Hey, how about Makoto Ozone and Garry Burton at the Montreux Jazz Festival. year? lost the box! but c1989 ? They are a terrific duo and Makoto is a pianist of great talent. I particularly liked his Opus Half but do try this DVD out you will be delighted I'm sure.

Alan (swingal)

Tony Perez "From Enchantment and Timba to Full Force Jazz!" is a great latin Jazz album. Tony Perez is the composer/pianist. From Cuba.

Swingal said that anything from Oscar Peterson is good, but I have to disagree a little: I think that alot of his work with Norman Granz (the producer) doesn't do him justice. His recordings on the MPS label stand head and shoulders above the rest. And "Exclusively for my Friends: the Lost Tapes" is the best of the bunch, IMO.
(I mean no disrespect to Mr. Granz, of whom I otherwise think highly.)

Brad Meldau "The Art Of The Trio Volume III - Songs" is sublime and understated. I don't much care for his other albums that I've heard, but this one really stands out to me.


About Bill Evans: You know, I was never really excited about him, either. At least not on a visceral level, like I am by Oscar. But when I sit and really listen, and try to pick out licks-- especially when I'm examining the music with a student-- it dawns on me: "this is amazing, beautiful music". But I'm not driven to listen to him, usually. I'm talking about "Portrait in Jazz". I think his work with Miles is floating and beautiful in the extreme.

i agree as well, although my favorite keiko album is walls of akendora, followed by wildflower. all of her stuff is great though. i was supposed to go see her at scullers in boston this weekend, but now it looks like i'm not going to be able to .

yeah, so my recommendations are:

keiko matsui - walls of akendora, track 2, crystal shadow is my favorite, but the whole album is amazing.

the bad plus - prog, this is their latest album. this is a jazz trio with imaginative and interesting covers and good original songs as well. lots of excellent piano parts (solos, etc.).

jamie cullum - twentysomething, his debut u.s. album from a few years back. this album is great from start to finish, with very few low points and alot of nice piano riffs and solos. had the pleasure of seeing him live, his performance does not disappoint, very high energy, the audience really gets into it.

chris botti live with special guests - blu ray dvd, yes, i know chris botti plays trumpet not piano, but i really like his pianist, billy childs. if you have a blu ray player, please do yourself a favor and go purchase this dvd. billy is featured prominently in many of the songs, piano solos etc. he is one of chris botti's arrangers/music directors and is definitely underrated. check him out in this following link. it is from the video i mentioned above. his solo starts at 3:48 into it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RkdWBiZSmI

also check out his part in this awesome rendition of ennio morricone's theme from cinema paradiso, a true classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aN4nB8do60

these poor quality clips do no do the perfomance justice, especially after having seen the blu ray with 5.1 surround. definitely worth the purchase. i believe it is also available on standard definition dvd as well. that's it for now.

Agree fully with rct203 and krypt0 with regard to just about anything by Keiko matsui

Keiko\'s "Forever Forever"

Also like many of the albums of contemporary jazz pianist Bob James, especially his work with the supergroup Foreplay.

One of the most unique and exciting albums you may ever hear is actually a double CD project by New Age artist David Lanz called "Skyline Firedance", with the same compositions on both CDs - one solo and one with orchestral accompaniment. Great stuff!

Regards, JF

That was the first David Lanz album I ever bought, JohnFrank, and I agree... it's wonderful. I find that 95% of the time I listen to the piano solo disc, though. Guess I'm biased, huh?

Every few months I look at the sheet music for "Skyline/Firedance" but then sigh and say "not within my grasp just yet... maybe later." But one of these days I *will* learn that piece!

Yes, it's a masterful production by one of the most talented composer/pianists around. I've been a big fan of David ever since I heard his great classic works "Christifori's Dream" and "Leaves on the Seine" (an "easy" version of which I might attempt for a future recital) some years back.

Recently I've been playing his "Love Songs" CD, which is a collection of his more romantic pieces from previous albums. Great for relaxing in the sun on my deck with a cold "adult beverage" while the birds sing in the background.

Actually, now that I'm a piano student myself, I prefer the solo disc from "Skyline" also. Great minds in concurrence is a beautiful thing!

And yes - you are "biased" - like me, biased in favor of really good music! I just float around constantly from table to table in that immense banquet hall of gourmet musical delights while you pretty much stay put at one, savoring all the many delicacies there - in both cases we're doing what we enjoy doing and partaking of what gives us the greatest pleasure. Is that what it's all about? I think so.

Regards, JF

Not entirely piano of course, but I enjoyed the important contributions of piano/organ/keyboard in old Perez Prado, The Animals, Procol Harum ("Repent Walpurgis"... divine dialogue between rock and classical), "Emerson, Lake and Palmer", Benny Andersson (Hep Stars, ABBA, now BAO), Pink Martini (what sparkling arrangements ! written down somewhere ?).

