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Brubeck has very nice posture.

I like Brubeck, but does anyone here ever discuss modern jazz pianists like Brad Mehldau, Jean-Michel Pilc, Jason Moran just to name a few?

There are many great jazz pianists...many.

Yes, and some of them may be better pianists than Dave Brubeck, but there are few who are as great musicians as he.

That's cool that you dig dave...as I said I'm a fan as well.

I'm not discounting his musicianship or 'greatness' just pointing out that there is a lot more going on in jazz than what I read about here on this forum, so making such a defined statement seems to close doors.

There are many great jazz musicians as he...

Funny a similar thread was going on in classical regarding Brendel and Gould...

steveb40 - I had the pleasure of seeing Tord Gustavsen and his trio in Washington last December. Young (maybe 30?) jazz pianist from Norway. Powerful stuff.

While his posture is not as nice as Brubeck's, he's worth checking out.

Ermo, Yes!...I like Tord and some other ECM artists. Have you heard Bobo Stenson?

I will check out Tord live in the fall.

I have not heard of Bobo Stenson. Do you have a CD of his that you would recommend? And how's his posture? And is Tord going to be in NYC in the fall?

Bobo's posture is very bad.

I would recommend Serenity...Great record. I think Tord might be in NYC in the fall.

Thanks for the recommendation.

If you're going anyway, get me a ticket, wouldja? Something not too far from the stage would be great.

Ermo, I noticed that you've commented several times on the posture of certain pianists. Is there a particular reason why you seem to be interested in that issue? Is good posture more important in jazz piano than in classical piano?

Just wondering.

Well, Mark, there was a lot of discussion earlier in this thread about the relative merits of these various giants of the jazz piano world, and I thought it was worth noting what beautiful posture Brubeck has. In fact, if you were judging on posture you'd have to say Brubeck is the best, hands down.

Compared to Brubeck, OP is a total slouch. And Tatum isn't much better.

And have you ever seen Bill Evans? The dude plays doubled over like he has stomach cramps.

And Monk? Forgettaboutit! He looks like a girl riding a horse side saddle ... and the freakin hats! You won't see Brubeck wearing any silly hats, no sir.

Yep, Brubeck has by far the best posture.

I'm a really big jazz fan, and I've even heard Take 5, but those other names don't sound familiar. So I guess my answer is, not only have I not seen their posture, I've never even heard of them! LOL!

Hey, don't take my word for it. Check out these clips:

Brubeck: Great Posture!

Bill Evans: Stomach Flu?

Monk: Maybe His Ears Are Cold?

Wow, you're right. I never heard of Evans and Monk, but Brubeck looks much younger than I pictured him.

Take a look at this last performance of Bill's 3 weeks before he died here in NY....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgi9v8xfDwk

In all seriousness, that dude was friggin incredible. Thanks for pointing out the clip, Steve. I also actually really like that clip of My Foolish Heart that I put up. Bill was channeling Chopin a little.

Dave Brubeck and his quartet put on a great show with a big band tonight. It just kept getting better and better.

Bill Evans channeled Chopin's left hand, and Claude Debussy's harmonies.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet recorded an improvised album of Evans tunes titled "Conversations with Bill Evans". It's great playing and can be an ear opening exposition of the Evans style and its relation to the French Impressionist composers. (Tea and cakes will be served after the lecture.)

Yes, Bill Evans had a stomach ache in 1980 (he died of a bleeding ulcer in September of that year) though he played down close to the keys for most of his career. A very sad ending for one of jazz piano's great innovators.

And the fellow who claimed to be a big jazz fan but hadn't heard of Bill Evans or Monk? Thats a kind of tautology, don't you think? You owe it to yourself to listen to these people, especially these two people, who helped invent bebop and modern jazz harmonies.

Evans plays beautifully and is a master craftsman. He was the Co-Producer of the most famous jazz recording of all time, played on many seminal recordings of the period, and wrote many tunes (Waltz for Debby, Turn Out the Stars, Very Early, Nardis, Blue in Green, etc. He invented the piano trio as a vehicle for three soloists, and first used double tracking with his Conversations with Myself. He was one of the most influential jazz pianists from the 1950s until his death in 1980.

Monk one of the few artists of the time known by a single name--there was Bird, there was Diz, and there was Monk. He was witty and astonishing, unique and colorful, a legend in his own time. He wrote many standards: Mysterioso, Well, You Needn't, Ruby My Dear, Off Minor, Pannonica, and my all-time favorite: 'Round Midnite (aka 'Round About Midnight). Really, you've not heard of Monk?

BDB, I'm surprised the Brubeck thing is still going on. I'm with you, Dave is a gentleman and a scholar and he helped invent the West Coast thing. Virtuosity ain't but a piece of the whole story, and while Dave can't play flashy runs anymore (I never could!), his music (and his accomplishments), are still awesome to witness.

G'nite all.

Actually, I don't believe so. I think something such as, "Bill Evans is either the best jazz pianist in the world, or he isn't," or, "Monk is a wonderful jazz piano-playing pianist" might be a tautology.

In any case, I'm sure I've heard their music, but I don't remember names or song titles. I just like listening to jazz. I may have overstated my affinity for the genre.