The Top 10 Greatest Jazz Pianists of All Time
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- čas přidán 5. 01. 2021
- A look back at the amazing jazz musicians who have inspired the genres of music, arts, cultures, and entertainment.
Check this links of the Best Jazz pianist rankings below and you will understand that all selections of these talented pianists (artists) are subjective. We all enjoy their contributions to Jazz; it's the most important thing to consider in my humble opinion. The rest is a matter of color and taste.
Barry Harris about Bill Evans and jazz pianists: • Barry Harris about Bil...
jazzfuel.com/best-jazz-pianists/
www.libertyparkmusic.com/best...
digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/be...
www.westword.com/music/obitua... - Hudba
Bill Evans 10' ??? IMPOSSIBLE!!!
Its a weird list I think 10. Is the “number one” guy because it’s listed backwards but I could be wrong… either way unconventional for a top 10 list… it also would be nice if they had played a snippet of music from each guy so you can see their styles lined up next to each other for comparison
Bill is beautiful but I don't think his stuff is a real jazz style. Its more beautiful and avant garde. I would love it if you checked out my preludes on my channel if your into that kinda thing
Jarrett, Tatum, Evans... 123
@@ALF8892 Avant Garde? He NEVER played in that dissonant style that came out of the late 60s into the 70s. bizarro stuff that just sounds like random notes. Was always tonal
1 errol garner
2 errol garner
3 errol garner
4 Oscar peterson
5 errol garner
6 Bill evans
7 nobody
8 errol garner
9 Brad melhdau
10 Lalo schiffrin for his solo on chega de saudade with dizzie live
Yes, we all like Errol Garner
Hahahahah tbh I agree fully
Erroll Garner... ERROLL GARNER... let me repeat that... E-R-R-O-L-L G-A-R-N-E-R !!!! @%* Holy schmoley... how cud yah ! ???
Yep!
Oooh you right!
Good list but should’ve included each pianist’s work in the background to admire the different styles
I like to add two more here: Dave Brubeck and Michel Petrucciani.
Not a bad list, but I'd replace Herbie Hancock with Horace Silver in a heart beat!
Dwike Mitchell,Wynton Kelly,Bobby Timmons,Sonny Clark,Elmo Hope,Red Garland,Horace Silver,Mulgrew Miller,Kenny Barron,David Hazeltine,George Cables "Mr.Beautiful" ....to mention few other giants 🎹
Interesting!
1. Bill evans
2. Ahmad Jamal
3. Duke
4. Oscar peterson
5. Brubeck
6. Monk
Barry Harris about Bill Evans and jazz pianists: czcams.com/video/s-4L9lgty5c/video.html
@@ericjazzfan9500 ahh I forgot to mention Barry Harris. I’ve watched that video, he was a funny dude.
Oscar Peterson is ONLY a virtuoso! He has no style! Brubeck, really??? Ahmad Jamal, really??? Monk, genius! Lennie Tristano: Genius! Bud Powell!!! George Wallington, a great bebop pianist! Eddie Costa, brilliant!
Man, you don't know your business!
Interesting list. Thanks.
@@GeoCoppens haha. These are just the guys who’s music make me feel the most emotion. I’m not going by skill or how much their esteemed by jazz fans and their peers. Some guys I hear are the best and when I listen to their music it does nothing for me.
Man, you missed so many: Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Earl "Father" Hines, Teddy Wilson, Errol Gardner etc.,
I agree. Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Earl "Father" Hines, Teddy Wilson, Errol Gardner etc.,are great pianists...It's not easy to select them among them...
@@ericjazzfan9500 Just put in Fats around #2. Ahead of the genius Peterson, anyway. And James P Johnson? Nóubliez pas Willie The Lion.When did you last listen to Carolina Shout?
Never heard of Errol Gardner-was he as good as say Errol Garner?
Count Basie, a unique voice, distinct, understated, who seems to be another member of a great band until it´s clear his thread the is the silk ribbon that ties their individual genius to become one.
