Craftsmanship and jazz piano

by Paul Burmeister

I can’t remember the jazz writer who compared Horace Silver to Jean Baptiste Camille Corot on grounds of their respective craftsmanship, but his idea helped inform my appreciation of Silver’s recordings. When I think of jazz pianists in the context of craftsmanship, two lesser-known artists come to mind: Richie Beirach and Sir Roland Hanna. Hanna’s Everything I Love (2002) is astonishing, and the liner notes reveal Hanna just started playing, selecting tunes on the fly, and recording them in first-and-only takes! It’s a marvelous collection, and I especially recommend “You’d be So Nice To Come Home To” for your playlist. His version of Miles Davis’ “All Blues” will please many listeners as well.

Sir Roland Hanna, 1983

Sir Roland Hanna, 1983