What's some good piano driven jazz?

November 18, 2005 9:26 AM

Really good piano driven jazz?

My father is a big fan of Dave Brubeck, and he's requested some piano-based jazz for Christmas. I'm totally clueless.

posted by TurkishGolds to media & arts (44 comments total)

I'm no jazz expert, but I've heard some Thelonius Monk that was really good, and piano centric.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 9:29 AM on November 18, 2005

Chick Corea. Herbie Hancock.
posted by tomierna at 9:30 AM on November 18, 2005

Brad Mehldau is one of the newer guys; he's good, and he covers Radiohead for the kids.
posted by zsazsa at 9:34 AM on November 18, 2005

Chick Corea. Herbie Hancock.

Be sure you get early stuff from the early-mid 60's, before they went all synthisizery.

Bill Evans

Vince Guaraldi

McCoy Tyner
posted by Pollomacho at 9:37 AM on November 18, 2005

Bill Evans. (And all of the above.)
posted by ldenneau at 9:37 AM on November 18, 2005

Marilyn Crispell's Amaryllis is spectacular, if perhaps a little out there. This recording is much less "avant" than her other work. It's really good.

Also, Monk and 'Trane was recently discovered in the Library of Congress archives, which is a neat story. By all accounts, it's a pretty amazing record, as well.
posted by stet at 9:45 AM on November 18, 2005

Bill Evans, The Complete Bill Evans on Verve. 18 CDs of Bill Evans wonderfullness. If you can't afford this at least get something with Sno Peas and Comrade Conrad.
posted by geoff. at 9:47 AM on November 18, 2005

Art Tatum "The most prodigiously gifted pianist in the history of jazz"
posted by sfenders at 9:47 AM on November 18, 2005

Don't forget Red Garland! The boxer-turned pianist has a style that other players said couldn't possibly work. Guess who was wrong!
posted by Aquaman at 9:48 AM on November 18, 2005

D.D. Jackson is amazing.
Acquired taste. Let him grow on you.
Makes Bill Evans sound like Muzak.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:50 AM on November 18, 2005

I second the recommendation to get Brad Mehldau, especially The Art of the Trio Vol. 4. Warning: He's very unconventional, and I have the impression that he's kind of a "You either love him or hate him" pianist. But someone whose favorite jazz pianist is Brubeck would probably like Mehldau (choppy style, odd time signatures, etc.).

Monk would also be perfect, but that's such an obvious choice that I would make sure he doesn't already have a lot of Monk. (That goes for Evans and Tatum too.)
posted by Jaltcoh at 9:54 AM on November 18, 2005

From a Uk perspective, be sure and check Stan Tracey out.
posted by brautigan at 9:55 AM on November 18, 2005

The recently discovered and released (and mentioned above) Monk and Coltrane is really, really good.
posted by mathowie at 9:59 AM on November 18, 2005

Tony Bennett & Bill Evans Album
Beautiful album, great recording, Bennett is at the top of his game on this one. Beware the second album (Together Again) is not nearly as good. Pretty much any Bill Evans.

Song for My Father by Horace Silver.

Land of Giants by McCoy Tyner. Great progressive bop that never loses sight of the melody. Still sounds very fresh (I'm listening to it right now).

Adams Apple by Wayne Shorter. This is actually a sax album, but there's a lot of piano (Herbie Hancock) on it, and it's a brilliant album.

For Herbie Hancock, try Maiden Voyage. Yet another brilliant record.
posted by doctor_negative at 10:02 AM on November 18, 2005

Oscar Peterson and Junior Mance
posted by turbodog at 10:05 AM on November 18, 2005

ramsey lewis.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:09 AM on November 18, 2005

Gonzalo Rubalcaba, if you think he might like latin jazz.
posted by cior at 10:10 AM on November 18, 2005

George Shearing
Reuben Gonzalez
posted by TimeFactor at 10:17 AM on November 18, 2005

Definitely Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk. Chick Corea is a good recommendation too. I'm not all that into Brad Mehldau, but a lot of people seem to love him. Art Tatum is awesome, if a bit predictable.
posted by danb at 10:18 AM on November 18, 2005

[SELF-LINK WARNING]

I've been counting down my Top Ten Jazz of 2005 for the past week; and although I'm not planning to post #2 until Tuesday, it's a piano trio that is simply spectacular.

If you don't mind a costly recommendation: This Japanese label has some of the best piano trio records released in the last ten years. My favorites are the New York Trio records featuring Bill Charlap, Jay Leonhart, and Bill Stewart. Charlap's records with Blue Note have been praised, but I think those three Japanese records are his best work. You can find them on Amazon, or via this UK source.
posted by cribcage at 10:22 AM on November 18, 2005

Canada's own Oscar Peterson.
posted by timeistight at 10:38 AM on November 18, 2005

Definitely casting another vote for Oscar Peterson...brilliant.
posted by jeanmari at 11:05 AM on November 18, 2005

Frank Kimbrough
posted by Captaintripps at 11:19 AM on November 18, 2005

PLus one for Thelonius Monk, and attempt to turn you on to the criminally under-remembered Herbie Nichols.
posted by 31d1 at 11:39 AM on November 18, 2005

Hilario Duran, the Cuban version of Oscar Peterson.
posted by margaretlam at 11:51 AM on November 18, 2005

I never get tired of Money Jungle by Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus and Max Roach.
posted by dmo at 11:52 AM on November 18, 2005

I really like the Tord Gustavsen Trio.
posted by Guy Smiley at 11:57 AM on November 18, 2005

Cecil Taylor.
posted by converge at 12:28 PM on November 18, 2005

Another vote for Red Garland and Herbie Nichols, both too little remembered today, and Matthew Shipp is superb (if on the out-there side; anyone who likes Crispell should enjoy Shipp, though).

