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Lists that rank the very best musicians most of us have never heard of.

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Wilhelm Backhaus

The piano is one of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-famous-instrument-makers/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most famous instruments</a> in the entire world. Almost every composition from some of the greatest composers in early classical music featured this powerful instrument to strike the perfect chords. The piano is extremely versatile and unlike the guitar, cello, or violin the strings on the piano are located inside and played with the keys. Many musicians have some knowledge of the piano, even if it isn't their primary instrument. But who are the greatest pianists of all time? &nbsp; Classical and Baroque periods of music history definitely increased the popularity of the piano and almost every genre of music in today’s culture also uses it! It’s no wonder that mastering the art of playing the piano is such a desirable goal. It is also an instrument that once learned, makes it easier to learn other instruments and is popular among young music students. &nbsp; This list features the all time greatest piano players including, Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Chopin, Franz Liszt, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Vote up the best pianists below and see where the musicians you think are the greatest of all time rank!

Terry Bozzio

Update:&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/693nUJzIqPADySoYwTFCGu?si=HVODKpb_QZaRJeSbp67Tfg" target="_blank">Follow Ranker&#39;s official New Rock 2020 playlist&nbsp;on Spotify</a>!

Who is the greatest drummer ever? This is a list of the best drummers of all time, voted on and ranked by music lovers worldwide. Add your own list or vote on the greatest drummers of all time here. Although many of the top drummers in history are&nbsp;rock drummers, this list is not restricted to just rock music. It covers all genres, so feel free to add anyone you think is missing.

Need some ideas for the best drummers of all time? Check out this list of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-drummers?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best female drummers</a>&nbsp;- many of them are outstanding and certainly worthy of inclusion here.

Debate about who is <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-truly-hard-seltzer-flavors/bottoms-up?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">truly the best</a> drummer ever can get heated. Once you start looking at the legendary drummers like John Bonham, Neil Peart, Keith Moon, and Buddy Rich, well, it&#39;s hard to rank one over the other. Many of the drummers listed here are also singers and songwriters, and some are/were band leaders as well. If you need examples, check out this list of the best singing drummers for inspiration.

What made these famous drummers so amazing? An incredible sense of time and meter, for one thing. But it&#39;s more than just technical prowess: it&#39;s an overall presence, as well. Being a drummer is about skill, first and foremost, but it&#39;s also about showmanship, particularly in the rock genre. Disagree? That&#39;s totally fine. Just make sure you vote on these best drummers in the world, one way or the other.

Miles Davis

The trumpet is an important instrument across many genres. Many of the musicians on this list are absolute trumpet legends who forever shaped jazz, blues, swing, Dixieland, and other genres. This list also includes current trumpeters who are big names in the industry. Who are the greatest trumpeters of all time? &nbsp; The trumpet is greatly appreciated in any genre of music because it accompanies just about any instrument well. Most of the trumpeters who are featured on this list have many years of practice behind them, and several of them play other instruments in the brass family. In fact, it’s quite common for a trumpeter to branch out with other instruments like the cornet or trombone. &nbsp; This list features the all time greatest trumpeters including, Wynton Marsalis, Louis Armstrong, Paolo Fresu, Maurice Andr&eacute;, and Miles Davis. Vote up the best trumpet players below and see where the musicians you think are the best rank!

Jazz

Martin Taylor

The guitar is one of the most popular and diverse musical instruments in the world. It's permeated through dozens of genres of music, lending itself to help create some of the most moving and emotional pieces of music in history. The people on this list are masters of the guitar and are considered giants in the musical world.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you recognize these musicians or not, they've all carved a place out for themselves in the music world and have become influential and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/contemporary-classical-music-bands-and-musicians/reference">prominent figures in the industry</a>. If you love geeking out on music, we definitely recommend finding some of their music.&nbsp;This list is votable and rerankable, so take a look through and vote up your favorite jazz guitarists.&nbsp;If you don't see someone on here who should be, feel free to add them, but this list is for living musicians only.

Sonny Rollins

Smooth jazz, fusion jazz, avant-garde jazz, crossover, West Coast, free jazz. Jazz music has influenced many different genres of music. Jazz brought a sense of style and freedom that had never been seen before in the world, and is still one of the most popular categories of music today. The saxophone has long been a feature of jazz music. Who are the greatest jazz saxophonists of all time? &nbsp; The musicians on this list helped to shape the world of jazz and blues though their talent on the saxophone. Many saxophonists in the jazz world improvise, requiring them to have mastered not just their instrument, but music theory as well. &nbsp; This list features the all time greatest jazz saxophonists, ranked as the best by music lovers and featuring musicians like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, and Sonny Rollins. Vote up the best jazz saxophonists below and see where the musicians you think are great rank!

