Five wonderful jazz piano performances

For no particular reason other than that they’re great, let’s listen to five wonderful performances by five different pianists:

We’ll start with this brooding 1964 performance of “It Ain’t Necessarily So” by Mary Lou Williams, from her album Black Christ Of The Andes.

Next we’ll hear one of the finest piano trios to ever record: Bill Evans (p), Scott LaFaro (b) and Paul Motian (d). Here they are playing Evans’ gorgeous “Waltz For Debby.”

Let’s take it down to New Orleans and hear from one of the kings of Crescent City piano, James Booker.

We all listened to her for decades on Piano Jazz. Here’s Marian McPartland in 1975 at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Finally, a modern cut. Here’s Ethan Iverson (of The Bad Plus) playing at Small’s in Manhattan.