Senior Contributor

James Tanner

James Tanner has been writing about jazz and improvised music for over a decade. His work focuses on the historical and cultural forces that shaped the jazz canon, with a particular interest in the independent label era of the 1950s and 60s. He lives in Chicago.

@jamestannerjazz ↗
[Nat King Cole](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nat-king-cole-mn0000498194) at the piano, Paramount Theater, New York, ca. November 1946
Culture

Ten Jazz Piano Albums That Tell the Whole Story

From stride to solo improvisation, from Harlem to Cologne — a listening path through the instrument that shaped the...

March 19, 2026