Michael Brecker

These musicians, both living and dead, have forever shaped different genres and styles of music with their incredible talent with the saxophone. The saxophone is a reed instrument that is used in a variety of musical genres and left its mark on many eras. Who are the greatest saxophonists of all time? &nbsp; The saxophone is one of the most popular instruments in the woodwind family, and mastering the craft of playing it can take years of practice The musicians featured on this list have proven their talent and are regarded as the best, whether in jazz, classical, or other types of music. &nbsp; This list features the best saxophonists of all time, ranked as the best by music lovers. This list includes greats like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Sonny Rollins, John Zorn, Eric Dolphy, and Joshua Redman. Vote up the best saxophone players below and see where the musicians you think are great rank.

Rod Argent

Similar to the harpsichord and piano, but more grand and beautiful, the organ can create a louder, richer sound with a deep bass. The sound that comes out of an organ is often projected through large, steel pipes, especially in a setting that requires the sound to project through an entire room, such as in a symphony hall or large cathedral. The organ is also trickier to master than similar instruments.&nbsp;Who are the greatest organists of all time?The musicians listed here are known for being the absolute best, and have received a place of prominence in the world of music because of their incredible talent on the organ. This list has been ranked by the community's votes to determine the absolute best organists of all time, living or dead, from all periods of music history.This list includes top organists like Tori Amos, Steve Winwood, John Paul Jones, and Mike Oldfield. Vote up the best organists in history below or add an organ player you think is great if he or she isn't already on the list.

Jack Teagarden

Who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-trombonists-in-the-world/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best trombone players</a> in of all time? This list of the greatest trombonists in history features musicians from many genres, including jazz and classical. The trombone is in the brass family and requires years of practice to master, as there are no keys or exact positions for each note. The trombonists on this list have worked for years to become the best, no matter what genre they specialize in.The trombone’s telescoping slide changes the pitch and length of the note. The trombone is used in classical music, orchestral music, and frequently in jazz and soul music as well. These best trombone players have the ability to execute flawless music whether its a rehearsed piece or an improvisational jazz solo.The best trombonists of all time include talented musicians as Glenn Miller, Joseph Alessi, Arthur Pryor, and J. J. Johnson. To become one of the best trombonists of all time takes great commitment, a strong work ethic, and composure.Vote up the best trombonists of all time on the list below, or add a great trombone player who is not already on the list.

Giuseppe Tartini

If you’re a fan of&nbsp;classical music, you're familiar with the viola. A member of the string family, it is often confused with the violin, but is slightly larger and as a result, has a deeper sound. It is played with the bow and is unique in classical music as viola parts are usually written in the alto cleft, which is rarely used otherwise. The viola plays a pivotal role in orchestral music and requires a great deal of skill to master. These best violists of all time are truly the greatest violists in history.Who are the greatest violists of all time? This list features the musicians who have spent years honing their skills and becoming proficient on the viola. Their dedication comes through each time they pick up their instrument. The violists on this list come from all time periods, past and present, and have dazzled audiences for decades.This list of the greatest violists of all time has been ranked by the community's votes and features musicians like David Garrett, Itzhak Perlman, and L. Shankar. Vote up the best viola players below or add a violists you think is the best if he or she isn't already on the list.

Benny Goodman

The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family and is extremely popular in symphonic movements, jazz, and swing. It has only increased in popularity and is a common instrument to find in any orchestra. The clarinet is not just for orchestras, even director Woody Allen plays the clarinet. This instrument produces a clear, smooth sound with rich bass and is perfectly paired with just about any instrument, from piano and guitar, to brass and percussion. Who are the greatest clarinetists of all time?From contemporary to classical, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-swing-jazz-musicians-of-all-time/rachel-green?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz and swing</a>, to blues and Dixieland, this list features the all time greatest clarinetists, ranked as the best by music lovers. No matter what kind of music happens to be your favorite, there’s sure to be a clarinet player who has left his or her mark on the genre.This list features the all time most popular clarinetists, both within history and in today’s world of music including, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw, and George Lewis. Vote up the clarinet players you think are the best below and see how they rank!

