Playlist #1: A Brief History of Jazz Piano (Part 1, 1900-1945)

Dear Friends,

Here’s the first playlist of audio and video clips from my recent series of talks on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 about the history and development of the piano in jazz. This expanded playlist corresponds to my talk, “From Jelly Roll to Nat King Cole,” covering the dawn of jazz, circa 1900, to the birth of the modern jazz piano trio. It includes fascinating and entertaining performances by Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith, Fats Waller, and so many more. Enjoy, and I welcome your feedback!