It isn’t often that you hear Erroll Garner’s piano style being mimicked by contemporary pianists. Maybe it’s because his style was so unique that anyone copying it would simply be too obvious. His left hand “romping,” much like Freddie Green’s guitar comping style, and his ability to bend the time as he plays lines in his right hand is of course unmistakably his own technique. But even if you are not going to be an Erroll Garner copycat when you’re performing, trying to play like him can be extremely fun, and once you get the hang of it, extremely swinging. This short video highlights his general technical and stylistic tendencies. Enjoy.
top of page
Search
Here is a video demonstrating the basics of stride piano as concisely as possible. If you have any further questions, feel free to email me at jazzpianoconcepts@gmail.com. Hope it helps, and don’t forget to follow the blog for more interesting posts!
While I was at the Brubeck Institute, in Stockton, CA, I had the priviledge of working with a great young pianist, Taylor Eigsti. Taylor is one of my favorite people to study with and I go back to him for lessons whenever I feel in need of some inspiration. Whenever I feel bored with a subject, he instantly finds a way to challenge me. I have lots of great ideas and exercises that I will eventually get around to posting about that I have learned from Taylor, but I wanted to take a look at this video of him playing “Like Someone In Love.” You’ll notice that throughout the video he uses lots of great runs in his left hand to fill up space, acting as exciting, modern-sounding fills.
bottom of page