I've compiled video and audio of some of the best jazz piano you'll ever get to see or hear. Art Tatum Oscar Peterson Johnny Costa Teddy Wilson Ken Hall Donald Lambert Please share and subscribe
As much as I love all these stupendously gifted pianists, there is something about Tatum's playing that just puts him in a class by himself even among these giants! Even in a class above Oscar Peterson, who is probably the greatest jazz pianist not named Tatum. The man was so inventive, so fluid, so complete! He's simply overwhelming! No wonder even Oscar was paralyzed in his presence! I guess that's why the majority of the music in this video comes from Tatum, followed by Oscar. Makes sense.
There's an old quote (by Martin Mull, I think): "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture." :) First off, Cory Hall, thanks for this post; I enjoyed it. As a piano player for 60 years (with some success), I am always amazed at how often we humans end up viewing "making music" (us or someone else) through a lens of "competition." I LOVE tons of the piano players that were highlighted/mentioned here (self-disclosure -- no perfect pianist, but the "love child of Art Tatum and Bill Evans" might come close). :) One thing that I don't think registers with most listeners, when it comes to listening to Bill Evans, is how "intentional" he is in his choice of notes; when it comes to even the "greats" like Tatum, Peterson, etc., you will hear a fair amount of "patterns/patterned licks" -- but you hear less of that, imho, from Bill Evans than from almost any other jazz pianist that I can think of (off the top of my head, at least) -- almost every one of the notes he plays seemed "intended/thought about" (in a way, I always thought Evans approached playing jazz from a very "compositional" point-of-view). Again, Cory Hall (and I'm guessing Ken Hall is some relation to you -- I didn't think he was quite up to the level of the other piano players here, though nice), thanks for the post. I have intentionally tried to stay away from being critical of the comments of others. Through the years, I have learned to love almost all of the piano players mentioned here -- fortunately, I've played LONG enough (and maybe even WELL enough) to get to the point where you realize that it takes nothing away from you to openly proclaim how amazing so many other piano players are -- imho, you finally relax and "enjoy the ride (and ignore your ego)" when you finally realize that your being a musician is not really about you, but about the fact that God MADE you a musician, and your talents are simply His gifts to you -- and it's great when you have recordings of so many of your personal "piano heroes" to listen to whenever you like. Hope all of you are doing well.
Wow. No Nat King Cole on this list? He was one of the greatest and most innovative jazz pianists of the 20th c., cited by everyone from Oscar Peterson on down as one of their biggest influences. No list of 20th c. jazz piano greats is complete without him. Too many people only know of him as a singer, but he was piano player first and always.
These players were all great, but I don't judge by speed and good chops; it's the sound; what moves me. Of the 30's-40's era I thought Fats Waller was the greatest. Today, I enjoy listening to Tommy Flanagan and Keith Jarrett.
Kingsley Pedlar Art Tatum walked into a nightclub where Fats was playing. Fats stopped playing in the middle of his set, and announced for the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, I play piano. But tonight, god is in the house" (in reference to Tatum).
Tatum is staggeringly good. You cannot move after hearing him. Folks want to critique him--don't bother. he is the greatest pianist of all time, despite the limits of his stylization.
AGREE!!! This is a challenge. I like your use of the word "Staggeringly". When it comes to ART, it is unfair to compare anyone else to him. There simply are no words!
All of the artist you compiled are great. Thank you for this. I would have incorporated J.P. Johnson, and of course Nat King Cole. I think many people forget how great of a musician Nat was. Probably the greatest self accompaniment piano player ever. Also, we can not forget the one who many of the old master idolized, Bud Powell. Johnny Costa was in this clip. It amazes me still, how every time he played the title for Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, it was a different arrangement. He had to have played that tune a thousand times. Herbie Nichols. And of course my friend, Mr. Johnny O'neal. Now, we can not leave out Hazel Scott and Terri Pollard. That's just to name a few. Again, thank you for this piece.
Stunning video of such outstanding talent; Tatum cannot be matched, though so many are worth our time, love and interest. Quality and drive, class, careers, all here for our amazement. I'd talk happily of dozens of very fine talents on jazz piano.
Thank you for uploading this vids. I totally agree! Especially, I was glad for Oscars version of Body And Soul, which I never had seen, but only heard...(Maybe Ken Hall is your brother?) Bravo!
I'm not sure I could pick a #1 or #2 when dealing with Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, both are in a class of their own. Art Tatum certainly led the way and Oscar Peterson looked up to him, but Art Tatum quickly gained a lot of respect for Oscar Peterson. I don't think we will ever see the likes of either again.
