European Pianists

[brownie]

"French Ballads" is very nice! (Thanks once again, brownie!)

The Anniversary or Heritage or whatever series of Universal France contains a Graillier/Jean-Marie (another good one!) disc, but I think that's a synth affair, haven't heard it, however:

Another highly recommended Graillier piano album is this double CD

[king ubu]

Just to make sure: my "another good one" remark was directed at Alain Jean-Marie (as in: another good european piano player), not at that CD, which *I don't own*!

[king ubu]

And I find it hard to believe I have forgotten to mention Sylvie Courvoisier earlier!

Saw her life with Vincent Courtois & Ellery Eskelin and she was great!

Also her disc Abaton (ECM, 2CD) is recommended! That's not a jazz recording, however... rather a mix of composed and freely improvised music, performed in trio with Mark Feldman (they're a couple in private as well) and Erik Friedlander.

[thomastreichler]

European piano players you should explore include Martial Solal, Bernard Peiffer, Georges Arvanitas, Maurice Vander, Stephan Oliva, Jean-Michel Pilc among others from France.

Other Europeans (there are many more) you should explore are Jan Johansson from Sweden, Tete Montoliu from Spain, etc..

Most of them have their own threads. Just do a search for any of those. Good luck!

I started with Bernard Peiffer ("Plays Standards" Jazz in Paris), Maurice Vander ("Piano Jazz" Jazz in Paris) and Georges Arvanitas ("Plays... Geroge Gershwin" and "Plays... Duke Ellington" both on Djaz). All are very accomplished players, Peiffer Tatum-esque at times, Maurice Vander reminding me of André Previn in the 50's, Arvanitas a powerful and bluesy pianist. Thanks for the recommendations.

[Bol]

Forgot to mention: Georg Graewe.

[Jim R]

Thanks, brownie and Ubu. I have the Baker and Wilen recordings, but I'll keep an eye out for the others (not a synth fan, so I'll be cautious about that "Portrait..." one).

[clifford_thornton]

Also her disc Abaton (ECM, 2CD) is recommended! That's not a jazz recording, however... rather a mix of composed and freely improvised music, performed in trio with Mark Feldman (they're a couple in private as well) and Erik Friedlander.

I second that recommendation!

[Van Basten II]

Also her disc Abaton (ECM, 2CD) is recommended! That's not a jazz recording, however... rather a mix of composed and freely improvised music, performed in trio with Mark Feldman (they're a couple in private as well) and Erik Friedlander.

I second that recommendation!

I'm thirding it.

[thomastreichler]

Bernard Peiffer - La Vie En Rose (Jazz in Paris series no. 65)

This is a stunning record. In this recordings of 1952/53 Peiffer reminds one very much of Erroll Garner, but sometimes seems to anticipate Phineas Newborn. He had phenomenal technique and his playing was inventive and swinging. He certainly was in the same league as the best American pianists of his time. It is a pity that he recorded only infrequently. According to Alain Tercinet's liner notes, who cites Boris Vian, Peiffer must have been a difficult character to put it mildly. Does anybody know more?

[king ubu]

I don't know much more, but there's a great disc of Peiffer's that came out fairly recently, available here:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/peiffer

It was put out by his son and has some liners/documentation.

[Niko]

It was put out by his son and has some liners/documentation.

if his son still puts out his music i can't be that difficult as a person

[king ubu]

Just about to finish a complete listen to "Jazz at the Pawnshop" - 3 fantastic discs! And yes indeed, pianist Bengt Hallberg is a mighty fine musician!

[thomastreichler]

Just about to finish a complete listen to "Jazz at the Pawnshop" - 3 fantastic discs! And yes indeed, pianist Bengt Hallberg is a mighty fine musician!

If you like Bengt Hallberg I would recommend "Septet In Concert" by Arne Domnérus on Caprice. The septet led by Domnérus consists of the same core group as the one on the Pawnshop sessions (Domnérus, Hallberg, Riedel, Johansen) plus Bosse Broberg on trumpet , Lennart Aberg on tenor-sax and flute and Rune Gustafsson on guitar. They perform jazzed up versions of swedish folk songs and a few originals. It is more adventurous than the Pawnshop sessions and Hallberg has some strong solos.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Tommy T

[thomastreichler]

During lunchtime I was listening to "Only Trust Your Heart" by Ian Bargh on Sackville. Bargh, though a longtime Canadian resident, was born in Scotland and therefore is European. He is all over the piano, displaying a virtuoso two handed approach reminiscent of Dave McKenna. A fine effort in mainstream piano. Thanks to Ted O'Reilly for recording this unsung and under-recorded master.