The trombone is a versatile instrument that is a staple of jazz music and essential to all jazz ensembles. The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-jazz-trombonists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz trombone players</a> on this list are the best in the world and include some pioneers and icons of the instrument and the genre. But who is the best living jazz trombonist in the world?The trombone is a brass instrument and sound is produced through the vibrations of a player’s lips. The instrument’s telescoping slide changes the pitch and length of the note, and without keys like many other instruments, it takes great practice to master the positions of each note and trombonists must have a feel for their instrument. &nbsp;The trombone is used in classical music, orchestral music, but is incredibly popular in jazz music. These best trombone players in the world all specialize in jazz and are the best trombonists in jazz music today. They have the ability to execute flawless music whether its a rehearsed piece or and improvisational solo. The best trombonists in the world or jazz music today include top musicians like Curtis Fuller, Wayne Henderson, Bill Watrous, and Delfeayo Marsalis. To become one of the best jazz trombonists in the world takes great commitment, a strong work ethic, and dedication to the craft. Cast your votes below for the best jazz trombonists in the world.

Wayne Shorter

The saxophone is one of the most popular and diverse musical instruments in the world. It's permeated through dozens of genres of music, lending itself to help create some of the most moving and emotional pieces of music in history. The people on this list are masters of reed instruments and are considered giants in the musical world.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you recognize these musicians or not, they've all carved a place out for themselves in the music world and have become influential and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/contemporary-classical-music-bands-and-musicians/reference">prominent figures in the industry</a>. If you love geeking out on music, we definitely recommend finding some of their music.&nbsp;This list is votable and rerankable, so take a look through and vote up the greatset modern jazz saxophonists.&nbsp;If you don't see someone on here who should be, feel free to add them, but this list is for living musicians only.

Mike Marshall

Who are the best musicians to have ever played the mandolin? The mandolin is originally a stringed instrument from Italy. It is closely related to the lute and comes in many variations, the most famous being the&nbsp;Neapolitan. The greatest mandolinists ever are from different eras and&nbsp;genres but are all greatly skilled on the mandolin.The mandolin is used in Italian, classical, folk, bluegrass, and rock music. These best mandolin players of all time have the ability to create flawless music, whether it's a rehearsed piece or a freestyle composition.The greatest mandolin players of all time are from all over the world and include such musicians as Chris Thile, Dave Apollon, David Grisman, and Andy Statman. To become one of the best mandolin players in history takes great commitment and a strong work ethic.Vote up the best mandolin players of all time below or add the mandolinist you think is the greatest if he or she isn't already on the list.

Who are the best musicians to have ever played the banjo? The banjo is a four or five string instrument. Early versions of the banjo were created by Africans in Colonial America, but today it is most closely associated with bluegrass, folk, country, and traditional Irish music. A mainstay of old-time American music, the banjo is a popular instrument, even today.The greatest banjoists ever are from different eras and genres but are all hugely talented on their instrument. These best banjo players have spent years honing their skills to become the best. These musicians often helped define their respective genres, and many teach others to play the banjo as well.The greatest banjo players of all time are from all over the world and include musicians such as Charlie Poole, Bela Fleck, Earl Scruggs, and Pete Seeger. Even comedian Steve Martin plays the banjo!Vote up the best banjoists in history on the list below, or add a musician who you think is the best banjo player ever, if he or she isn't already on the list.

Nelson Rangell

The flute is a very popular member of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/woodwind-instrument-instruments-in-this-family/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the woodwind family</a>. Unlike other woodwind instruments that have a reed on the mouthpiece, like the clarinet, the flute is played by placing the mouth over the opening towards the top, and unless the flautist plays with exact precision the sound just won’t come out right. It's a very delicate instrument that must be played with great accuracy. Who are the greatest flautists of all time who have done this?The flute has a very soft sound to it and mastering the craft is not just for anyone! But the musicians on this list have earned their place by being the best of the best. This list contains famous flautists, both living and dead, and has been ranked by music lovers to determine the all time best flautists.This list features the all time greatest flautists including, Andrew Latimer, Buddy Collette, and Czesław Niemen. Vote up the best flute players below and see where the musicians you think are great rank.