@@barracuda7018 You are right about Art & Oscar, although there is a 3rd name that if you ever heard him in his prime, you would almost think of adding him in the list & have a list of 3, that is when it comes to a pianist having the incredible facility & raw technical abilities at that finger tips to do almost whatever unthinkable riff or run that came to their mind, & the 3rd name is Phineas Newborn Jr. Although he style was a lil different then Art's or Oscar's, his facility to execute ripping runs at breaking neck speeds in accuracy & particularly in both hands was just as or if at times more mind blowing then the other 2. Art to me is without a doubt on a certain level all alone, with Oscar right up there & if you ever hear Phineas in his prime before he started having a few mind problems & a hand injury, these 3 are my 3 greatest influences on the rest of the piano world, ofcoarse in their different times, Art influences all that came after him including Oscar & Phineas.
This is a great collection of superb and supreme pianists. I would however indicate one critical adjustment. First, deserving of honorable mention are Three names (in no special order, and also transcending genre). Peterson, Cziffra, Mozart. Possibly a fourth, Uehara (too early yet to be definitive on her). That said, I submit that Tatum should not be included in any such list. Such an inclusion assumes mortality. I appreciate the alias of "Tatum" providing deity the opportunity to covertly make an oh so brief appearance to mankind. Were it not for this "disguise" serving as a cover and buffer, the sheer power associated with the entity we know as Tatum, would no doubt have disabled the human sensory apparatus so that we would not have been able to perceive it's OTHERWORLDLY attributes.
No Fats, Errol, Duke, Earl, James P, Stefanie; Dick, Ray, Nat, Igor, Bernd, Bill, Thelonius, Eubie, Brian, George, George, Louis, The Lion, Tommy, Hiromi...and the list goes on.
Even though a lot of people think Oscar Peterson's solos are really flashy, I think that he still was probably one of the, if not the, best jazz pianists because he had such a deep knowledge of various jazz playing styles in addition to his ridiculous playing abilities. If we were to judge by personal taste in the kinds of solos they all played you can't really pin down a best because everyone has different taste, and so I think skill and knowledge are good indicators. But I guess even that is my opinion. Music is just so subjective and beautiful.
+Abraham Im I agree, and not all of Oscar Peterson recordings are of him shredding like in this video. A really good album is his A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra, and also many of his recordings of "You Look Good to Me". While the majority of his fame certainly came from his technique, to consider him as a jazz pianist purely for his technique is missing the whole picture entirely.
My top ten jazz pianist off all time 1. Art Tatum 2. Oscar Peterson 3. Erroll Garner 4. Herbie Hancok 5. Chick Corea 6. Bill Evans 7. Fats Waller 8. Nat King Cole 9. Wile the "Lion" Smith 10. Duke Ellington and George Shearing Tie
Timothy Bias I have been a jazz musician for 60 years. I have played with people like Dexter Gordon Benny Carter, Walter Norris, Ornette Coleman and I have played all over the world. I try to pass on the names of the great players so that they will not be forgotten. If you choose to ignore them it will be your loss. The only way to develop taste is to experience things try listening to Bud Powell and Earl Hines and Art Tatum and Nat Cole and Thelonious Monk and Hank Jones, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, Al Haig and so many others that you seem unaware of. Would you eat McDonald's instead of an age rare steak? Your choice.
+Gerry Mander I have been playing for 30 years of jazz since the age of eight not only do I listen to all of the people you named I also studied under Billy Taylor and when Oscar Peterson I meet him at least 20 times and I knew him and he has heard me play all of those times. Trust me my opinions are well respected among the jazz community and it shows in my playing I also studied in college and have a master's degree in music and currently still play with some great musicians that are considered greats.
Tatum and Peterson are the kings of the speed demon, piano-as-orchestra, school of jazz piano - coming out of stride (check out Phineas Newborn Jr., too) - Tatum is the founding father. Can't say anything against them, and if that is your bag, then they're the tops. But Nat Cole and Bud Powell, each in their own way, started a whole other current of players that went about things in a different way. Nat Cole, and his sensitive touch and swing, along with Bud's total mastery of bebop language, set the stage for so many great players, like Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, and, yes, Bill Evans, who came out of both of them, along with all of his in-depth classical influences. I would just say there's more than one way to skin a cat and to create beautiful, compelling jazz. And then there's Monk - a total individual, but who has roots in Duke Ellington and James P. Johnson. The history of jazz piano is awesome.
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder . Please consider that Tatum was blind , then possible reassessments may ensue . So sad that more " notes " didn't find their way into his ever deserving wallet . The greatest American virtuoso of all .
Art Tatum is known prob as the original human God of the piano. Oscar replied himself that when ever Art Tatum shows up at a concert, whoever is playing at the time, make room if they so desire because God has enter the room.
Michel Petrucciani, Brubeck, Monk, Herbie Hancock, Horace Silver, Duke Ellington, McCoy Tyner, Art Tatum, Ahmed Jamal, Bill Evans, Nat King Cole, Wynton Kelly,
liza..holly crap, amazing stride piano playing. I am in awe. But playing fast, it's sometimes hard to enjoy because the notes move way too fast, I guess my brain dose not work that fast.
