I included a famous example or two of each "kind". For me, these kinds of jazz music serve a completely different purpose than classical. I think it's main purpose is pure fun.

Jelly Roll Morton(sounds like stride to me, but others have told me it's different):
Maple Leaf Stomp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4NPqhD0-nw

Stride
James P.Johnson:Carolina Shout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRKTpobVidw&feature=fvst
Fats Waller:Handful of Keys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRKTpobVidw&feature=fvst

Boogie Woogie
Ammons: Swanee River Boogie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ojt7e88g2I

New Orleans Style
James Booker:On the Sunny Side of the Street
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp4mnVQsGfQ&feature=player_embedded

Art Tatum
Tea for Two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKb0Sc2lYVU

what not to like? they're foundations of rock and roll but I guess this is wrong forum for boogie woogie...

Of course! If you don't like Art Tatum there's something wrong!

About half of what I listen to and play is jazz. However mostly from the 50's and 60's on (Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, et al.).

But, these pianists were the innovators of the day and their work can be heard in almost all pianists that came after them, regardless of how modern their approach is.

It's well known that contemporaries such as Horowitz, Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff, and Godowsky were all blown away by Tatum's playing.

Ah yes, Art Tatum... I like him because his left hand is as interesting as his right, which is not the case with stride pianists in general! Anyway, since *someone else* broached the J-topic on this forum I will post this, and send best wishes to everyone who is looking for work at the moment!

well, I don't like his playing. He overplays, sounds impressive but it's hard to listen for long.



were they?

Yes.

(I forgot we're not allowed to appreciate how talented jazz musicians are)

Yes, they were, but I do not care for Tatum's playing, either. I like the others better.

I don't listen to him regularly, but from a technical standpoint he is unrivaled.

All excellent! - suggestion - Earl Hines

Earl Hines used to live near me. I only tuned for him once, though, not long before he died.

For me, he's unrivaled from a musical standpoint as well.

I think Tatum's virtuosity is like Liszt's compositions' virtuosity: the first thing you notice perhaps, but in the end, just part of the vocabulary. What the vocabulary expresses, in Tatum's case, is (for me) always rich and subtle, especially in its unexpected harmonies and deft rhythms.

I have this seven disc set-- it's revelatory.

-J

So true. His whole concept of soloing paved the way for so many. Bud Powell was the next great innovator that brought the bebop vocabulary developed by Bird and Diz to the piano.

Going forward in history a little more, Herbie Hancock is the pianist that most inspires me. His way of thinking of the changes of a tune and voicing the chords is absolutely mind-blowing to me. His solos exude a very advanced knowledge of harmony, and even classical music in the way they are constructed.

Take for example his solo on this tune (starting around :49)

That's a tough chart to play though as it is, and his solo is just unreal.

Very well stated-- about the harmonies and rhythm.

I asked a friend for an Art Tatum CD for Christmas (since he asked), but I got a blanket with a reindeer on it instead.

But then my employer gave me an Amazon gift certificate. So there is hope.

nice solo, but don't hear anything unreal...
Regarding Tatum I agree he was master of noodling.

To each his own.

I'll continue to strive to be even 1/100th of the player Art, Herbie, or any of my other piano idols are.

There are other pianist besides Art Tatum who had or have incredible chops, but I prefer their musicality. Dorothy Donegan and Bobby Enriques really floored me when I heard them, but sadly, they are gone. But Hirome and Gonzalo Rubalcaba are still around, and although I think of him as more of a musician than a pianist, Dave Brubeck does things that leave me in awe.

I loved the Jelly Roll Morton and the James Booker, and the boogie woogie was terrific! I like a lot of Fats Waller, but this isn't one of my favorites. But in general, these are my kind of music

Thanks for posting them.

Cathy

You didn't seriously mean that?

I think all lovers of classical piano playing should study the great jazz pianists, there is much to enjoy and benefit from.

Fats Waller is probably my favourite. I'm not a big fan of Tatum -despite claims made here- but I've collected recordings of Bill Evans, Thelonius Monk, Fred Hersch and Bud Powell. Incredible stuff. And the great Brazilian pianist Tete Montoliu is not to be missed!

Edit: BDB mentioned Dorothy Donegan. Yes, I have heard her recordings, and I think BDB is correct in his assessment.

I love all things related to ragtime, stride, etc. I've got sheet music for Jelly Roll Morton's piano works and Fats Waller's solos, and I've played through practically half of Joplin's rags.

I listen to Art Tatum all the time and I love his playing. It sometimes makes me a bit sad to think that I won't ever be as technically proficient (or anywhere near that) as he was, but I stick more towards traditional ragtime and stride anyway so his playing is in a different league from mine.

Tete Montoliú wa spanish, not brazilian ... as catalonian as it gets!