Ben Eldridge

From folk, to bluegrass, and even jazz, the banjo is a popular stringed instrument used in many genres of music. These <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-banjoists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best banjo players</a> in the world include popular musicians like Marcus Mumford as well as lesser known banjo players who are still some of the best in the world. Who are the best living banjo players today?The banjo is a four or five string instrument, similar to a guitar, but with a circular frame. Banjos were originally played by Africans in Colonial America. Along with the fiddle, the banjo is the most common instrument used in old-time music, as well as country, bluegrass, and folk music.The greatest banjoists living and playing today are from different genres but are all greatly adept at their instrument. These best banjoists in the world have the ability to execute flawless music whether its a rehearsed piece or something improvised. These musicians often helped define their respective musical genres, and some of the great living banjo players on this list teach banjo to a new generation of musicians as well. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-banjo-brands-v1/werner-brandes?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The best banjo</a> players currently active are from all over the world and include musicians like Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Frank Fairfield, and Jimmy Mazzy. To become one of the best banjo players in the world takes great commitment, a strong work ethic, and dedication. Cast your votes for the best living banjo players below.

Rock

Mike Oldfield

Similar to the harpsichord and piano, but more grand and beautiful, the organ can create a louder, richer sound with a deep bass. The sound that comes out of an organ is often projected through large, steel pipes, especially in a setting that requires the sound to project through an entire room, such as in a symphony hall or large cathedral. The organ is also trickier to master than similar instruments.&nbsp;Who are the greatest organists of all time?The musicians listed here are known for being the absolute best and have received a place of prominence in the world of music because of their incredible talent on the organ. They are among some of the most<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/notable-organist_s)/reference"> famous organists</a> in <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-popular-song-right-now/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular music today</a>. This list has been ranked by the community's votes to determine the absolute best organists alive.&nbsp;Feel free to&nbsp;add an organ player you think is great if he or she isn't already on the list.

Erica Goodman

The harp is a beautiful stringed instrument, both in its sound and its elegant shape. This list has been ranked by the community to determine the best harp players in the world today. These greatest living harpists include pioneers and icons of the instrument. Who is the best musician currently playing the harp?The harp is a musical instrument of Persian origin with multiple strings. It varies in size but is typically large and played in the lap or sitting down. Various <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/harp-instruments-in-this-family/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">kinds of harps</a> are found in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. These <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-harpists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best harpist in the world</a> are from many different&nbsp;countries, but all are the best of the best when it comes to modern harpists. Featuring famous jazz harpists, popular contemporary harpist, and other harp artists, this list has it all.&nbsp;These best harpists in the world have the ability to execute flawless music. The best harp players currently active are from all over the world and include such musicians as Judy Loman, Elizabeth Hainen, Erica Goodman, The Harp Twins, and Jennifer Swartz. To become one of the best harp players in the world takes great commitment, a strong work ethic, and composure.From many different genres including classical and Celtic music, these are the best harpists living today.&nbsp;Who are the best harpists in the world? Cast your votes below.

Jon Lord

Who are the world’s greatest keytarists? Playing an instrument that isn’t as common as one like the piano, guitar, drums, or violin can be a daunting task. The notable individuals featured on this page are the absolute best keytarists in the world. They come from many <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-genres-of-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">different genres of music</a>, including rock, blues, jazz, swing, J-pop, and new age.Who are the greatest keytarists of all time? The keytar is a unique and not often used instrument. A keytar is much like a standard keyboard, but is worn around the neck with a strap, similar to a guitar. Since the keytar can be worn, it offers the player mobility on stage.This list features the all time greatest keytarists, ranked by the community. It includes famous musicians such as Todd Rundgren, Weird Al, Donald Fagen, Imogen Heap, Jean Michel Jarre, and Rick Wakeman. Vote up the best keytarists of all time below.

Bands/Musicians

Heinz Holliger

The oboe, a reed instrument in the woodwind family, produces a very unique and mysterious sound. It can be quite bold when played but is also often played in a very subtle manner. It is a staple in any orchestra, but requires years of practice in order for a musician to truly be able to play it well. If not played just right, the instrument, like many woodwinds, will squeak unpleasantly.&nbsp;Who are the greatest oboists of all time?The musicians on this list are the absolute best oboist in history. There are oboists from different time periods, cultural backgrounds, and genres of music. Whether you’re into jazz, blues, or classical music, there is likely to be an oboe involved. Many oboists even make their own reeds, another skill that takes years to master.This list features the all time greatest oboists, ranked as the best by music lovers and including musicians like Andy Mackay, Dewey Redman, and Julie Fowlis. Vote up the best oboist below and see where the musicians you think are great rank!

