OK, i'm taking a walk on the wild side for you!
* there is no bad Count Basie disc! PERIOD!
* pretty much the same can be said about Oscar Peterson as well (I do like some a little more than others)
* Red Garland (lets hope I got the name right) is a study in itself! His fingers were so fast that it was like a blurr.
* Nat King Cole was a better piano player than a singer, but couldn't make a dime on the keyboard.
* Kieth Jarrett just stays at the top of his game 24/7
* Herbie Hancock in the day was about as good as it got, but think he's lost a step or two these days. Still an easy top ten player
* Chic Corea has always been a good one, but never felt he was as good as Oscar or or Jarrett
* Gonzalo Rubalcaba without a doubt the most underrated player on this planet! Easy top four player
* I'd have to rate Steve Allee as a top ten player if not higher. Easilly better than Hancock right now, but not quite as good as his teacher (you can hear the leasons learned when he's jammin')
* another guy who's name escapes me is a prof at Indiana State (no not IU). Has an Italian name that starts with a P. He music is always a work of art, and could well be a top five or six player that dosn't record!
gary