Perhaps you could share some of your noodling with us to help put your comments in perspective.

Oh, very much. I should have said it was his CD of Brazilian classics which was not to be missed!

.

Since pianoloverus edited the Tatum sample to "Tea for Two," here is a sample of a few seconds of Horowitz improvising stride on the same tune.

To be fair, Tatum doesn't do any great favor to the classical themes he improvises on, either. But it seems he can assimilate them into his playing better than Horowitz can this little tune. I guess assimilation is what marks jazz.

I'm just trying to stick to topics mentioned in the original post-- otherwise the thread opens up a whole can of noodles

No, no, I was being tongue-in-cheek. To expand on what you said, many jazz pianists like Bill Evans are classically trained or at least studied classical music, and you can hear the influence of impressionism on his playing. To me, modern jazz harmony seems to pick up right where impressionism and 20th century music left off, while adding an improvisational fold to it. Wayne Shorter, for example, is a big admirer of European art music, as was Miles. Shorter's charts show an unbelievable sense of mood and complexity, many times using seemingly unrelated chords to harmonize a melody. Check out his "Limbo" on the Miles Davis album Sorcerer. And there's also Nefertiti, a sort of art piece where the melody is restated by the horns over and over while the rhythm section explores underneath. Great stuff.

Bud Powell (in his good years) is also a force to be reckoned with both technically and musically. He had a very tortured life and certain events really screwed him up until he was no longer the player he once was. Check out "Glass Enclosure," it's more of a composition than a jazz chart. Story goes that at some point after his electroshock "therapy" a club owner offered to take him in. However, when the owner would leave for the day he would essentially lock Bud in the apartment and leave him to stare out the window, hence Glass Enclosure.

I'm hoping to hear from some PW members who may be unfamilar with some/much of the playing of the pianists I posted...pianists whose main focus has been classical music.

No need to listen to all the Youtube selections I posted to comment and there are no "wrong" answers.

Oh, okay. Thanks for your wonderful comments re Bill Evans and Bud Powell. I'm spinning those CDs this evening!

I do like, and mostly respect the skills and the musicianship.. But jazz does not talk to me a whole lot. I rarely seek it out. May be I should spend more time listening.

Pianoloverus,
Did you mean to post this as the Fat's Waller link in the OP?

Fats Waller plays "Handful of Keys."
http://youtu.be/kIFoAwJPtm4

The James Booker and James P. Johnson selections sound like the style my grandma played. I could listen to her for hours. For me, a lot Art Tatum's stuff seems "overdone," and I can't take much of it. I like things a little more relaxed, like this:

http://youtu.be/kIFoAwJPtm4

and this:

http://www.box.com/shared/iu43uh3lrf (I think Zez Confrey grew two extra hands for this one, though...)

Yes, thanks for the correction.

I have the pdfs for these pieces, except the first, if anyone is interested.

I'm familiar with most of the pianists you mention.

The ones I especially like came later.

Bobby Enriquez. When I first heard him he blew me away with his rendition of 'After Hours.'
His CDs are available. 'After Hours' is on the 'Live! In Tokyo' CD.

I much prefer Oscar Peterson over Art Tatum. Tatum just "runs his runs into the ground." Just too much of the same ole same ole. Peterson wrote a very interesting autobiography. Lots of his videos on YouTube, my favorite being the one where he's wearing a white sports coat and in his prime. He played many brands of piano during his career but the Bosendorfer Imperial became his favorite. Have several of his DVDs.

Erroll Garner composed the very popular song 'Misty.' 5'2" tall and used phone books to gain height while playing. Outstanding, unique pianist. While on the Johnny Carson Show Johnny mentioned that Erroll didn't read music and Erroll replied, "You've seen one note you've seen'em all." Often played a Bechstein grand. Usually looking everywhere but at the keyboard when playing. His DVDs available. Have a couple. Has several videos on YouTube including performance of 'Misty.'

Meade Lux Lewis was a famous Boogie Woogie player in the time period you're refering to.

Think you'll like the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec-FrnaU0rs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf0LOc49fX0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55wYm8csHC4

This last link is Part 1 of, I think, 5 parts.

Bech

I watched a PBS showing of Willie the Lion Smith..wow! amazing! only problem
is..the monotony of every song played in stride! all the players mentioned
were phenomenal..some were in the video too and towards the end of the video
T. Monk got to know Willie..and played for him..Monk sat down and played
stride..Willie said we don't need another stride player..play your
style/stuff..

I've found that I enjoy his artistry if I don't hear it very often, and in tiny doses. A few tracks, very occasionally, and I love it, but if I hear much more than that, it all starts sounding twitchy and compulsive and superficially "clever". I know it's amazing in several ways, but that amazement only goes so far.