Great Musicians to Know

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There are few things better than listening to an amazing jazz pianist blowing it out of the water. Their improvisation skills and ability to play intricate syncopations are simply captivating. This list of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-jazz-pianists-of-all-time/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best jazz pianists</a> in the world boasts the giants of the industry, the best of the best. Who are the best jazz pianists today?Whether you recognize the names on this list or not, these are some of the most esteemed people in the music industry today and in good company among many other <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/notable-jazz-pianist_s)/reference">famous jazz pianists</a>. This list is votable and rerankable. Feel free to add anyone who isn't already on this list, but just make sure that he or she is a living, jazz pianists.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Best Jazz Pianists in the World

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Art Tatum

Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist.
Tatum grew up in Toledo, Ohio, where he began playing professionally and had his own radio program, rebroadcast nationwide, while still in his teens. He left Toledo in 1932 and had residencies as a solo pianist at clubs in major urban centers including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Throughout his career, Tatum also played for long periods at night in after-hours venues – at which he was often more spontaneous and creative than in his paid-for performances – and drank enormous quantities of alcohol. Although drinking did not negatively affect his playing, it did damage his health. In the 1940s, Tatum led a commercially successful trio for a short time and began playing in more formal jazz concert settings, including at Norman Granz-produced Jazz at the Philharmonic events. Granz recorded Tatum extensively in solo and small group formats in the mid-1950s, with the last session occurring only two months before the pianist's death from uremia at the age of 47.
Tatum is widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz pianists. His playing encompassed everything that had come before, added great harmonic and rhythmic imagination and complexity, and was often at very high speed. He extended what was considered possible in jazz piano and established new ground in jazz more broadly through innovative use of reharmonization, voicing, and bitonality.

Oscar Peterson

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson,  (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, but simply "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won eight Grammy Awards, and received numerous other awards and honours. He is considered one of the greatest jazz  pianists, and played thousands of concerts worldwide in a career lasting more than 60 years.

Earl Hines

Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".The trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (a member of Hines's big band, along with Charlie Parker) wrote, "The piano is the basis of modern harmony. This little guy came out of Chicago, Earl Hines. He changed the style of the piano. You can find the roots of Bud Powell, Herbie Hancock, all the guys who came after that. If it hadn't been for Earl Hines blazing the path for the next generation to come, it's no telling where or how they would be playing now. There were individual variations but the style of ... the modern piano came from Earl Hines."The pianist Lennie Tristano said, "Earl Hines is the only one of us capable of creating real jazz and real swing when playing all alone." Horace Silver said, "He has a completely unique style. No one can get that sound, no other pianist". Erroll Garner said, "When you talk about greatness, you talk about Art Tatum and Earl Hines".Count Basie said that Hines was "the greatest piano player in the world".

Fats Waller

Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid the groundwork for modern jazz piano. His best-known compositions, "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose", were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1984 and 1999. Waller copyrighted over 400 songs, many of them co-written with his closest collaborator, Andy Razaf. Razaf described his partner as "the soul of melody... a man who made the piano sing... both big in body and in mind... known for his generosity... a bubbling bundle of joy". It's possible he composed many more popular songs and sold them to other performers when times were tough.
Waller started playing the piano at the age of six, and became a professional organist aged 15. By the age of 18 he was a recording artist. Waller's first recordings, "Muscle Shoals Blues" and "Birmingham Blues", were made in October 1922 for Okeh Records. That year, he also made his first player piano roll, "Got to Cool My Doggies Now". Waller's first published composition, "Squeeze Me", was published in 1924. He became one of the most popular performers of his era, touring internationally and achieving critical and commercial success in the United States and Europe. He died from pneumonia, aged 39. One descendant is professional football player Darren Waller, who is Fats' great-grandson.

Tom Islava

Benny Green

Benny Green (born April 4, 1963) is an American hard bop jazz pianist who was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He has been compared to Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson in style and counts them as influences.

KenBlackman

George Shearing

Sir George Albert Shearing,  (13 August 1919 –  14 February 2011) was a British jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for Discovery Records, MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, including the jazz standards "Lullaby of Birdland" and "Conception", and had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s. He died of heart failure in New York City, at the age of 91.

slaft

Eldar Djangirov

Eldar Djangirov (born January 28, 1987), also known as Eldar, is an American jazz pianist. He was born in Kyrgyz SSR, Soviet Union to Tanya and Emil Djangirov, and is of Volga Tatar and Russian descent. He grew up in Kansas City, MO from the age of 10 and also lived in San Diego, California during his teenage years. As of 2016, he resides in New York City.