[Sand]

I was trying to come up with some name and couldn't even remember my favorite John Taylor! I'm probably not qualified...., though the Taylor trio with Palle Danielsson and Martin France on Cam is a gem.

Some old Italians are mentioned though a great pianist like Franco D'andrea is forgotten on this thread.

Stefano Bollani did another Trio recording with Bodilsen and Lund called "Gleda". A good one.

Stefano Battaglia is not mentioned. He's recording for ECM now. I still love "Explore" , a duo he did with avantgarde drummer Tony Oxley in 1990.

There are a horde of virtuoso Italian pianists at any given time. I'm not sure I love their playing. Still, search and you shall find.

Another old one I like is Arrigo Cappelletti. I have an old recording he did with Barre Phillips in 1991.

I'll see Enrico Pieranunzi in concert again for the fourth time in a few days and I look forward to that.

I noticed that someone mentioned Carsten Dahl of the Danish pianists. He used to be a very traditional pianist. He opened up a little on his recordings with Arild Andersen

- for example "Moon Water"

And this reminded me of very good and melodious ECM trio recording:

Arild Andersen w/Vassilis Tsabropoulos and John Marshall - The Triangle

Remember Swedish avantgarde pianist Sten Sandell

And Norway:

Håvard Wiik, Vigleik Storås Trio, The late Svein Finnerud (Travel Pillow - impossible to find), Jon Balke (ECM solo soon), Helge Lien Trio (http://www.helgelientrio.com/), Olga Konkova

[brownie]

Ran Blake is the most European piano player

[EKE BBB]

A few Spanish pianists I can recommend:

-Albert Bover

-Albert Sanz

-Iñaki Salvador

-Lluis Coloma (mostly blues and boogie woogie)

-Abe Rábade

-Agustí Fernández (free improvisation)

[brownie]

Stephan Oliva, one of the more interesting of the current European players, has a new CD coming up 'Ghosts of Bernard Herrmann', a solo piano projectdedicated to the music of Hermann.

Oliva will play the music in Paris on September 27.

[Bluesnik]

speaking of Spanish pianists, Freshsound put out a compilation some months ago of the two or three records (10" and 12", i think) Tete Montoliu released on Catalan label Concentric in the mid 60s. It's an excellent record and one of the piano trio albums i have enjoyed most in the last months.

for me it was a revelation about Tete Montoliu, who i never had cared much about. really, really good and very 60ish open playing. he plays with an American drummer and a Scandinavian bassist, if i remember well, who spent some time in Barcelona playing the Jamboree club. and since we're in the reccomendations thread i can only do that: reccomended, very reccomended!! tip!

[rpklich]

I'd like to add the late Luca Flores from Italy to the list. Most of his stuff was on the Splasc(h) label.

[LWayne]

...and I would like to add another Italian pianist, Antonio Farao.

His release a couple of years ago "Thorn" on Enja with Chris Potter on sax is worth checking out. His more recent work on Cam Jazz is also quite engaging.

LWayne

[aparxa]

Alfio Origlio , Grenoble, France

Edited August 26, 2007 by aparxa

[clifford_thornton]

In regards to the mention of Michel Graillier, I have but one of his LP's - Ad Lib, on Musica, with Aldo Romano and Jean-Francois Jenny-Clarke. It's solid, left-of-mainstream fare with the standout being the title track, a solo piano improvisation.

Bernardo Sassetti, from Portugal, is another of the fine younger crop of European pianists. Dig his trio and solo recordings on Clean Feed; they're excellent.

Nobody's mentioned the British pianist Howard Riley yet, so I will. Some very inside work and a lot more very outside...

[aparxa]

Baptiste Troptignon

Pierre de Bethmann

Live au Sunside/ 2006-12-20 [AUD]

Edited August 26, 2007 by aparxa

[king ubu]

Baptiste Troptignon

I just bought this one on sale yesterday - still have to play it, but from the couple of live recordings I've heard, it has to be good!

Pierre de Bethmann

Live au Sunside/ 2006-12-20 [AUD]

What's this? A release of you own tape???

And before I forget: welcome over here!