I really appreciate this video but I think the title could be changed to the fastest/virtuosic/monstrous/technical Jazz pianists to ever live. There have been a lot of genius influential pianists who wouldn't be able to compete with AT/OP in terms of technical wizardry but should be awarded medals for outstanding contribution to Jazz piano...Monk, Hancock and Evans spring to mind immediately...
great players of course. but where are McCoy Tyner, Bud Powell, Monk, Herbie, Chick, these guys transformed the melodic and harmonic language. It's not only about how many notes you can fit in
Synd att han enbart ägnar sig åt Oscar & Art som - iofs - var enastående...men, hur kan man rimligtvis glömma Erroll Garner ??? George Shearing, gamle Fats Valler (i all sin enkelhet)...m.fl.
@@PeterBrownPianist I guess I'd be massively overstepping if I called myself a musician since I only have four years of experience. However, I do play jazz piano, mostly stride. So one could say thay I most certainly am just a mere mortal, but haven't given up hope for becoming an actual pianist.
Aaron Like you, I started out with Fats. A great, great player, a humorist and all his music never fails to put a smile on my face.....I just love 'Handful of Keys' plus all his songs with 'his Rhythm'. But musically, he's just not in Tatum's league (in my humble opinion).
@@PeterBrownPianist I do agree. I was just saying that in my opinion Fats also deserves at least an honorable mention for the very reasons you've just mentioned. It takes some time to fully learn to appreciate Art and his genius. However, I like to wonder if purposefully deciding to cut back a little on maybe additional harmonic movement or ornamentation etc. also showcases musical ability?
Aaron You have a point, but I would hate Art to 'cut back' on any of his colossal inventiveness, which, no matter how many times I hear a track of his, takes my breath away completely....find Art playing Sweet Lorraine....Mozartian perfection!.......ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GfxmrtmkZOM.html For me, his 1949 version is the tops!
The comments mention pretty much every top rung piano player dead or alive except one. Cecil Taylor went way out the bounds of conventional jazz so he will never get the recognition he deserves as one of greatest. RIP.
If we leave out the personal taste and if music was not art but competition , it is undeniable that Tatum was the number one.Horowitz and Rubinstein were simply flabbergasted by Tatum technical ability and control.It was like Charlie Parker , tons of notes but when you trancribe you see that they all make sense. An insane control,but the ability to swing and to play with feelings not found in many other musicians. If we are talking solo piano probably only Tatum and Peterson could entertain a crowd for an hour playing solo piano. Great entertainment with the highest musical qualities. The kings of swing but with very complex textures lush chords fantasy speed and soul. I don d think we can even compare them to Evans or Jarret,two different gods, that reached the highest level of introspection and were not show musicians. Peterson and Tatum were rooted on blues the post stride pianists more on on intellectual and artistical roots.Music is not competition but Tatum was incredible in every sense. For me the king of high quality entertainment piano. Without any doubt.To many runs too many notes,but in those years you had to show what you could do and virtuosity,like in classic music,had his importance.
Naturally Your choic is spot on - but very limited - even among those you chose. Infact you omitted at least 20 great jazz pianista i could name. You got great taste cory - but widen it :-)
When it comes to jazz piano there is Tatum and there is Peterson and then there are "the other guys." The post-bop modernists like Evans and Jarrett do nothing harmonically or modally that Tatum didn't do first. And when it comes to sheer groove - fast or slow - nobody can touch Peterson. NOBODY. (Sorry I yelled.)
slapmyfunkybass I LOVE Monty Alexander. He's one of the few pianists whose feel can fool me for a bar or two and make me think that I'm actually listening to Oscar. But I think Monty would be the first to admit he's not in Oscar's league technically. And Oscar's feel leaves me breathless. (Yes, I almost forget to breathe when I listen to Oscar.) Nevertheless, Monty grooves like hell, plus he often plays funk, which I love. (Funny, Oscar had a deep funk groove to his swing and bossa feels but he never played outright funk. Too bad.) But yes, I love Monty Alexander. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to sing his praises.
Oscar Groucho I hear you my friend. Personally, I prefer Monty, especially late 70's, early 80's Monty. He had a driving feel to his playing that pushed and pushed the music. Did you know that Oscar taught Monty? That's probably why there's a Peterson influence. I'm unsure how long he taught him for though - could be a week, could have been years. Oscar - though amazing - could often be criticised for playing too busy. He had an amazing touch and grace to the keyboard, but at times I felt his playing was too frantic. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan, but Monty brought a modern feel and he often takes a less is more approach. Nice talking with you my friend.
Monty taught by Oscar? OK. But how many pianists have grown up out of Bill Evans? Open your eyes guys and clean your ears. And start systematically listening to classical music. Maybe then you will realize what Bill Evans has really done to jazz.
Dick Hyman is still great and what about Don Lambert? He could play beautifully any song in any key and could not read one note of music. And what a left hand!!
Axe Man Good though your 'extra choices' are - and I love Errol Garner - they're simply not in the same league as the ones in the video. For my money, Art Tatum is the supreme pianist musician.