Wait a minute, has no one mentioned Keith Jarrett? Get At the Deer Head Inn (with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian) or The Melody At Night, With You (solo). Wonderful stuff.
posted by languagehat at 12:37 PM on November 18, 2005

Anything by Ahmad Jamal. But especially the early stuff.
posted by geekhorde at 12:44 PM on November 18, 2005

Wait a minute, has no one mentioned Keith Jarrett?

Yes, if you can find an album where he doesn't hum or grunt along with the music, that would be a very good choice.
posted by Jaltcoh at 12:54 PM on November 18, 2005

Wait a minute, has no one mentioned Keith Jarrett?

Yes, if you can find an album where he doesn't hum or grunt along with the music, that would be a very good choice.

Oh, Lord yes. Like his piano, hate the grunting/ humming/ moaning thing.
posted by jeanmari at 2:18 PM on November 18, 2005

Michel Camilo's piano (latin jazz) makes me feel like my brain is on fire. In a good way. "Live at the Blue Note" is a great album.

Also, another vote for Brad Mehldau.

On my list of heard-he's-good-but-haven't-had-a-chance-to-listen-yet is Marcus Roberts ("Alone With 3 Giants" is the album recommended to me).
posted by tentacle at 2:25 PM on November 18, 2005

Yet another vote for Bill Evans. His classic sets from the Village Vanguard were recently released in a box set on Fantasy. If you've heard Miles Davis' Kind of Blue then you've heard some of Evans' work.

For Monk I'd go with the two Genius of Modern Music albums on Blue Note (get the 2001 remasters).

Also hop in the wayback machine and get yourself some Fats Waller. Although he's not as jaw-droppingly amazing as Art Tatum, there's so much joy and hokum in his playing/singing that any "serious" piano jazz collection would be sad without it.

[On preview: Oscar Peterson and Bud Powell (hell, even Glenn Gould) hum along with their playing. It's a jazz soloist thing.]
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 3:12 PM on November 18, 2005

duke ellington! brilliant pianist. he's usually thought of as a composer or bandleader, but his piano is brilliant. try 'Piano in the Foreground' or 'Piano in the Background'. Also, if you can get your hand on a CD called 'the Ellington Suites', listen to 'The Single Petal of a Rose'. That song is simply the most brilliant piece of music I have ever heard.
posted by twirlypen at 4:11 PM on November 18, 2005

Brad Meldhau's "Anything Goes" is slightly more accessible -- certianly anyone who likes Brubeck would dig it. I seriously reccomend it. Also, Bill Charlap. For some pretty esoteric stuff, try Keith Jarret, but be warned that he's pretty out there. You won't find many walking basslines, for instance.
posted by rossination at 4:35 PM on November 18, 2005

Teddy Wilson
posted by trip and a half at 4:57 PM on November 18, 2005

If he's a Brubeck guy, steer clear of Cecil Taylor (fucking amazing, but probably not yr dad's thing). Aim for the Bill Evans. There's a low price double cd called "The Art of the Duo" on Verve that's pretty available.

Thelonious Monk should be a necessity, as well; Monk is a bit strange, but most people can enjoy him easily, and he was an undeniable genius (with Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Parker, he was one of the originators of Bebop).

For pyrotechnics, Art Tatum and (pre-breakdown) Bud Powell will wow any crowd. Fast and super "jazzy".

I think there's still a lot to be said for stride-era players, notably James Johnson, but recordings tend to be rough cause that was a long time ago.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 4:57 PM on November 18, 2005

Julian Joseph is a bit of a megastar in the UK (with his own radio show) and I'm pretty sure that Brubeck fans would enjoy his style. I'd recommend his first album, The Language of Truth.
posted by cbrody at 5:53 PM on November 18, 2005

Anything by Ahmad Jamal. But especially the early stuff.

Ahmad Jamal's Crystal was one of the first jazz albums I ever bought. I bought it because the cover was the same as my freshman calculus textbook. I turned out to like it an awful lot. So, yeah.

I think there's still a lot to be said for stride-era players, notably James Johnson, but recordings tend to be rough cause that was a long time ago.

There are some modern stride players. I don't know much about stride, frankly, but I recognize the name Dick Hyman as being associated with the style.
posted by kindall at 9:40 PM on November 18, 2005

If you're interested in more "accessible" piano jazz (i.e., not so intellectual) I'd strongly recommend any of the great early stride players like James P. Johnson or Jelly Roll Morton, but particularly Earl 'Fatha' Hines.

Hell, I'm feeling generous today. I want you to hear this one live recording of Earl Hines I've got so badly that I'm going to rip it for you to download. Earl Hines - Sometimes I'm Happy [mp3] (recorded live in NYC, 1968). When you're listening to it, keep in mind that from 1:42 on (till just about the end) the entire melody is being played with one hand while he keeps the right hand playing that little ta-da-ta-da over and over again. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. The build-up and release is Fucking Awesome.

I could listen to this song ten times in a row and every time my feet just start moving...
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 12:05 AM on November 19, 2005

Ooh, damn, that's streaming media. Well, if you want the MP3, just email me and I'll send it over.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 12:06 AM on November 19, 2005

Marcus Roberts' alone with three giants is my favourite jazz piano album ever.
posted by quiet at 12:33 AM on November 19, 2005

Dave McKenna
posted by Penguin at 6:54 AM on November 19, 2005