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Overlooked pianists


Alon Marcus

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Craig Taborn

:tup "Light Made Lighter" was outstanding.

have you heard his first trio disc on DIW?

Yeah, I actually have it... got it after I discovered him via James Carter's early records. Is LIGHT MADE LIGHTER the one that came out last year? Sadly, I haven't kept up w/Taborn as much as I should have... but I know he put something out last year that got good notices.

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Some Europeans:

...

And speaking of European pianists, it´s sad to say that nowadays in Spain Tete Montoliu is totally underrated and almost forgotten, even in most jazz circles. Looks like the Flamenco-Jazz stuff is the only focus for the media.

Hopefully in 2007 (10th anniversary of his passing), he will be remembered and, what´s more, some unissued recordings will see the light of the day (there´s unreleased studio material for more than 10 CDs and tons of live stuff) and some will make it to CD for the first time!

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Some Europeans:

...

And speaking of European pianists, it´s sad to say that nowadays in Spain Tete Montoliu is totally underrated and almost forgotten, even in most jazz circles. Looks like the Flamenco-Jazz stuff is the only focus for the media.

Hopefully in 2007 (10th anniversary of his passing), he will be remembered and, what´s more, some unissued recordings will see the light of the day (there´s unreleased studio material for more than 10 CDs and tons of live stuff) and some will make it to CD for the first time!

EKE, omitted Tete Montoliu on purpose since he sure is not overlooked on this Forum with so many of his fans active around here...

Couple more overlooked pianists:

Russ Freeman

Ellis Larkins (am I the only one still listening to his music?)

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Mickey Tucker is a marvelous player -- and a fine composer too. I believe he's been based in Australia for several years.

I recall being told (but perhaps I've got my facts garbled and it was someone else, maybe bassist Red Mitchell) that he was banished from RVG's studio for life for fiddling with the placement of a microphone.

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Not to repeat too many that have already been mentioned... some favourites of mine like Costa, Perkins, Williamson etc.

A young swiss piano player called Hans Feigenwinter definitely deserves recognition, hope he'll get some in years to come.

Jodie Christian

John Young

Duke Jordan (despite all the bad rap by Parker cognoscenti)

George Gruntz (more of a band leader in past decades, but he started out as a fine hardbop piano player in the late fifties).

Irene Schweizer (she is just MUCH better than you all believe ;) ...)

Richie Powell (I stop doing what I'm doing as often during his solos as during Brownie's or Land's or Rollins' when listening to the Brown-Roach crew - what a sad early loss, and much sadder since often people only tend to regret Brownie's death in that dreaded accident)

Tadd Dameron (I just like his piano playing a lot, "arranger's piano", I suppose)

Mike Westbrook

And to end: yes to Kenny Werner!

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People have already mentioned these but these are two of my favorites and I don't have enough of them: Arnold Ross and Claude Williamson

Allen, any chance you can post some reminescences of Al Haig. I would love to hear some.

Although you don't think of Bud as overlooked as a pianist, I think he's overlooked as a musician and not given enough credit for his contributions to bebop. I know that sounds like a ridiculous statement but I think it's true today. We think grandly of Bird, Dizzy, Monk, Klook and Max but not enough of Bud in my opinion.

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