Interesting
I'm glad they had the most influential pianists - but of course there's always many more you can add - such as Kenny Kirkland (whom I had the pleasure of doing a gig with in Hollywood)
Excellent. Thank you so much!!!
Count Basie was one of the greatests too!
I agree.
I agree.
Yep!!!
Yes but sadly he stopped playing in 1937…
Agree
And I would add to the title of this video: THE NUMBERS AND MUSICALITY OF NEXT GENERATION OF THIS JAZZ PIANISTS ARE GROWING. Just keep playing, and thank you for that.👏
I agree!!!!
I'm not sure exactly where I'd slot Bill Evans, but he'd be in the top 5, maybe as high as 2 (after Tatum).
Very nicely done. Thank you.
Honorable mention & shoutout! Josef Zawinul help nurture & lay the foundation for Jazz Fusion ......
I'd include Erroll Garner in this list
Great list! You have all of my favorites, including a few who got in at the very end.
Thanks a lot!!
Thanks for including Keith Jarrett
Of course. He is a great pianist!!!
Absolutely fantastic compilation of facts and clips.
THANKS A LOT!!!
THANK YOU
I am very fond of a number of the chosen 10. Not sure if Errol Garner should not have been in and I have a soft spot for Chic Corea as he was so innovative.
But really the best piano player I have ever heard, indeed the greatest virtuoso on any instrument I have ever heard is the incredible Art Tatum.
Great list. I really enjoy Abdullah Ibrahim as well.
Tatum, Monk, Powell, Evans, Tyner. These are the major artists who created and evolved the jazz piano art form; most of the other players are their 'students'. Many notable others but this is the main list.
The later Tyner was horrible to listen to. This I heard when he had Azar Lawrence in the quartet.
"The others"as you lump the, are NOT their students, but paved the way for them from 1918 to 1948.
Beyond the rankings (hard to see Bill Evans after Jarret, to whom he owed so much, and Corea) Earl Hines must be, without any discussion, in the top ten. His fundamental contribution to the jazz piano is indisputable.
I agree. Jarrett is above many great jazz pianists because he is a better solo pianist. In my view, only Art Tatum was able to keep an audience captivated by his technical ability....Jarrett piano solo performances are historical events. Great jazz pianists offered few 2-3 hours great solo concerts. Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan and Barry Harris were also amazing in their solo performances...
Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Drew, Gonzalo Rubalcaba !! 🎹
Oscar and Evans were my favorites.
Ditto!!!
Friend of mine worked at Keystone Corner in SanFran and got to see/hear Bill Evans' entire last engagement just before he (Evans) died. My friend said that Evans was clearly dying and he played like he knew it, that this was his last opportunity to release all that music.
Thanks for sharing this memory!!
czcams.com/video/ysqLo7tkd4o/video.html
I will always love Chick, he was always moving forward and very modern. Bill Evans wrote amazingbtunes, particularly in 3, great chords.
Yep!
Always loved Bills tail end too all his songs
Aloha great sounds 🌈
I love everybody you've listed and especially approve of Art Tatum heading the list. With no thought to who might be omitted from your list, I would include or consider Fats Waller, Earl Hines, Cecil Taylor, Errol Garner, and oh my goodness, Sun Ra by all means. And there must be glaring omissions we've both overlooked. Count Basie surely who like Ellington is even greater as band leader. Even if the list were expanded to 40, some fine pianists would have to be left out. But these lists are fun and necessarily personal. Thank you for yours. I can't stop. . . Phineas Newborn.
Thank You
Nat Cole.
@@sclogse1 most certainly, yes!
Teddy Wilson. I don't rate very highly such a list without him.
Where is Erroll Garner?
Nice video, thx
thanks
THANKS
THANK YOU!
Erroll Garner, Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans are universes ahead... an underrated one to pick up is Harold Mabern
thanks
1957 the greatest jazz year.
Bill evans is without doubt the biggestvinfluence on any jazzpianist of today
Ahh music... and all that Jazz.
For me, there's Oscar then everyone else. Virtuoso master.
But Oscar has no style, just instrumental ability! Not interesting at ALLLLL!
@@GeoCoppens Как это нету стиля? Вы молодой человек походу вовсе неразбираетесь в фортепианном искусстве
@@jemtheweeknd97 Don't speak to me and the readers here In CHINESE!!!
@@GeoCoppens Видите, вы даже не можете продолжить со мной дискуссию, потому что не в теме, уважаемый гражданин😉
Evans and chick are my favs. I also love peterson and jamal
What a list is this..? 1 Art Tatum, 2 Errol Garner, 3 Oscar Peterson, 4 Earl Hines, 5 Bill Evans, 6 Fats Waller 7 Dave Brubeck 8 Teddy Wilson 9 Jelly Roll Morton 10 Tommy Flanagan
I listen to Teddy Wilson, Fats Waller, and Errol Garner the most.
I also like to hear Nat King Cole on that Trio stuff.
VERY INTERESTING LIST
Hear Teddy Wilson at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago in the mid 70's. Very special. Hear Keith Jarrett during that same time period. Amazing players.
I would put Bill Evans higher. The 3rd best for me.
Bill Evans should be on top
Each one of them should be on top...
Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Thelonius Monk and Oscar Peterson in any order are the top four jazz pianists. Bill Evans recordings starting with "Explorations in Jazz" moved jazz so much forward that no one since has played as well as he did. Each one of his trios made history by themselves, but the one with Scott Lafaro was the best. We can disagree about the remaining six or more if you want to make the list longer, but those four were tops.
It's "Thelonious"! Oscar Peterson has no style, only virtuosity! Poor!
Please! Bill isnt even up to par with Kenny Barron, Wynton Kelly ,Earl Hines or two dozen other influencial pianists..He will always be you.all ,s great white hope!
@@warrendoris9669 When you say that it means you don't know your business. Are you a racist or something...? Listen to Bill Evans in 1957 on albums with Lee Konitz at the Half Note and with vibraphonist/pianist Eddie Costa on his album Guys and Dolls like Vibes!!!
Once again you can't leave out Earl Garner or t a n n e r
@@walterdean5915 Rightly so! He is an entertainer!
While this is a good list the whole idea of the top 10 jazz pianists is ridiculous and shows a lack of understanding about what art is. There is no "best" or top 10 there is only different. To leave Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson out for instance is totally ignorant. Also Erroll Garner and Nat Cole. Wynton Kelly, Barry Harris, Cedar Walton, Red Garland, Tommy Flanagan, Phineas Newborn, Mary Lou Williams and so many others. Still if this list causes someone to check out these 10 pianists they'd be off to a great start.
It’s also strange to not play clips of the different players, so you could understand the difference in style each one brought. As presented, I may as well be reading this list in a magazine.
So it the list useful, or ridiculous and showing a lack of understanding about what art is?
Good call Mike!
I think you guys are missing the point of the video 🥲 we all have our own taste when it comes to the piano but to compile this as a video and give each player a moniker with a non verbose bio and a cool background music is simply beautiful 😄✌️🎧🤍🎹
Нет слов! Да ещё с портретами лучших пианистов. Для себя я их называю философами
Great list. Count Basie, Sun Ra, and Johnny Costa should get mentions as well. Not many people know who Costa was, but almost everyone in America of a certain age has heard his music at some point.
Thank you
Don't know Johnny but the other Costa I love is Eddie Costa.
He was the piano player on Mr Rogers. An incredible musician. And because of the popularity of the show and its music, there aren't too many jazz musicians whose music reached a wider audience.
Costa!!!
@@HP_____ Costa played at the level of Tatum, and can be heard by watching any Mr. Rogers shows. And it's all live. End credits on those shows is where Costa blows you away. A giant. They missed Nat Cole.
Shirley Horn, George Duke, Joe Sample, Ramsey Lewis, Lonnie Liston Smith, Patrice Rushen, Rodney Franklin 🤔
Great List.
@@ericjazzfan9500 Ramsey Lewis is a true lightweight. Should not appear in any list!
@@GeoCoppens If you said so...
All very UNIMPORTANT! Popular shit!
