Jazz Piano – the History

Jazz Piano is an integral part of jazz idiom since it hasJelly Roll Morton, Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. The
been incepted in both ensemble and solo settings. Dueplaying style of Mary Lou Williams, Wilie Smith and
to its harmonic and melodic nature, the instrument isJames P. Johnson shaped the history of jazz piano.
quite important for understanding the jazz arrangingThe 1950s and the 1960s were the golden age of the
and theory. Along with a jazz guitar, a jazz piano isjazz which created many important and influential jazz
also one of those instruments of jazz combo whichpiano players. These powerful players included Red
may be played with chords as with a trumpet orGarland, Ahmad Jamal, Don Pullen, Bud Powell, Cecil
saxophone.Taylor and Horace Silver. The jazz pianists require an
If you are into practice jazz piano you must knowexclusive skills set and the piano’s extended range
about jazz practice tool where chords are the primaryas a playing instrument offers the solo players an
substance in the instrument, and the second skill youexhaustive variety of choices. One can use bass
will have to learn is how to play jazz piano with swingregister for playing a pattern of ostinato such as that
rhythm. Then is the skill of improvisation which requiresof a melodious counterline or boogie woogie emulating
you to make something on the spot. This is a skill thatthe playing of upright bass. Stride piano is a style of
requires tremendous skills and extreme knowledge ofplaying in which the left hand of the player changes
the piano.positions rapidly while he plays notes in bass register
Earlier, the jazz piano used to be heavily strideand the chords in tenor register. This can also be done
technique and it was often played solo. Historicallyin a more syncopated variant.
influential promoters of early piano include Earl Hines,