Jazz piano poll

[Brian]

I left out a lot of great ones. But isn't this hard enough?!

[Mirror Image]

For me, there's Bill Evans and then there's everyone else. But I'm seriously having a difficult time choosing a second choice as it's a toss-up between Monk and Peterson.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Had to give my vote to the largely forgotten Errol Garner, even though that era of jazz is not my favorite (prefer be-bop and avant-garde free jazz). His technique was phenomenal, and he had a wonderful sense of rhythm and lyricism although he never learned to read music. Arguably Art Tatum had an even more formidable technique than Garner (and likely every other human who ever lived), but ultimately I do not find his music as compelling.

You also forgot:

Cecil Taylor and Horace Tapscott

[amw]

Monk is the easy #1. In the absence of Cecil Taylor or Bud Powell I guess Evans is my #2.

[NJ Joe]

Monk and Jarrett. 

Monk can actually make me laugh out loud with his musical sense of humor, and Jarrett's Changeless and Still Live are desert island selections.

You left out McCoy Tyner, but I forgive you.

[North Star]

My response: meh.

Monk
Evans
Herbie

[mn dave]

Tatum and Monk

[San Antone]

Someone else: Andrew Hill

[Brian]

Had to give my vote to the largely forgotten Errol Garner, even though that era of jazz is not my favorite (prefer be-bop and avant-garde free jazz). His technique was phenomenal, and he had a wonderful sense of rhythm and lyricism although he never learned to read music. Arguably Art Tatum had an even more formidable technique than Garner (and likely every other human who ever lived), but ultimately I do not find his music as compelling.

I agree with you entirely. Art Tatum is spellbinding at his best, but at his worst, you can hear the same 3-4 ornamentative mannerisms being repeated constantly. Is Erroll Garner largely forgotten? Concert by the Sea is still my favorite jazz piano album; I love the traits you mention, plus the incredible wit, plus his habit of starting each tune with big, loud, thorny, sometimes dissonant introductions, and then suddenly slipping into the main tune. Maybe not too deep, but such pleasure.

[NorthNYMark]

Cecil Taylor for me, far and away.  Then I would probably vote McCoy Tyner, then Andrew Hill, before getting to those on the list (where I would have a hard time ranking Ellington, Monk, and Hancock).

[Artem]

Out of the ones that I'm more familiar with, I'd probably go with Hancock. He was a great sideman and leader during the 60s and made quite an exciting turn with his music in the 70s. To me he's one of the most interesting jazz pianists out of the bunch listed above.

Evans is obviously great. Sunday At The Village Vanguard is one of my favourite albums ever. But has there been anything as good as that album from him afterwards? Maybe I need to listen to more of his cds.

Monk was really good in the 50s, but after that his music was almost the same, but with less excitement.

I would add to the poll Cecil Taylor (who can often be hit or miss) and Ahmad Jamal, whose album At the Pershing: But Not for Me is pretty great.

Tyner is also very interesting. I'm yet to hear his albums as a leader, besides the one on Blue Note, but I never get tired of him when he's playing with Coltrane.

[torut]

I like Mal Woldron and Michel Petrucciani.

[Mirror Image]

I like Mal Woldron and Michel Petrucciani.

Yes! Both underrated pianists for sure, torut.

[torut]

Yes! Both underrated pianists for sure, torut.

I heard that Mal Waldron is really unpopular in USA / Europe. Is it true? I love his dark, hypnotic playing. His solos in Dolphy/Little albums are amazing. His compositions are also good.

[Mirror Image]

I heard that Mal Waldron is really unpopular in USA / Europe. Is it true? I love his dark, hypnotic playing. His solos in Dolphy/Little albums are amazing. His compositions are also good.

I can't really answer that because I really have no idea. I just mentioned he's underrated because he seems to always fall behind Evans, Monk, Brubeck, Peterson, etc. He's a pretty cool pianist that's for sure.

[torut]

I can't really answer that because I really have no idea. I just mentioned he's underrated because he seems to always fall behind Evans, Monk, Brubeck, Peterson, etc. He's a pretty cool pianist that's for sure.

Yes, I agree. I am glad to find someone who likes his music.
Regarding Petrucciani, Live at The Village Vanguard is one of my favorite Jazz albums. He played Evans's Nardis, Monk's Round About Midnight, but his original tunes are also very nice.

[San Antone]

I heard that Mal Waldron is really unpopular in USA / Europe. Is it true? I love his dark, hypnotic playing. His solos in Dolphy/Little albums are amazing. His compositions are also good.

Among jazz musicians, Mal Waldron was always highly respected.  But I think because he spent such a long time outside the US audiences somewhat forgot about him.  Great stuff, for sure.

[torut]

Among jazz musicians, Mal Waldron was always highly respected.  But I think because he spent such a long time outside the US audiences somewhat forgot about him.  Great stuff, for sure.

Yes, he stayed in Europe since 1966. There may be my misunderstanding about his reputation in Europe. ECM's first release was Mal Waldron's Free at Last, and Europeans usually appreciate Jazz.
He was popular in Japan, and Japanese labels recorded his albums in his later years, but they tended to request to play standard tunes. I prefer albums of his original compositions, but I like his style when he played standards, too.
I have an album in which he played music of Grieg, Chopin, Brahms, and Bartok.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Actually Concert by the Sea is my least favorite Garner recording, but pretty much anything else he did on Columbia or Mercury is well worth owning. My favorite one is Gems on Columbia. I would guess that most or all of the contents of this LP have been reissued on CD. If you are an LP collector, finding a mint/NM copy may be a bit of a challenge, but it is not really a rare one.

As for the younger generation, Brad Meldhau, Joey Caldarazzo, and Jessica Williams also merit mention. And I can't believe I'm the only one here who has mentioned Horace Tapscott (now dead, RIP). His extended solo improvisations remind me of Keith Jarrett, but I actually find them more compelling, and they seem to have a more potent emotional punch.

[Dax]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Lennie Tristano: amongst my top five, anyway.