@@GeoCoppens If You said SO😄
1 - Bud Powell
ERROLL GARNER
Earl fatha Hines and Errol Garner are definitely among the greatest
Woow!!!
A guitar-player friend of my dad gave him Charlie Parker with Strings when i was born, 1950, and said, "Make sure he hears this before anything else."
11. Vince Guaraldi
The funny thing about lists is that you can have wonderful fights with other guys who share the same interest / love for something. "What? Jarrett only on 8? Are you crazy? He's got to be on 1!" - "No, 1 is definitely for Bill Evans. Jarrett could be on 3, maybe..." - "You absolutely don't know ANYTHING about music. Jarrett on 1, Evans on 2 - period!" etc. etc. BTW, I'm missing Dave McKenna here - not only on the list, but in all the comments. He never got the respect he earned... 😌
😌
Indeed great artists, wonderful video.
Thanks 👏🙌
Thanks
John. Costa. That is all. Good day, sir.
Baker's dozen in chronological order:
Earl Hines
Art Tatum
Thelonious Monk
Lennie Tristano
John Lewis
Bud Powell
Cecil Taylor
Tommy Flanagan
Eddie Costa
Alexander Von Schlippenbach
Jessica Williams
Marilyn Crispell
Matthew Shipp
Great List! Great Number of Pianists.
Who are your next Dozen?
Glad to see Flanagan on someone's list!
Seriously underrated: Andrew Hill
nobody mentioned Tomy Flanagan. I'm a huge fan of his work with Wes Montgomery
Me too!
Johnny Costa seems to be always forgotten.
Not by me. End credits on Mr. Rogers was at times jaw dropping.
Really surprised Errol Gardner wasn’t included. Hmm. 🤔
but totally unsurprised that Bill fucking Evans was. Every white jazz fan's superhero. Not even in the top 100.
Terrible Oversight!!!!
@@TehWinnerz Whilst I am too dissapointed that Errol Gardner wasn't included, I still don't see the point in making this about race when everyone on this list are respectable musicians..
@@TehWinnerz Lmao. If he was black he would be regarded as the best of all time
@@fenderzo in your head perhaps
Wot, no Erroll Garner?
Sorry. I know.
My top 3 are Monk, Peterson, and Taylor. Great list though.
🤣🤣🤣
Where are two of Charlie Parker's favorite pianists? Dodo Marmarosa and Al Haig. Both are brilliant!
Interesting question
Pepper Williams is right
No -James P Johnson
No -Willy the lion Smith
I realize you Chose to only pick 10
A tough task to set for yourself
Considering they’re all amazing and have contributed greatly to The jazz idiom .. Maybe make another list of 10
And then another one after that
I did enjoy this. Thank you
Thanks. I will follow your advice
No Barry Harris?!
You people who read the comments have little jazz knowlegde! No one mentions the great pianist Dodo Marmarosa! He played with Charlie Parker and Wardell Gray!
What about Brad Mehldau and Cory Henry?
Great question. Brad Mehldau and Cory Henry are amazing pianists.
There are two categories: the great pianists as virtuosos and the great creative pianists. Virtuous jazz pianists are always creative when improvising but not everyone has created original pieces and compositions.
Creative pianists are always superior to virtuoso pianists. Monk is superior in the history of Jazz to Art Tatum. Monk was an innovator, composed songs that became standard and was "deciphered" after many decades. Tatum used a lot of embellishments, recorded memorable sessions but didn't create his own songs. Monk is a well of inspiration. Oscar Peterson composed something original but not as original as Monk. Peterson, however, remains technically and creatively among the first ever in the history of jazz pianism. Powell is another creator who, however, has bequeathed a new approach and not too many original songs.
Perhaps Herbie Hancock at number 4 is excessive but certainly he was and is at the top of the technique but he also composed a lot, albeit with not always exceptional results.
Bill Evans was another pianist with solid classical foundations and a very refined harmonizer but the original pieces he composed are few. Hank Jones was also a composer and refined pianist but not a genius on the level of Monk.
