Jazz Piano and Literature
Write a research paper the history of the Jazz piano masters (i.e. Art Tatum, Bill Evans, etc.) and the
jazz piano pioneers and the sheet music and recordings that were important in establishing them in
the discourse of the history of jazz. The paper is more about examining the music and less about
simply highlighting historical facts. Although stating the history from a timeline perspective is
warranted, understood, and expected.
The following list should be referred to:
Ragtime
• Scott Joplin (18681917) “father” of ragtime; his immediate followers were:
• James Scott
• Joseph Lamb
Early Jazz
• Jelly Roll Morton pianist/composer/arranger/bandleader
• Earl “Fatha” Hines trumpetstyle playing and solos
• Lil Hardin Armstrong played w/ Joe King Oliver
• Fats Waller wrote over 400 songs, including Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Honeysuckle Rose
Stride
• James P. Johnson father of stride piano (Carolina Shout)
• Willie “The Lion” Smith combined boogie/woogie w/ stride styles
• Mead Lux Lewis
Boogie Woogie
• Pine Top Smith
• Jimmy Yancey
Early and progressive swing (1930s’40s)
• Duke Ellington bandleader/composer/arranger over 900 charts
• Count Basie Kansas City style swing, great rhythm section
• Art Tatum master virtuoso of solo swing piano
• Teddy Wilson played w/ Benny Goodman & Billie Holiday
• Nat King Cole underrated as jazz pianistsang his way to popularity
• Milt Buckner “locked hands” style adopted by George Shearing
• Errol Garner wrote Misty and had a unique, appealing style
Kansas City Swing
• Mary Lou Williams first early jazz female band leader and pianist
• Jay McShann reat KC master of swing, blues and bop
Bebop/hard bop (1940s)
• Thelonious Monk one of the greatest innovators of all time
• Bud Powell revolutionized bebop piano
• Al Haig recorded w/ Bird
• Oscar Peterson Art Tatum tradition; passed in Dec. 2007
• Horace Silver “Funky” legendary hardbop leader/composer
• Tadd Dameron leader/composer/arranger ; wrote Ladybird
Cool (late 1940s)
• Lennie Tristano one of the innovators of the “Cool” school
• Andre Previn famous conductor; numerous jazz recordings
• Dave Brubeck Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out
• John Lewis leader, Modern Jazz Quartet for 30+ years; 3rd stream
Additional pianists from the ‘50s
• Red Garland recorded with Miles Davis in the ‘50s
• Wynton Kelly Wynton Marsalis is named after him
• Phinnias Newborne, Jr. listen to: A Whole World of Piano
• Tommy Flanagan worked w/ Ella Fitzgerald; played on Giant Steps
• Sonny Clark knew Lennie Tristano and Bill Evans
• Bobby Timmons composer of Moanin’
• Herbie Nichols innovative composer/arranger
Modern innovators (late ‘50searly ‘60s)
• Bill Evans most influential jazz pianist after Bud Powell
• Chick Corea fusion pioneer; Latin and Spanish styles
• Keith Jarrett classical; solo improvisations; straight ahead
