What is swing music without its unpredictable and exciting rhythmic beats? Being one of the most used instruments in big band arrangements, the role of the piano in enlivening swing music is incredible, to say the least. No matter which big band you talk about, the pianists added a great punch to the entire rhythmic section of the band and took the overall performance to the next level. You can never be a loyal fan of swing music unless you have learned about the musicians who played a pivotal role in giving this genre the exposure and popularity it rightfully commanded. In this blog, we talk about the swing pianists that enriched the old-time radiorecording in the USA and swept Americans off their feet in the early twentieth century.
Fats Waller –
Having studied piano from the virtuoso jazz pianist James P. Johnson, Fat
Waller mastered this instrument from a very early age. Apart from his greatest
hits like “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Squeeze Me”, and “Ain’t Misbehavin”, Waller earned
astounding recognition for his work on piano solos under his contract with
Victor Records. He was not only a gifted pianist, but Fats Waller gained
prominence for his songwriting abilities as well. Even though he was
phenomenally popular for being a comedic entertainer, none could look away from
his musical expertise.
Count Basie –
Although he preferred playing drums during his childhood, Count Basie turned
his attention towards piano at the age of 15. As an ardent swing jazz fan, you
must already know that Basie was one of the notable big band leaders in the
twentieth century. Not only was he a fantastic music arranger, but Basie had
earned an unparalleled feat for having led the group on piano for nearly 50
years.
James P. Johnson –
Not many of you might have heard about him, but Johnson was one of the early
pioneers in stride piano playing style. He was so great at his art that he
heavily influenced musicians like Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie.
It was Johnson who transformed the course of modern jazz piano in the early
twentieth century. In fact, “Carolina Shout”, one of his very famous piano
compositions, is known to be the first recorded piano solo in the history of
jazz.
Nat King Cole – Do
you swoon every time the hit tracks of Nat King Cole are played on the swingmusic radio? After all, who would not fall the smooth silky voice of
this legend? Apart from his amazing vocals, Cole was also famous for his
stupendous piano playing skills. Moreover, the credit must be given to Nat King
Cole for having inspired the best jazz piano trio format in the swing era. Even
to this day, the music critics would agree that the rhythmic and harmonic
advancements in his piano style helped him stand out from the contemporaries of
that period.
Duke Ellington –
The list would be far from complete if we did not talk about the king of jazz.
None can deny that Duke Ellington was one of the popular jazz composers the
swing era had witnessed. Along with that, jazz musicians and fans also regarded
him as the finest pianist of his time. Having mastered the Harem style of piano
stride playing, Ellington introduced his originality and inventiveness as a
pianist, and laid the foundation of his avant-garde musical works.