JohnnyC123

Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser", "Ruby, My Dear", "In Walked Bud", and "Well, You Needn't". Monk is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington, which is particularly remarkable as Ellington composed more than a thousand pieces, whereas Monk wrote about 70.Monk's compositions and improvisations feature dissonances and angular melodic twists and are consistent with his unorthodox approach to the piano, which combined a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of switched key releases, silences, and hesitations. His style was not universally appreciated; the poet and jazz critic Philip Larkin dismissed him as "the elephant on the keyboard".Monk was renowned for a distinct look which included suits, hats, and sunglasses. He was also noted for an idiosyncratic habit during performances: while other musicians continued playing, Monk stopped, stood up, and danced for a few moments before returning to the piano.Monk is one of five jazz musicians to have been featured on the cover of Time magazine (the others being Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington and Wynton Marsalis).

YanivCohen

Barry Harris

Barry Doyle Harris (born December 15, 1929) is an American jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger and educator. He is an exponent of the bebop style.

Erroll Garner

Erroll Louis Garner (June 15, 1923 – January 2, 1977; some sources say b. 1921) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His best-known composition, the ballad "Misty", has become a jazz standard. Scott Yanow of Allmusic calls him "one of the most distinctive of all pianists" and a "brilliant virtuoso." He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6363 Hollywood Blvd.



Marcus Roberts

Marthaniel "Marcus" Roberts (born August 7, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and teacher.

jdbilleter

Herbie Hancock

Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, composer and actor. Hancock started his career with Donald Byrd.  He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the post-bop sound.  In the 1970s, Hancock experimented with jazz fusion, funk, and electro styles.
Hancock's best-known compositions include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man" (later performed by dozens of musicians, including bandleader Mongo Santamaría), "Maiden Voyage", "Chameleon", and the singles "I Thought It Was You" and "Rockit". His 2007 tribute album River: The Joni Letters won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, only the second jazz album to win the award, after Getz/Gilberto in 1965.

Hank Jones

Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010), best known as Hank Jones, was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored him with the NEA Jazz Masters Award. He was also honored in 2003 with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Jazz Living Legend Award. In 2008, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. On April 13, 2009, the University of Hartford presented Jones with an honorary Doctorate of Music for his musical accomplishments.Jones recorded more than 60 albums under his own name, and countless others as a sideman, including Cannonball Adderley's celebrated album Somethin' Else. On May 19, 1962, he played piano as actress Marilyn Monroe sang her famous "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" song to then U.S. president John F. Kennedy.

Monty Alexander

Montgomery Bernard "Monty" Alexander (born 6 June 1944) is a Jamaican jazz pianist. His playing has a Caribbean influence and bright swinging feeling, with a strong vocabulary of bebop jazz and blues rooted melodies. He was influenced by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson, and Frank Sinatra. Alexander also sings and plays the melodica. He is known for his surprising musical twists, bright rhythmic sense, and intense dramatic musical climaxes. Monty's recording career has covered many of the well known American songbook standards, jazz standards, pop hits, and Jamaican songs from his original homeland. Alexander has resided in New York City for many years and performs frequently throughout the world at jazz festivals and clubs.

Dag Øystein Langerud

McCoy Tyner

Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938 – March 6, 2020) was a jazz pianist from Philadelphia known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.

Joe Zawinul

Josef Erich Zawinul (7 July 1932 – 11 September 2007) was an Austrian jazz keyboardist and composer. First coming to prominence with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Zawinul went on to play with Miles Davis and to become one of the creators of jazz fusion, a musical genre that combined jazz with rock. He co-founded the groups Weather Report and The Zawinul Syndicate. He pioneered the use of electric piano and synthesizer, and was named "Best Electric Keyboardist" twenty-eight times by the readers of Down Beat magazine.

Alfredo Acuña

Ahmad Jamal

Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones, July 2, 1930) is an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator. For five decades, he has been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz.