Last week, I saw David Lanz perform in Seattle and picked up his newest release "Living Temples". It is truly awesome.

Although I have always preferred solo piano to any other instrumental recording, this CD is exceptional. The other instruments (flutes, percussion and bass among others) are very subtle and only add to the overall mood of this beautiful recording, without detracting from the piano sounds in any way.. Title track Living Temples is a beautiful song and shows a very different side of the artist, one worth listening to. (I actually prefer this version to the acoustic solo version on his 'A Cup of Moolight' CD.)

Marian McPartland's solo album "Willow Creek and Other Ballads".

I'm not one to listen to the same things over and over, but this one never gets old. She's one of the most underrated jazz pianists, IMHO...

My favourites in no particular order, are:-

Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Fats Waller & Erroll Garner and Teddy Wilson they were my idols and each to his own style.

Swingal (Alan)

Solo Monk

I got legendary session musician, Chuck Leavell's new live CD "Live in Germany: Green Leaves & Blue Notes" just released in May. This is one of the few guys that inspired me to want to play piano again. After the recent Stones tour finished, Leavell got a small rock combo together to tour Europe.

If some of you on the forum don't know him by name he has been touring pianist with the Rolling Stones since the 80s and has also toured & recorded with Eric Clapton & the Allman Brothers.

Now although there is obviously a big piano presence on this double CD it is more of a band album[/b] covering rock'n'roll, light jazz & southern rock blues and some of Leavell's solo work as well. You've got songs covering the likes of the Stones, Allman Brothers, George Harrison, Ray Charles among others. Other band members solo on tracks as well.

Its a lively CD with great piano runs and solos that lets you enjoy a great pianist without it being a study of any kind.

Thanks for that, Glimmer! I have been looking for a Chuck Leavall album that put his his keys to the forefront of the mix.

Have you heard his "Forever Blue" CD ? I'm pretty sure its just a solo piano album.

Among the 'not just piano' albums no one has mentioned Bruce Hornsby: Camp Meeting, Harbor Lights, Hot House & Here Come the Noise Makers all demonstrate his pure piano genius. (Avoid Big Swing Face - no piano in it!)

What about Keith Emerson too? There is always great playing on the ELP albums. Solo "Emerson plays Emerson" is good, but mostly more down beat than you might expect appart from his adaptation of Alberto Ginastera's Suite de Danzas Criollas (Creole Dance) which is truly stunning.

"Roots - The Solo Piano Album" by Laurie Z. is a wonderful album. Laurie's music has the sophistication and grace of classical piano music yet her structures and harmonies follow the verse-chorus structures of Elton John.

No Words - Jim Brickman

I'm with Swingal in enjoying pretty much everything Peterson recorded, but my two favourite piano albums are by Art Tatum, playing mostly with others:

God is in the House
Pablo Group Masterpieces Vol 1 with Benny Carter

God is in the House; (the swinging, fun, after-hours recordings from 1940/41, including)
Sweet Lorraine, Fine and Dandy - wonderful improvisation on a battered upright, possibly my favourite Tatum track.
Toledo Blues, Knockin Myself Out - the first one is uniquely intimate (not that I can improvise & sing anyway)
Lady Be Good & Sweet Georgia Brown - amazing comping as he swings with Frank Newton on horn - and some of the earliest outside phrases of be-bop style ever recorded...


Pablo Group Masterpieces - Vol 1 with Benny Carter;including
Undecided, a pretty naff tune that Tatum takes on a riotus rhythmical journey,
Blues in Bb, where he beautifully censors the unnecessary and has you thinking 'I could play that' then puts in an horrendously fast arpeggio and stonking top to bottom run,
A Foggy Day, by his third time through at about 3 minutes he's really warmed up
Old Fashioned Love, My Blue Heaven -love the intro...etc
Carter could really keep up with Tatum, his melodies somehow enhancing the harmonies and drive that Tatum brought to the group; it's like they inspired each other and as a whole became greater than the sum of the parts.

A great recent one is last year's Kid's: Live at Dizzy's Club. It's a duet album with Hank Jones and Joe Lovano. Since there is no bass and drums, all of Hank Jone's solos are solo piano, and when he comps for Lovano (sax), he's got to play it all. The playing is easy, swinging and absoultely masterful. If you like reharmonizations, download Jones's solo version on the disk of Oh What a Beautiful Mornin.

As this thread has been resurrected, I would point out to jotur and DeepElem that since they posted about Marcia Ball and post-Blue House, Her Tallness has released a Live album...you must order it immediately!!

http://www.marciaball.com/

Oh, thank you JDelmore. I do believe there's a couple of things there I don't have yet

Cathy