It’s always been a great time to fall in love with the piano. It’s the instrument that’s been there since the dawn of jazz with the great, pioneering players like Fats Waller and his athletic stride playing, through to the boundary pushing Cecil Taylor, who leaned into the percussive possibilities of his instrument.
Today, the piano is still firmly in style. Players like Ethan Iverson deftly weave the DNA of the icons of jazz into a super smart, and fun keyboard identity of their own, Hiromi is still lighting fireworks every time she sits at her instrument, and Robert Glasper has extended the jazz piano lexicon with his enduring blend of hip-hop and jazz.
Explore the music, players and eras, through our stories and music recommendations in our selections below. We even have a limited edition piece of jazz piano history that could be yours!
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THE BEST PIANO ALBUMS OF ALL TIME
With so many albums to choose from, selecting our picks for the 25 best piano albums of all time was no mean feat.
How did we do? Have we missed your favourite record? Let us know by dropping us a line info@everythingjazz.com.
THE JAZZ PIANO POSTERZINE
A collectable piece of piano history to read or display on your wall. The Everything Jazz Posterzine® #02: The Piano Issue, includes an exclusive poster of the piano pioneer Thelonious Monk and a beautiful print charting the evolution of jazz’s greatest pianists.
Posterzine not currently available in the UK or Europe – coming soon!
Whether you’re a seasoned jazz head or someone like me still exploring the edges of the genre, this is an approachable, digestible, and poster-worthy read.
Frankie Statham, Music Curator – @frankiestathamuk
JAZZ PIANO: THE PLAYERS
Sharp suits, serene moments, and plenty of drama – we’ve selected some of our favourite photography of pianists at work. As well as our pick of the best pianists charting 100 years of jazz piano history.
Click images to enlarge.
TOP JAZZ PIANO ARTISTS
There are so many pianists in the history of jazz, it can be hard to know where to start. Browse our list of some of the icons of the keyboard.
THE STORIES BEHIND THE ALBUMS AND ARTISTS
Get to know the artists behind the keyboard with our collection of stories celebrating the finest in jazz piano. From bebop to hip-hop, there’s a world of music in those 88 keys.
KEITH JARRETT
2025 marks 80 years since the birth of Keith Jarrett, and 50 years since the release of his record breaking Köln Concert. An album with a story so astonishing that it has entered jazz lore: it was recorded live at a concert promoted by the teenaged Vera Brandes on a gnarly old piano that Jarrett was less than delighted to play after enduring a gruelling drive across Germany with ECM boss Manfred Eicher.
Keith Jarrett’s World of Improvisation
Pianist Keith Jarrett is one of the greatest musical improvisers of all time. Miles Davis was astonished at his ability to “play from nothing”. But how does he do it? What is his modus operandi?
OSCAR PETERSON AT 100
It’s 100 years since the birth of one of the true masters, Oscar Peterson. And it’s no exaggeration to say that the hard swinging Canadian, who was hugely successful on TV as well as a bone fide jazz giant, left an indelible mark on the history of jazz.
OSCAR PETERSON AT 100
Learn more about the life and work of master pianist Oscar Peterson – from his keyboard virtuosity to his civil rights activism.
Photo: Rossem, Wim van / Anefo. Nationaal Archief, CC0.
THE LEGENDS
Learn more about the key pianists who shaped the sound of jazz in the 20th century.
HOW BUD POWELL INSPIRED BEBOP GREATNESS
THELONIOUS MONK: GENIUS OF MODERN MUSIC
HORACE SILVER: SONG FOR MY FATHER
HERBIE HANCOCK IN 5 ICONIC COMPOSITIONS
LYRICAL INVENTORS
Read about some of the most distinctive players in the business and why they deserve a spot in any collection.
ROBERT GLASPER’S BLACK RADIO
TWENTY ONE – GERI ALLEN’S PIANO GENIUS
TEN: JASON MORAN AND THE BANDWAGAN’S TRIUMPHAL TARDIS
THE TROUBLED GENIUS OF BILL EVANS
CLASSIC KEYBOARDS AT BLUE NOTE
The middle of the 20th century was a golden era for jazz pianists – the rules of bebop were being creatively sculpted; and fusion, synthesisers and funk were just around the corner. Blue Note Records provided a home for many of these outstanding players, read more about their life and work with our collection of stories.
SONNY’S CRIB – THE TRAGIC LIFE AND DEATH OF PIANIST SONNY CLARK
DUKE PEARSON – THE PHANTOM
ANDREW HILL’S POINT OF DEPARTURE IS STILL LIGHT YEARS AHEAD
MCCOY TYNER – EXPANDING THEN EXTENDING
21ST CENTURY PIANO
Today’s jazz pianists have a whole world of music at their disposal; from the classic sound of Diana Krall, to the inventive and melodious Gerald Clayton, the electrifying sound of Cuban Harold López-Nussa, to the spirituality of South African Nduduzo Makhathini, and the exciting emerging talent of Paul Cornish. Jazz today means a lot of things, and today’s pianists are as diverse and creative as they’ve ever been.
HAROLD LOPEZ-NUSSA: PUSHING LATIN JAZZ FORWARD
PAUL CORNISH: TRUTH IS EVERYTHING
GERALD CLAYTON: ONES AND TWOS
ARBORESQUE – RENEE ROSNES OF ARTEMIS ON JAZZ STEEPED IN NATURE
HIROMI’S BLUE GIANT SOUNDTRACK IS A MASTERWORK
NDUDUZO MAKHATHINI – THE SPIRITUALITY OF SOUND
JULIUS RODRIGUEZ: JAZZ, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
DIANA KRALL: “IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TEMPO”
THE KEYBOARD COLLECTIONS
No matter how you like your keyboards – from thrilling bop, to jazz funk, or intimate, late night songs, our collections will guide you in the right direction.
MORE IN-DEPTH FEATURE PAGES…
THE STORY OF BLUE NOTE RECORDS
KEEP IN TOUCH
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