I came across this video on YouTube where the great jazz pianist Oscar Peterson is interviewed by TV personality Dick Cavett and explains some of the jazz styles used by other great jazz piano players such as George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Nat King Cole and so on.

He demonstrates the stride piano of Art Tatum showing that his left hand replaced the rhythm section of a combo – he played the bass line as well as provided the rhythm in his left hand, while his right hand played the melody and improvised on the tune.

Then he demonstrated the two-fingered percussiveness of Nat King Cole, and even sang a little bit at the urging of Cavett – he sounds remarkable like Nat, and said he doesn’t sing much because he sounds too much like him!

Then he played the full right-hand chord style of Erroll Garner and his orchestral style as well as his unique left hand style and playing the “delay-catch-up” tecnique of getting behind the beat then catching up.

The block chord style of George Shearing was next, demonstrating that shimmering overtone of sound that flows from that style.

And of course he played a bit in his own style – playing the improvised melody in both hands at the same time (amazing!).

I know you will enjoy and benefit from this short 7-minute piano lesson by the master, Oscar Peterson.