Presents profiles of eighty-eight jazz pianists, from Jelly Roll Morton, born in New Orleans in 1890, to Wisconsin's Geoff Keezer, born in 1970, with interviews and critiques, photographs, and a sampler CD.

With its title inspired by the number of keys on the piano, this book portrays 88 tastemakers of jazz piano -- from visionary pioneer Jelly Roll Morton to the vital players who evolve this art form today. Weaving firsthand reflections with historical insight and musical analysis, this book brings you closer to some of the most colorful personalities and compelling music that jazz has to offer. Each lively profile defines the player¿s creative hallmarks in the world of jazz piano, whether achieved through a passion for expression, impeccable technique, stylistic flair, or penchant for invention. Doerschuk enhances his research with original interviews, plus incisive critiques of each player¿s style and technique, pointing to exemplary recordings. Photos.

Handy resource for jazz listeners and hardcore fans. Spanning players from eighty years of history, this bold book steps forward and claims who are the greatest. Compiled from an extensive survey conducted with the best jazz minds in the education, publishing and entertainment worlds, noted jazz journalist Gene Rizzo summarized the chosen and presents a concise bio on the essence of these jazz giants. Choices were made on the basis of chops, originality, creativity, and degree of influence. This book will either confirm some readers' opinions or open debate with others, but ultimately the book provides an impressive summary of the greatest jazz piano players of all time. A photo accompanies each listing * Landmark recordings are listed * Extra lists include the next twenty to be selected, the top women players and an alphabetical list of all the other players considered

Brief biographies of thirteen jazz musicians who have made major contributions to the development of this form of music.

The Giants of Jazz series is designed to provide a method for studying, analyzing, imitating and assimilating the idiosyncratic and general facets of the styles of various jazz giants. The Jazz Style of John Coltrane provides many transcriptions, plus discography, biographical data, style traits, genealogy, and bibliography.