverson, Vijay Iyer, Oliver Jones, Benny Green, Cecil Taylor, Joanne Brackeen, Geri Allen, Sonny Clark, Wynton Kelly, and Jessica Williams among others.

**I can tell you unequivocally who is my favorite saxophonist.... and he's leaving for Berklee tomorrow!

The Verve recording of the Wynton Kelly Trio with Wes Montgomery Smokin at the Half Note on Verve is a classic among jazz lovers The new 45 rpm AP reissue of this '65 RVG recording is also top notch.

 

[rbbert]

I'm pretty much an Evans fanboy as well, at least judging from the number of his recordings I have and how much I listen to them. As with Monk, though, I am usually more impressed by the overall musical experience than I am with the piano playing per se.

 

[hvbias]

Pianists not on that list I would have had in my personal top 10- Andrew Hill, Herbie Nichols (too under rated), Duke Ellington and Cecil Taylor.

I was a bit surprised and pleased to see Bud Powell make the list. While his playing in the later years is inconsistent he penned and played some superb music prior to that.

 

[jazdoc]

Don Pullen. The latter was a great pianist with his own style who made his bones with Mingus (check out Changes One and Changes Two), co-lead the great George Adams-Don Pullen quartet, and did some excellent work on Black Saint. His solo album on Black Saint, "Evidence of Things Unseen" is one of my two all-time solo piano jazz recordings

Good call on Don Pullen!

 

[RogerD]

Other players that I always enjoy and were unique Erroll Garner,Les McCann,Vince Guaraldi and Duke Ellington. Out of the top ten,the most I listen to is Oscar Peterson,Bill Evans,and Keith Jarrett.

Clarification the first 4 are favs of mine and I pretty much agree with the list,but there is a lot of very good pianists. I like the truly unique one's that had and perfected their own style. All of these had style.

 

[puroagave]

not in my top 10 but dark horses nonetheless: hank jones, monty alexander, joe sample, george shearing and andre previn. can't forget great jazz pianist/singers, to me shirley horn would be at or near the top.

 

[rbbert]

How many posters here are making the distinction between "favorite" and "best"?

 

[mauidan]

How many posters here are making the distinction between "favorite" and "best"?

True, it's just another list and everyone has their favorites.

Wonder who has sold the most recordings. I'd guess Jarrett and Corea would lead that list.

 

[24bit]

or Wynton Kelly
or Nat king Cole
or Brad Meldhau
or Hank Jones
or Jelly Roll Morton

or.....................
that kind of lists are impossible,

Lets make one called the most ground breaking pianists of all time.