Keith Jarrett is a joker all-rounder and the most complete. In jazz he has shown that he can excel and compete technically with virtuosos but his true genius is that of free composition. When he records classical things, classical music lovers do not consider him at all. He is extraordinary as a creator and as a pianist but he has never repeated the creative level of "The Koln Concert". No subsequent live-solo has ever reached those heights, indeed over time it has often repeated itself and has lost originality. McCoy Tyner still inspires jazz pianists like Jarrett, in fact, a plethora of pianists today copy the style of these two greats. He has created something, but not memorable compositions albums. He was great with Coltrane. Jamal was a great performer, original improviser but he did not create albums of original songs. Korea certainly an eclectic, skilled and very creative pianist. Other excellent pianists are missing, already mentioned in the comments. Fats Waller, Red Garland, Errol Gardner ... But ten places aren't enough, it's just a game.
I completely agree, the background piece to this video, Ruby My Dear, by Monk, played beautifully by Hank Jones, but not written 'by' Hank Jones, is just one of Monk's many ballads that swing so sweetly on the piano. The piece goes through me every time I sit at the piano, creating then releasing tension in the music, and releasing my tension for the rest of the day.
Click on Nat King Cole Trio Little Girl on youtube. Oh, my. And his sub guitarist kills it. Read the comments too. Nat was amazing. I play guitar, and a holy grail would be to play that guitar solo.
I can't imagine how much practise it must have took for them.. to become greats..
I was listening to an interview of a young pianist who took lessons from Oscar Peterson. He walked into a room with two pianos, Oscar at one, him at the other and they played twelve hours daily.
Is that Tommy Flanagan playing on the soundtrack ?
Hank Jones
I also feel sore that the Chairman of the Board (Count Basie) is missing!
I agree.
@AMT My favorite Count Basie record is E = mc2, Count Basie with Neal Hefty arrangements on the Roullette label. It is a barn burner from the best big band ever devised by man.
With all due respect... Michel Petrucciani belongs in the golden circle with Art Tatum & Oscar Peterson...He was that brilliant!
🤣🤣🤣
For me Michel Camilo would be in the top as well,although he is not clearly jazz,he has been influenced by Latin a lot i think he should be included as an honorable mention at least
Interesting!
AND MICHEL PETRUCCIANI in top list !!!
The only way to solve this is to get em all in the same room, same piano. James P. probably influenced more Jazz Musicians than anyone.
If you did that Tatum would still be the best piano player
What about the the two Michaels Michel Petrucciani & Michel Camilo
Great pianists of course.
They both suck!
There are so many great pianists, it’s hard to make a list like this. Michael Petrucciani, Teddy Wilson, Barry Harris, Errol Garner, Earl Hines, Dave Brubeck are names that come quickly to mind. Duke Ellington was a tremendous musician, but not as good a pianist as any of the others on the list. Bill Evans was too low. I’d have put Oscar Peterson #2. To not leave out women, Marlyn McPartland. Man, there’s so many.
Yep! Thanks for your comment.
Ny list that omits Mary Lou Williams or Cleo Bown suggests a rather shallow study of the development of Piano Jazz
Now the greatest living jazz pianist is Hiromi Uehara.
Jamal is still alive. Jarret is still alive, Hancock as well, as as far as youngsters, Joey from Indonesia might have something to say about that. So, big no there. Most bombastic, high energy maybe.
So many good pianists in jazz, in fact I would argue that there more exponents on that instrument than any other,, which is good if the piano happens to be your favourite instrument and in my case it is!
Producing any form of list that attempts to define the important ones, or even your own favourites is therefore not easy, so I am not going to take issue with those selected here, except to say that to leave out Earl Hines, given the influence he had on others as well as his own ability of course, was a gross omission!
Nat King Cole?
What about George Shearing? 🤔
A great pianist, of course.
thomas fats waller
My favorites are Bill Charlap and Joe Albany.
Sorry to hear.
Being familiar with the performers and their lifetime repertoire should be mandatory.
No Erroll Garner?
Corea and Hancock above Evans.
