Verified answer

Jaki Byard, by far.

He has an ear for what would help a song to have more depth to it. He has the entire history of jazz at his disposal. He is unlimited in his playing.

His best work is on the Booker Ervin album called Freedom Book, and on the Charles Mingus album Cornell 1964, where he plays the song Orange Was the Color of Her Dress Then Blue Silk as if him and Mingus were one person with four hands. Its beyond logic.

I'm also a big Monk fan.

Without Art Tatum there would be no Oscar Peterson. His technique will blow you away (and he was essentially blind, to boot). Bill Evans has the most beautiful touch of any pianist I've heard and his harmonic sensibility is almost magical. I'm not sure he ever played a wrong note. Also, Marcus Roberts is one of my favorites. He's pretty well-known, not as much as some, but he's an excellent pianist. Pick up his album, 'Alone With Three Giants'. He plays 6 Monk tunes, but his Ellington interpretations are better, in my opinion. It's like a jazz piano history lesson in one album.

You already picked two of the best, although Peterson followed Art Tatum. Brubeck is one of my favorites for his experimentation. Ellington is certainly among the most influential.

Among the younger performers, Jamie Cullum is pretty exciting to watch.

And Bill Evans! How could I forget Bill Evans?

Duke Ellington

Vince Ghiraldi

I like Bob James. He makes jazz exciting. I'm a fan of hip-hop and he has that urban flava I like. ''Nautilus'' and ''Westchester Lady'' are my favorites! Bob is the king of fusion jazz!

kenny barron, the wan tan spirit CD.

absolutely my fav jazz piano CD. he's so fluid on tha one

Mmmmm....let's see...there are so many.....Errol Garner.....George Shearing.....Bill Evans.......John Lewis.....Marion McPartland..... to name just a few.

norah jones?

art tatum. he is the best and was blind- but still the best.