Favorite Records by Living Pianists Since 2000

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, relyles said:

Aruán Ortiz | Hidden Voices | Intakt Records

Is said being very good too ....

[relyles]

I have that one also. It requires a tad bit more deep listening to fully appreciate than I have been able to devote so far.

[Larry Kart]

4 hours ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Disappointingly late in the game for Taborn's name appear.

I like Taborn a lot but think of him more as a keyboards player than as a pianist.

[Cyril]

18 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

 

 

!!!

[JSngry]

Oh, another list. Ran Blake (1 listing) & Paul Bley (0 mentions?). I like old guys who play new because they don't like playing old. But they play it old, because they are. Anybody can be young, not everybody gets to be old. and a lot of old guys do "mastery" instead of new, which is its own thing. But hey, new is a way of thinking, not a way of playing.

Kids today, no rush. Just stay new when you get old. Not as easy as it might seem. Geri Allen was on her way, but then she died. But she was alive on and after 2000. I've heard a few things things that indicate that Kenny Barron still has some new in him too, even amid all the mastery. But geez, he's old by now, right?

Lists are for grocery shopping!

 

[Dmitry]

HutchFan, respect, excellent thread!

[HutchFan]

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

Oh, another list. Ran Blake (1 listing) & Paul Bley (0 mentions?). I like old guys who play new because they don't like playing old. But they play it old, because they are. Anybody can be young, not everybody gets to be old. and a lot of old guys do "mastery" instead of new, which is its own thing. But hey, new is a way of thinking, not a way of playing.

No one has mentioned Paul Bley because he's no longer living, and being alive is one of the criteria for the thread. 

Otherwise, then I'm sure there'd be plenty of listings for Bley. That being said, I think you're hanging on to a "right answer" mentality.  There are no right or wrong answer here.  If YOU like Ran Blake, then list Ran Blake.  Hell, if you like Paul Bley, then list Paul Bley.  Telling us what you enjoy would contribute more to the conversation than questioning why artists that you think are important aren't appearing in sufficient quantities on the list.

 

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

Lists are for grocery shopping!

If you don't like "list threads," then don't play.

From my point of view, lists are just another means of stimulating some (hopefully interesting) discussion, maybe discovering someone new who rings my bell.  That's it.

 

[John Tapscott]

An outlier list (at least compared to what has been posted so far)  - edited to delete Hod O'Brien, because, dang it, he's no longer with us. 

Kenny Barron -  Live at Bradley's - The Perfect Set (Verve)

Bill Charlap - Notes From New York (Verve)

Phil DeGreg - Down the Middle (Prevenient)

Mark Eisenman - Sweet and Lovely (Cornerstone)

Tardo Hammer -  Tardo's Tempo - (Sharp Nine)

David Hazeltine - I Remember Cedar (Sharp Nine)

Dick Hyman - House of Pianos  (Arbors)

Keith Ingham -  Rockin' in Rhythm (Arbors)

Mike LeDonne - Speak (Cellar Live)

Junior Mance -  Groovin' With Junior  (Sackville)

Rob Schneiderman  - Back in Town (Reservoir)

Rossano Sportiello - In the Dark (Sackville)  

Spike Wilner - Solo Piano (Smalls Live)

That's 13 - oh well.  

Edited October 14, 2017 by John Tapscott

[JSngry]

Paul Bley was alive between 2000 & a few days of 2016, so he was living during the period in question, and would, in fact, still be living if had not already have died. So perhaps your question and my answer are chronologically adjunct, in which case, don't blame me, blame death.

This is why I don't like lists, they involve understanding the question, in both the asking and the answering.

Is it just me, or is it cold in here?

 

[B. Clugston]

Another +1 for Ran Blake!

I haven't been keeping up with Slava Ganelin's more recent work, but I quite liked Birds Of Passage with vocalist Esti Kenan Ofri and Ganelin Trio Priority - Live in Germany. Saw the latter band in concert once--amazing concert.

[JSngry]

People who want Ran Blake on this list, better act now. The guy's old and could be gone by the end of the time it takes you to post, so ACT NOW, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!!!

[jlhoots]

Kris Davis

Roberta Piket

[brownie]

Re-reading this thread I find one album was missing from my list, so adding  to it:

Cecil Taylor 'Algonquin (Bridge) 

[mandrill]

Abdullah Ibrahim- African Magic (Enja, 2002)

Randy Weston- Ancient Future (Mutable, 2002)

Stefano Bollani- Joy in Spite of Everything (ECM, 2014)

Jason Moran- Black Stars (Blue Note, 2001)

Yelena Eckemoff- Forget-Me-Not (L&H, 2011)

Junko Moriya Orchestra- Groovin’ Forvard  (Spice of Life 2009)

Mike LeDonne - Speak (Cellar Live, 2013)

Jessica Williams- Live at Yoshi’s (MAXJAZZ, 2004)

Jessica Williams- Billy's Theme: A Tribute to Dr. Billy Taylor (Origin, 2006)

Nik Bartsch- Ronin Live (ECM, 2011)

I assume it's too late for Hod O'Brien and Gery Allen to be on this list, otherwise:

Hod O'Brien- Live at Blues Alley- Vol 1-3 (Reservoir, 2005)

Gery Allen- Grand River Crossings (Motown & Motor City Inspirations) (Motema, 2013)

[LWayne]

Below is my ten:

Frank Kimbrough "Solstice"

Matthew Shipp Trio "The Conduct of Jazz"

Matt Mitchell "Forage"

Kenny Barron Trio "Book of Intuition"

Vijay Iyer Trio "Break Stuff"

Craig Taborn "Avenging Angel"

David Virelles "Continuum"

Carla Bley/Steve Swallow/Andy Sheppard "Andando El Tiempo"

Brad Mehldau "Ten Years Solo Live"

Aruan Ortiz "Cubanism"

 

All were alive when I saw them over the last couple of years. Still looking forward to seeing Carla Bley again and Aruan Ortiz.

 

LWayne