12 Jazz Piano Albums
This is the second post in a series on jazz albums. You can check out the previous post previous post for saxophone albums, including some thoughts on shopping for vinyl.
I've included both traditional and electronic albums on this list, with a range of 50 years between the oldest and most recent album. And since these posts are more of an entry-level introduction, I like to include a quick overview of the styles mentioned:
Swing Simple, clear melodies with a strong, danceable beat
Big Band Large ensembles with an emphasis on arrangement
Bebop/Bop Fast and complex with lots of improvisation
Hard Bop An extension of bebop with a rhythm and blues influence
West Coast/Cool Jazz A calmer, more formal response to bebop and hardbop
Post-bop Mixes elements of bop and hard bop with free jazz
Fusion Extensive use of electronic instruments and technology
As always, hit me up and let me know about your favorites or any that I might have missed.
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Piano Starts Here
Years Recorded: 1933 & 1949
Label: Columbia
Style: Swing
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Handful of Keys
Year Recorded: 1938
Label: RCA Victor
Style: Swing
Collaborators: Herman Autrey, Gene Sedric, Al Casey, Cedric Wallace, Slick Jones
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The Amazing Bud Powell
Year Released: 1952
Label: Blue Note
Style: Bebop
Collaborators: Fats Navarro, Sonny Rollins, Tommy Potter, Roy Haynes, Curly Russell, Max Roach
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Ellington at Newport
Year Released: 1956
Label: Columbia
Style: Big Band
Collaborators: Cat Anderson, Quentin Jackson, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Jimmy Woode, Sam Woodyard
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Brilliant Corners
Year Released: 1957
Label: Riverside
Style: Hard Bop
Collaborators: Ernie Henry, Sonny Rollins, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, Clark Terry, Paul Chambers
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The Atomic Mr. Basie
Year Released: 1958
Label: Roulette
Style: Big Band
Collaborators: Thad Jones, Al Grey, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Eddie Jones, Freddie Green, Sonny Payne, Joe Williams
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Time Out
Year Released: 1959
Label: Columbia
Style: West Coast
Collaborators: Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright, Joe Morello
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Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Year Released: 1961
Label: Riverside
Style: Post-bop
Collaborators: Scott LaFaro, Paul Motian
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Night Train
Year Released: 1963
Label: Verve
Style: Swing
Collaborators: Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen
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The Real McCoy
Year Released: 1967
Label: Blue Note
Style: Post-bop
Collaborators: Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones
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Return to Forever
Year Released: 1972
Label: ECM
Style: Fusion
Collaborators: Stanley Clarke, Joe Farrell, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim
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Head Hunters
Year Released: 1973
Label: Columbia
Style: Fusion
Collaborators: Bennie Maupin, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Bill Summers