Vincent, Paris Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Which are, to you, the best jazz piano solo on records ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Earl Hines playing Duke Ellington on Master Jazz. The Monk Vogue recordings. Lots of Tatum possibilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Hawkins Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Big question! Some personal favourites: Meade Lux Lewis - The Blues (4 Parts; Blue Note - 'The First Day'). The essence of the music, for me. I hear this every time I hear one of my contemporaries at music college play their million-mil-an-hour, 9/8, multiple key - but ultimately, utterly vacuous - readings of 'Giant Steps', or whatever. On a boogie theme, I'm just rediscovering Jimmy Yancey. His feeling for the blues is amazing. Teddy Wilson - a bit of a perverse choice in some respects, but his solo introduction to Billie Holiday's version of 'What a Little Moonlight Can Do' is a miniature masterpiece. Art Tatum - I have a bit of a thing with Tatum. Every time I hear him play anything, I lose all critical faculties, and think that he owns whatever he just played. So a bit difficult to choose. But, one of the first tunes I can remember hearing of his (not the first) was 'I Cover the Waterfront' from the private sessions recorded at Ray Heindorf's house. If I'm allowed a trio recording, 'If' from the trio record with Red Callender and Jo Jones is the one. Actually, that said, I'm not sure I quite understood the question - are you after solo piano albums, or great piano solos, regardless of context? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Hawkins Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 jazzbo Posted Today, 03:17 PM Earl Hines playing Duke Ellington on Master Jazz. The Monk Vogue recordings. Lots of Tatum possibilities. Oh yes - I had that Monk on this morning. Beautiful playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Some essential favorites: - Teddy Wilson 'The Complete Piano Solos' (Columbia France) - Art Tatum the VDiscs solo sessions - Thelonious Monk, the Vogue Paris sides - Bud Powell 'Moods' (Verve) - Lennie Tristano 'The New Tristano' (Atlantic) - Phineas Newborn 'Solo Piano' (Atlantic) - Cecil Taylor 'Silent Tongues' (Arista) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Hank Jone solo on Savoy - Professor Longhair on Atlantic - Fess Manetta, ca. 1957 - Jelly Roll on Commodore (reissue) - Pete Gray Plays the Treble Clef - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent, Paris Posted May 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Actually, that said, I'm not sure I quite understood the question - are you after solo piano albums, or great piano solos, regardless of context? ← Solo piano albums, not single tracks, like "Alone in San Francisco" by Thelonious Monk "At Maybeck" by Hank Jones "Solobsession" by Bojan Zulfikarpasic "Evolution" by John Lewis These are the ones I can think of now. Add your favorites ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Mingus Plays Piano is one of my favorites, as well as Alone In San Francisco. Bertrand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 (edited) Has anyone ever heard the Joe Chambers piano solo album on Denon? Bertrand. Edited May 30, 2005 by bertrand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Keith Jarrett -- Facing You Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Love the stride players: James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Willie "The Lion" Smith. And of course anything by Art Tatum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Andrew Hill "Live at Montreaux" and the the recently reissued "Homage." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Bertrand, no I never have heard that one, love the Monk and the Mingus you cite. (The Mingus is one of those rare cds I have in the living room, in my listening room, and at work!) Another favorite solo piano release of mine is Gasline Plays Ayler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyJazz Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Chick Corea - EXPRESSIONS (GRP) & SOLO PIANO STANDARDS (Stretch) Bill Evans - ALONE (Verve) Herbie Hancock - THE PIANO (Columbia) McCoy Tyner - REVELATIONS (Blue Note) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.L.M Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 (edited) - MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS: THINGS TO COME FROM THOSE NOW GONE (DELMARK) - RAN BLAKE: BREAKTHRU (IAI) - RAN BLAKE: PAINTED RYTHMS (VOL. 1) (GM) - RAN BLAKE: PAINTED RYTHMS (VOL. 2) - PAUL BLEY: OPEN, TO LOVE (ECM) - PAUL BLEY: HOMAGE TO CARLA (OWL) - DAVE BRUBECK: BRUBECK PLAYS BRUBECK (COLUMBIA) - JAKI BYARD: TO THEM, TO US (SOUL NOTE) - STANLEY COWELL: ANGEL EYES (STEEPLECHASE) - CONNIE CROTHERS: MUSIC FROM EVERYDAY LIFE (NEW ARTISTS) - MARILYN CRISPELL: FOR COLTRANE (LEO RECORDS) - GIORGIO GASLINI: GASLINI PLAYS MONK (SOUL NOTE) - GEORGE GRAEWE: FANTASIESTÜCK I - XIII (NUSCOPE) - ABDULLAH IBRAHIM: ANCIENT AFRICA (SACKVILLE) - KEITH JARRETT: PIANO (ECM) - MISHA MENGELBERG: IMPROMPTUS (FMP) - CHARLES MINGUS: PLAYS PIANO (IMPULSE!) - THELONIOUS MONK: ALONE IN SAN