Time will tell.
Alex Kallao - Blind since birth, arguably one of the best in the world...Just like Art Tatum.
the bottom line is ...we can not compare the greatness of these masters. however, if we talk about the pure pianistic point of view, I have to put Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett to the top.
The expression "pure pianistic point of view" doesn't mean classical....in my view. We're talking here about GREAT JAZZ PIANISTS, NOT ABOUT SOME JAZZ PIANISTS WITH CLASSICAL BACKGROUNDS....GREAT BEBOP PIANISTS DON'T HAVE TO SOUND LIKE CLASSICAL PIANISTS....THAT'S WHY THERE ARE CALLED BEBOP PIANISTS- AUTHENTIC JAZZ MUSICIANS.
@@ericjazzfan9500 I have no intention to highlight classical influence which is just one of many. I mean pure pianism includes everything about this instrument; technique, tone, dynamic, touch, harmonical complexity, stylistic variety, how experimental, how original, and so on. bebop is just one factor, one style of jazz. do u think bill and keith are bad at bebop?
bebop is jazz, but jazz is not just bebop.. !
Interesting point. Of course, Bill and Keith are great jazz pianists.
@@jayk1049 'From a pure pianistic point of view' just doesn't mean anything. The definition in your second comment are just MUSICAL concepts. Especially funny that you're using that empty sentence to justify naming two people just after saying the greatness of these masters can't be compared.
@@NIPPYxMIMI fist of all, it's my opinion as a fan and as a jazz pianist. I have played this instrument all my life, so i maybe have a different perspective.
you can have different views and preference, i can't argue that. but you r so rude and arrogant to say "it doesn't mean anything". why you r attacking someone who has different opinion? are u trying to teach me? lol
of course it's musical concept. we r talking about music and piano here.
you seem not understand the difference as a jazz master and a pianist. but it's ok. it's your opinion.
Maybe you could have added erroll garner
YEP
I have never understood all the adulation accorded Oscar Peterson, admittedly great technically, but the one pianist on this list who never moved me. Once you have his idol Art Tatum as number one, no need for O.P. Glad to see Chick Corea on this list, his trio recordings over many years are superb.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Reversed roles in my opinion, Tatum is obviously a historical virtuoso of technique but his improvisation becomes jarring and repetitive, Peterson brings virtuosity to complex changes that nonetheless remain accessible even while they occasionally leave the rest of his trios and ´tets smiling silently in appreciative disbelief as they become on stage audience members.
@@cowboybob7093 interesting.
Go listen to Peterson's Hymn to Freedom on his album Night Train. How can you NOT be moved? And his Sheik of Araby when he was just 19? Who else can do what he did to You are my Sunshine at Jazz at the Santa Monica? Oscar is the Liszt and Chopin of Piano Jazz, rolled into one.
Reading your comments: I’m reminded of that old duke Ellington quote in 1923 “there’s 2 kinds of music in the world….that you like & that you don’t”!
Lyle Mays.
M&M Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny Jazz greatest duet since Davis & Coltrane
Art Tatum & Bill Evans. At least Miles thought so. And so do I.
What about Joe Sample?
No Cecil Taylor? and why not Bobo Stenson, Rainer Brüninghaus, Gonzalo Rubalcaba
It's a top10 list, not a top14 or top26.
Is not a list of most boring pianists.
Where is Barry Harris ?
Chopin is also good
jazzy chopin yaaauurrrrrr
@@user-gl7qx1ww6r brooooo 😂
Federic Chopin arguably the greatest Pianist of his era & until the 20th Century when Art Tatum & Vlad Horowitz were born, Chopin didn't play Jazz though, he passed at 39 yrs young
listen too the amazing Palonaisse flat major 53, one of his all time classics
Pretty good. If Monk and Duke make the list why not Chopin. He played the Blues.
Oscar Peterson was the greatest of them all. One you left off was Willie “ The Lion” Smith.
Thanks for your comment.
Só faltou o MELHOR... Erroll Garner.
THANK GOD ART TATUM IS NUMBER 1