Stride piano came up in another forum. Sometimes I go to see the Gotham Jazzman play at the Lincoln Center Library and the leader of the group introduces the pianist as playing Stride.

Sorry to say I don't remember the pianist name, but he's terrific and can play anything his heart desires.

All this comes down to is, what is Stride Piano. Thanks

google Earl Hines.

Here you go...Stephanie can really play!

She describes it here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56yn_F2rUCQ

Here is some of her fine stride piano playing in the style of Fats Waller, the master.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET3n09AfY68

Glen

Thanks for the info -

I enjoyed listening to Stephanie, sounds close to rag time.

Unless I am remembering it incorrectly, on slower tunes, the stride style also includes the technique, of "walking tenths" in the left hand. For example: successive half- or quarter-notes of the intervals C+E; D+F; D#+F#; E+G || F+A; G+Bb; A+C; Ab+C || G+B; A+C; A#+C#; B+D || C+E . . . etc.

Of course, the player had to have a nice-sized pinkie-to-thumb span to pull this off.
Ed

Actually John Mehegan said the broken 10ths were a stride aberration. Since that's the only way I can plat them, I have ignored him.

Hi Daviel,

I probably did not explain it correctly or completely, and it is a small point anyway, but I was referring to the various tenth intervals sounding simultaneously, like a 2-note chord - not broken.
My hand(s) have the span to do it, but I have not worked on the technique enough to accomplish it convincingly for more than a couple of measures. I still "clunk" on A+C#, and on B+D#, and especially on Ab+C.

John Mehegan says many things that are a bit strange. Not sure what he's referring to though, as there are different ways to play broken tenths. But, James P. Johnson himself, in his famous "Davin interview", said that the broken downward tenth was very important.

James P. Johnson is THE man...I go with anything attributed to him. I will play broken 10ths and sometimes go with a 3rd instead of a 10th, a 5th or an octave. I am more ragtime [work on it] than stride [do not work on it but play it at gigs sometimes] though, but I love stride/

Google Art Tatum

stride google

Willie the lion Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F0rd-ZbAiY&feature=related

As I recall, Mike Lipskin said that Willie The Lion Smith defined stride as "alternation."

Hi Musdan,

Well, I'm no expert on stride, but I think it always involves "boom-chucks" with the left hand in some form, nice and bouncy. I can't play the walking 10ths (hands too small) but can roll 'em, so can have fun with that.

Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller)

Thanks to one and all. I've really learned a lot. It would be fun to play stride piano, in my dreams, but I can always enjoy listening to the pros.

Some stride is much harder than most rags but there are also stride pieces without a lot of tenth in the left hand, left hands that are not extremely fast, and even ballads in stride style.

I totally agree.. I play stride style (slow boom chucks) with ballads such as "Misty".

Musdan,

Late breaking news on "stride piano". Refer to Mark Levine's "Jazz Piano Book", Sher Music Co., Chapter 17 beginning on page 155 through 166. Lots of notation examples and chord voicings. References to examples in albums. He covers the late Dave McKenna, too, a master. If you are going to be studying any jazz piano, Levine's book is considered the bible.