FRANCISCO (RIVERSIDE) - THELONIOUS MONK: MONK ALONE (THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA SOLO RECORDINGS) - HOWARD RILEY: AIR PLAY (SLAM) - IRENE SCHWEIZER: CHICAGO PIANO SOLO (INTAKT) - MARTIAL SOLAL: BLUESINE (SOUL NOTE) - SUN RA: ST. LOUIS BLUES (SOLO PIANO) (IAI) - ART TATUM: IN PRIVATE (FRESH SOUND RECORDS) - CECIL TAYLOR: INDENT (FREEDOM) - CECIL TAYLOR: SILENT TONGUES (BLACK LION) - CECIL TAYLOR: FOR OLIM (SOUL NOTE) - CECIL TAYLOR: THE TREE OF LIFE (FMP) - CECIL TAYLOR: WILLISAU CONCERT (INTAKT) - KEITH TIPPETT: MUJICIAN I/ II (FMP) - LENNIE TRISTANO: TRISTANO (ATLANTIC) - LENNIE TRISTANO: THE NEW TRISTANO (ATLANTIC) - FRED VAN HOVE: FLUX (POTLACH) - MAL WALDRON: UPDATE (SOUL NOTE) - PER HENRIK WALLIN: ONE KNIFE IS ENOUGH (CAPRICE) - MARY LOU WILLIAMS: ZONING (SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS) - CHRISTINE WODRASKA: VERTICAL (FMP) Edited May 30, 2005 by P.L.M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnhrtg Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 (edited) Thank you for that list, but it's some other Misha you're thinking of P.L.M. - might be Impromptus (FMP) or Solo (Buzz) [or Mix, of course, but somehow these two are better liked]. Edited May 29, 2005 by gnhrtg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Has anyone ever heard the Joe Chambers paino solo album on Denon? Bertrand. ← Have it, a very nice surprise - but I wouldn't call it one of the essential jazz solo piano discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 (edited) Paul Bley - Hommage to Carla (Owl / Universal France) Randy Weston - African Nite (Owl / Universal France) Jaki Byard - To Them, To Us (Soul Note) Sun Ra - Solo Piano Recital, Teatro La Fenice, Venezia (Leo) Cecil Taylor - Indent (Freedom / DA Music) Cecil Taylor - Willisau Concert (INTAKT) Gaorg Gräwe - San Francisco 1995 (Music & Arts) Fred Van Hove - Complete Vogel Recordings (Atavistic) Stefano Battaglia - Ecumenica (Splasc(h)) Sergey Kuryokhin - Waves of Freedom (Leo) Stephan Oliva - Jazz 'n (e)motion (BMG France) Steve Kuhn - Jazz 'n (e)motion (BMG France) Andrew Hill - Les Trinitaires (Jazz Friends) Edited May 31, 2005 by Д.Д. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 (edited) Much of what I would consider essential has been listed. I would include some of each of the following pianists: Jelly Roll Morton Art Tatum Fats Waller (African Ripples and that stuff is great!!!) James P. Johnson Earl Hines Duke Ellington Ralph Sutton's recording of the Bix Beiderbecke pieces Teddy Wilson (Cole Porter Classics on Black Lion) Bud Powell Thelonious Monk (the Columbias) Randy Weston Hank Jones (Savoy) Jimmy Rowles Jaki Byard John Lewis (Evolution or Private Concert) Keith Jarrett Stanley Cowell (Musa-Ancestral Streams) Paul Bley Geoffrey Keezer Edited May 29, 2005 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Hank Jone solo on Savoy - Professor Longhair on Atlantic - Fess Manetta, ca. 1957 - Jelly Roll on Commodore (reissue) - Pete Gray Plays the Treble Clef - ← I believe that the Atlantic Longhairs are all with band accompaniment - great stuff, nonetheless. Good to see a mention of the Commodore Jelly Rolls. They've been personal favorites since I first heard them 40 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Some favorites that haven't been mentioned: Jimmy Yancey: The 2 "How Long Blues" recordings for Session in 1943; Also the 1951 Atlantic sides. Monk: Thelonious Himself - Whenever I listen to "Functional", I have the sense that Monk drank from the same well that Jimmy Yancey did. Jaki Byard: Flight of the Fly (Le Chant du Monde) Luckey Roberts & Willie "The Lion" Smith: Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz) Earl Hines: Spontaneous Explrations - Solo (Contact/Red Baron) - Earl Hines made a lot of great solo albums. This is just a personal favorite. Jimmy Rowles: Plays Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn (Columbia) Otis Spann: Is the Blues & Walkin' the Blues (Candid/Barnaby) - the solo sides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Not essential perhaps, but a recent favourite is: Jessica Williams : All Alone (Max Jazz) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Mikeweil, Thanks for the recommendation on the Joe Chambers. I need to find a copy of this! Anyone know where to find a reasonably priced one? Bertrand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Being late to the party I assume all of these have been mentioned, but... Abdullah Ibrahim - African Piano (ECM) Cecil Taylor - Willisau Concert (Intakt) Irene Schweizer - Chicago Piano Solo (Intakt) Paul Bley - For Carla (Owl) Randy Weston - Blues to Africa (Freedom) Art Tatum - as others above, not sure what to recommend... Jelly Roll - those early solo sides, I got them on a Chronogical Classics disc Monk - the Vogue date John Lewis - Private Concert Tristano - the Atlantic solo stuff Mingus plays Piano Keith Tippett - Mujician (FMP) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 oh, and: Sergey Kuryokhin: Some Combination Of Fingers And Passion (Leo)!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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