Dave Brubeck

David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer, considered one of the foremost exponents of cool jazz. Many of his compositions have become jazz standards including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting both his mother's classical training and his own improvisational skills. His music is known for employing unusual time signatures as well as superimposing contrasting rhythms, meters, and tonalities.
Brubeck experimented with time signatures throughout his career, recording "Pick Up Sticks" in 64, "Unsquare Dance" in 74, "World's Fair" in 134, and "Blue Rondo à la Turk" in 98. He was also a composer of orchestral and sacred music and wrote soundtracks for television, such as Mr. Broadway and the animated miniseries This Is America, Charlie Brown.
Often incorrectly attributed to Brubeck, the song "Take Five", which has become a jazz standard, was composed by Brubeck's long-time musical partner, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Appearing on one of the top-selling jazz albums, Time Out, and written in 54 time, "Take Five" has endured as a jazz classic associated with Brubeck.

John Lewis

John Aaron Lewis (May 3, 1920 – March 29, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, composer and arranger, best known as the founder and musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Lennie Tristano

Leonard Joseph Tristano (March 19, 1919 – November 18, 1978) was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and teacher of jazz improvisation.
Tristano studied for bachelor's and master's degrees in music in Chicago before moving to New York City in 1946. He played with leading bebop musicians and formed his own small bands, which soon displayed some of his early interests – contrapuntal interaction of instruments, harmonic flexibility, and rhythmic complexity. His quintet in 1949 recorded the first free group improvisations. Tristano's innovations continued in 1951, with the first overdubbed, improvised jazz recordings, and two years later, when he recorded an atonal improvised solo piano piece that was based on the development of motifs rather than on harmonies. He developed further via polyrhythms and chromaticism into the 1960s, but was infrequently recorded.
Tristano started teaching music, especially improvisation, in the early 1940s, and by the mid-1950s was concentrating on teaching in preference to performing. He taught in a structured and disciplined manner, which was unusual in jazz education when he began. His educational role over three decades meant that he exerted an influence on jazz through his students, including saxophonists Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh.
Musicians and critics vary in their appraisal of Tristano as a musician. Some describe his playing as cold and suggest that his innovations had little impact; others state that he was a bridge between bebop and later, freer forms of jazz, and assert that he is less appreciated than he should be because commentators found him hard to categorize and because he chose not to commercialize.

Jim Maneri

Chick Corea

Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (born June 12, 1941) is an American jazz pianist/electric keyboardist and composer. His compositions "Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta" and "Windows", are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis's band in the late 1960s, he participated in the birth of jazz fusion. In the 1970s he formed the fusion band Return to Forever. With Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and Keith Jarrett, he has been described as one of the major jazz piano voices to emerge in the post-John Coltrane era.Corea continued to pursue other collaborations and to explore musical styles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He is also known for promoting and fundraising for a number of social issues.

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Gonzalo Rubalcaba (born May 27, 1963) is a Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer.

EstebanPeretz

Kenny Barron

Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era.

Brad Mehldau

Bradford Alexander Mehldau (; born August 23, 1970) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.
Mehldau studied music at The New School, and toured and recorded while still a student. He was a member of saxophonist Joshua Redman's Quartet with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade in the mid-1990s, and has led his own trio since the early 1990s. His first long-term trio featured bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy; in 2005 Jeff Ballard replaced Rossy. These bands have released a dozen albums under the pianist's name.
Since the early 2000s Mehldau has experimented with other musical formats in addition to trio and solo piano. Largo, released in 2002, contains electronics and input from rock and classical musicians; later examples include touring and recording with guitarist Pat Metheny, writing and playing song cycles for classical singers Renée Fleming and Anne Sofie von Otter, composing orchestral pieces for 2009's Highway Rider, and playing electronic keyboard instruments in a duo with drummer Mark Guiliana.
Aspects of pop, rock, and classical music, including German Romanticism, have been absorbed into Mehldau's writing and playing. Through his use of some traditional elements of jazz without being restricted by them, simultaneous playing of different melodies in separate hands, and incorporation of pop and rock pieces, Mehldau has influenced musicians in and beyond jazz in their approaches to writing, playing, and choice of repertoire.

Bud Powell

Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist. Though Thelonious Monk was a close friend and influence, his greatest piano influence was Art Tatum.Along with Charlie Parker, Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern jazz, or bebop. His virtuosity led many to call him the Charlie Parker of the piano. Powell was also a composer, and many jazz critics credit his works and his playing as having "greatly extended the range of jazz harmony."

There are few things better than listening to an amazing jazz pianist blowing it out of the water. Their improvisation skills and ability to play intricate ...