Your favorite solo piano records

[mikeweil]

Hard to pick just a few, there are so many great one. Some that sping to my mind:

https://www.discogs.com/release/2584731-Geoff-Keezer-Zero-One

https://www.discogs.com/release/5265269-Bernie-Worrell-Elevation-The-Upper-Air

 

.... and some solo Duke Ellington, and some Paul Bley.

 

[Dub Modal]

17 hours ago, BillF said:

Never spent time with this one for some reason. Solo Monk and Alone in SF are the only solo records I've checked out from him. 

Love the recs so far. I definitely came to the right place 😎

[Pim]

Abdullah Ibrahim - Senzo

Art Tatum - Solo Masterpieces vol.2

Thelonious Monk - Solo in San Francisco

Oscar Peterson - My Favorite Instrument

Abdullah Ibrahim - African Magic

Uri Caine - Moloch

Mal Waldron - Meditations

Mal Waldron - The Opening

McCoy Tyner - Echoes of a Friend

Michel Petrucciani - Au Theatre Champes-Elysees

 

[T.D.]

I enjoy the Don Pullen (Healing Force, Evidence of Things Unseen) and Andrew Hill (Faces of Hope, Verona Rag) titles on Black Saint / Soul Note.

I defer to experts on Mal Waldron, but he deserves attention.

Edited November 4, 2023 by T.D.

[felser]

I'm also in for the Abrams Young At Heart/Wise in Time solo side as my #1 pick.  Abrams, Randy Weston, Mal Waldron, and Andrew Hill come to mind as my favorite artists for the sub-genre, but I'll have to go back to my shelves for specific titles.

[John Tapscott]

I always enjoy this one when I play it. Nothing profound, I guess, but a great selection of tunes.  Lifts my spirits.   

Edited November 4, 2023 by John Tapscott

[tranemonk]

All of Michel Petrucciani's solo work...  and this one

 

[JSngry]

Very comfortable. 

[BillF]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

 

Yes, that's a good 'un.

Of course, diggin' into the roots of solo piano blues, we mustn't forget this:

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by BillF

[T.D.]

For what it's worth, I've listened to quite a few of the "Live at Maybeck" solo series and Gene Harris is my favorite, followed by Stanley Cowell.

[Stompin at the Savoy]

33 minutes ago, T.D. said:

For what it's worth, I've listened to quite a few of the "Live at Maybeck" solo series and Gene Harris is my favorite, followed by Stanley Cowell.

I like the Dick Hyman volume:

[sgcim]

How go you follow Tatum?

[JSngry]

8 minutes ago, sgcim said:

How go you follow Tatum?

Not by trying to do the same thing, that's for sure! 

[felser]

2 hours ago, T.D. said:

For what it's worth, I've listened to quite a few of the "Live at Maybeck" solo series and Gene Harris is my favorite, followed by Stanley Cowell.

John Hicks and Joanne Brackeen for me from that series.

[Joe]

Underrated, IMO

[Chuck Nessa]

On 11/3/2023 at 3:38 PM, T.D. said:

I have trouble with numerical rankings, but these would probably be in the top 5:

If one side of an LP counts (the other side is a quintet),

 

Another half hour of the solo session exists.

[mjzee]

I've always found this touching and affecting:

[HutchFan]

44 minutes ago, mjzee said:

I've always found this touching and affecting:

Good call, mjzee. 

This one -- from around the same time, IIRC -- is also excellent:

Not a thoughtless, color-by-number Ellington tribute.  MUCH more than that.

 

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Another half hour of the solo session exists.

Oh my... 

[T.D.]

1 hour ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Another half hour of the solo session exists.

 

14 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Oh my... 

Whoa. Any details? Needless to say, I'm eager to hear it. 🤩

[felser]

2 hours ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Another half hour of the solo session exists.

Would LOVE to hear that! 

[Chuck Nessa]

4 hours ago, JSngry said:

Oh my... 

I discovered the tape while preparing the cd reissue of the '60s AACM series for Delmark. The first couple of minutes are "warming up" but the rest is fascinating. I sent a copy to Muhal's wife. Rights have not been cleared.

Edited November 5, 2023 by Chuck Nessa

[Spontooneous]

Matthew Shipp, The Piano Equation

[Gheorghe]

Of course everything of Art Tatum. I have one special I like very much, it was done somewhere in LA in 1956, but as I said, I love every solo record of Tatum.

And I love solo Monk, especially those tunes done in stride. 

There is also a rare Bud Powell solo recording on Black Lion titled "Strictly Confidential" where Bud plays a lot of stride....

[EKE BBB]

Some of my favourite piano solos come from these recording sessions: