The piano is one of the first instruments that comes to mind when music is mentioned, often the very first. Thanks to its wide range, it has the capacity to express music melodically, harmonicly, and rhythmically all by itself. Therefore, it occupies a central position in many different musical traditions, from classical music to jazz, tango to postmodern music genres; and is used in a wide variety of contexts, from solo performances to chamber music formats, from large orchestras to vocal accompaniment. This article focuses on the piano duo format, a unique and rare performance style; that is, performances in which two pianists perform together. Although such performances can be done on a single piano (four hands) or on two separate pianos, the term piano duo generally refers to the second case, where two separate pianos are used. Improvisation, a fundamental building block of jazz music, requires the performer to demonstrate high technical proficiency, extensive theoretical knowledge, and spontaneous creativity. The generation of ideas on stage and the shaping of musical dialogue during the performance make jazz piano performance an extremely dynamic field, both individually and interactively. The performance of two jazz pianists, in particular, necessitates skills such as listening to each other, creating space for one another, navigating through improvisation, and simultaneously assuming both leading and accompanying roles. All these elements transform the piano duo format in jazz into a rich and profound field of expression in the hands of master musicians.
In this article, we will take a closer look at piano duo performances through three distinguished albums. Each of these albums, with their different musical approaches, offers wonderful examples of how pianists who have made their mark in jazz history create music together through feeling and how improvisation becomes a collective language.
- An Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert (Live)
- Our Delights (Tommy Flanagan & Hank Jones)
- The Art of the Piano Duo (Live) (Kenny Barron & Mulgrew Miller)
This article will examine each album’s musical language by considering their details, the contributions of the performers, and the overall atmosphere of the music. Now, let’s examine the albums in chronological order.
1. Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock – An Evening With Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert (Live)
Released in 1978, An Evening With Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert (Live) is a live recording of a series of concerts given in the United States by two legendary jazz pianists, Chick Corea (1941-2021) and Herbie Hancock (1940). These performances participated in concert halls in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Michigan.
The album features Frank Churchill’s Someday My Prince Will Come and George Gershwin’s Liza (All The Clouds’ll Roll Away), as well as compositions by pianists. These include Botton Up (Corea, Hancock), February Moment (Hancock), Maiden Voyage (Hancock), and La Fiesta (Corea). The album was produced by Herbie Hancock; however, a later compilation of recordings from the same concert series, CoreaHancock, was produced by Chick Corea.
An Evening With Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert (Live) Album Cover
Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea’s musical paths intersected with Miles Davis’s innovative vision at different times. In 1963, Herbie Hancock joined the group Davis founded, known in jazz history as the Second Great Quintet. Chick Corea, one of my idols in jazz pianism and whose online workshops I’ve had the chance to attend, replaced Hancock in 1968, joining Miles Davis’s fusion period, which saw him move towards radical, electric-based music. Both artists left the group after a period with Miles Davis to focus on their own projects. Following successful years with jazz-rock fusion and world music-based groups, this album serves as a fitting response to criticisms that they had moved away from traditional jazz by embracing electric music.
Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock (1978)
The album showcases the orchestral volume created by two pianos and the extent to which improvisation reaches. Throughout the performance, the element of improvisation transforms into a reciprocal musical thought process established between the two pianists. High-energy solos incorporating contemporary elements, question-and-answer sessions, and the conscious sharing of spaces were the most striking aspects of the performance. One pianist played in the lower registers while the other used the upper octaves; and in the question-and-answer sections, one musician would occasionally pause completely to give the other space. In this way, the musicians were able to enrich the music without encroaching on each other’s space.
In this album, where improvisation takes center stage, Corea’s percussive style combines with Hancock’s lyrical and fluid narrative to create a balanced and constantly changing dynamic process. This demonstrates how jazz can deepen not only through individual virtuosity but also through intuition and listening practice. An Evening With Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert should be considered by jazz lovers not just as a concert recording, but also as a rare musical document where two geniuses can think together, express their feelings together, and create together. The album is a must-have for those curious about the limits of improvisation and wanting to explore the possibilities of acoustic piano.
Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock (2015)
2.Our Delights
Recorded in 1978 and released a year later, Our Delights is a studio album by two legendary jazz pianists, Tommy Flanagan (1930–2001) and Hank Jones (1918–2010). The recordings were made at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, and the album was released on Galaxy Records.
The album includes the following tracks: Our Delights (Tadd Dameron), Autumn Leaves (Joseph Kosma), Robbins Nest (Illinois Jacquet, Charles Thompson), Jordu (Duke Jordan), Confirmation (Charlie Parker), A Child Is Born (Ted Jones), Lady Bird (Tadd Dameron), and an alternate recording of Robbins Nest.
Our Delights Albüm Kapağı
The life stories of the two pianists featured on the album allow us to witness jazz history up close. Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones, who have had incredible careers as both soloists and accompanists, have worked with some of the biggest names in the jazz world, across a wide range of projects from international tours to studio recordings. Tommy Flanagan has shared the stage with musicians such as John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Charles Mingus, Art Pepper, and Kenny Burrell throughout his career. He gained international recognition, particularly in the 1960s and 70s, as Ella Fitzgerald’s longtime pianist and musical director. After parting ways with Fitzgerald in 1978, he focused on his solo and trio projects; throughout the 1980s and 90s, he released numerous albums as a leader and performed on major jazz stages around the world.
Hank Jones is another master pianist who has worked with names that have shaped jazz history, such as Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Cannonball Adderley, Benny Goodman, and Miles Davis. He is also the older brother of important jazz musicians, drummer Elvin Jones and trumpeter Thad Jones. Having appeared as an accompanist on hundreds of albums, Jones has focused on his own projects with The Great Jazz Trio, which he founded in 1976. Hank Jones, who attracted attention especially his albums released in solo piano and trio formats, continued to actively give concerts until the end of his life.
Tommy Flanagan & Hank Jones
Reflecting the bebop tradition with a refined style, Our Delights was recorded in the late 1970s, when the two masters were pursuing solo careers; it is a special collaboration that carries the depth and elegance of their mature period. Both artists draw their roots from the swing and bebop traditions. While remaining true to tradition throughout their careers, like all great musicians, they have eventually found their own personal sounds and musical languages.
The pianists’ smooth touch, rich harmonic understanding, and mastery of melodic phrases come together in extraordinary harmony on the album. The wonderful synergy between the two masterful jazz pianists deepens the musical conversation; the recordings on the album sound almost like a layered performance by a single artist. In terms of both virtuosity and musicality, the album invites listeners on a captivating jazz journey from the very first note. Other albums released by the duo include I’m All Smiles (1983), More Delights (1985), and Live in Marciac (1993).
3. The Art of the Piano Duo (Live)
The Art of the Piano Duo (live), released in 2019, features recordings from concerts given by two master pianists who left unforgettable marks on jazz history: Kenny Barron (1943) and Mulgrew Miller (1955-2013). The album includes recordings from concerts in Marciac, France in 2005, and in Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland in 2011. The three CDs, each containing nine tracks, cover the Marciac concert, the Geneva concert, and the Zurich concert. The album, released on the Groovin’ High label, was produced by Jordi Suñol.
Featuring 27 pieces that reflect the pianists’ energy and impressive harmony on stage, the album includes works from The Great American Songbook as well as interpretations of pieces by jazz legends such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk. Kenny Barron’s composition, Song for Abdullah, is also included on the album.
The Art of the Piano Duo (Live) Albüm Kapağı
Kenny Barron and Mulgrew Miller are leading pianists in modern jazz. Kenny Barron, one of my idols, whom I had the chance to see in a concert at the CRR two years ago, has worked with masters such as Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Lee Morgan, and Roy Haynes, and stands out with his elegant improvisations and lyrical style. Mulgrew Miller, on the other hand, has performed with names like Woody Shaw, Betty Carter, Art Blakey, and Tony Williams, and has attracted attention with his energetic improvisations, modern interpretations, and lyrical performance, similar to Barron’s. The duo met in the late 1970s and developed a strong musical partnership based on mutual respect and harmony. Barron began focusing on his solo career in the 1970s; Miller concentrated on his own solo projects from the mid-1980s onwards. In addition to their musical careers, both pianists have taught at important institutions; Kenny Barron currently teaches at the Juilliard School of Music.
In the album, Miller’s rhythmically powerful and groove-based approach combines with Barron’s elegant and harmonically rich language to create an impressive synthesis. Both pianists have blended their improvisations, rooted in the bebop tradition, with a modern sensibility. The album, mostly consisting of medium swing and ballad pieces, features a noticeably increased musical energy with fast-paced, bebop-style performances such as “I Mean You,” “Yardbird Suite,” and “Joy Spring.” Two pieces on the album are performed as solo piano: Barron’s interpretation of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most” and Miller’s performance of “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good,” which represent some of the most poignant moments in the album, which spans over three hours.
The album has proven that the dialogue established between two master pianists who have left their mark on the 21st century, based on mutual respect, a shared aesthetic understanding, and an attitude of “opening up musical space,” can develop in innovative ways within the acoustic piano tradition of jazz. These three albums, born from the love and respect that jazz legends felt for each other, have become unforgettable recordings that have secured their place in jazz history. These albums are a must-listen for jazz enthusiasts to explore the limits of acoustic piano in jazz music, witness master musicians listening to each other and creating space for one another, and see the differences in musical characteristics between the albums. Panning techniques have been used in the albums to make it easier to distinguish the musicians; therefore, it is recommended to listen to the recordings with good headphones. Of the six pianists featured on the albums, two, Herbie Hancock and Kenny Barron, are still actively performing. Although I’ve had the chance to see Chick Corea live five times and Kenny Barron once, I’ve never been to a Herbie Hancock concert. Attending a concert by this living legend would be an unforgettable experience for me.
In addition to the albums discussed in this article, here are some other piano duo albums I recommend listening to, in chronological order:
Dave Brubeck’s Points on Jazz (Dave Brubeck’s tunes written for two pianos – 1961)
Duet! (Earl Hines & Jaki Byard – 1975)
Duo In Paris (Martial Solal & Joachim Kühn – 1975)
Together (Kenny Barron & Tommy Flanagan – 1979)
More Delights (Tommy Flanagan & Hank Jones – 1985) Orvieto (Chick Corea & Stefano Bollani – 2011)
Octopus (Craig Taborn & Kris Davis – 2018)
Here are my album recommendations featuring two jazz pianists accompanied by other musicians:
First Time! The Count Meets the Duke (Count Basie & Duke Ellington – 1961)
Great Times! (Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn – 1964)
Satch and Josh…Again (Oscar Peterson & Count Basie – 1978)
Night Rider (Oscar Peterson & Count Basie – 1980)
Rhythm-a-Ning (Kenny Barron & John Hicks – 1990)
Confirmation (Kenny Barron & Barry Harris – 1992)
Dr. M. Baturay Yarkın
Sources
Berliner, P.F. (1994). Thinking in Jazz: The Infinite Art of Improvisation. University of Chicago Press.
Bilawsky, D. (2019). Kenny Barron & Mulgrew Miller: The Art of Piano Duo – Live. All About Jazz. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-art-of-piano-duo-live-kenny-barron-sunnyside-records
Discogs. (n.d.). Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea – Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. https://www.discogs.com/release/7312831-Herbie-Hancock-And-Chick-Corea-Herbie-Hancock-And-Chick-Corea
Garcia Fernandez, A., & Garcia Fernandez, E. (2015) The Jones Brothers in 1958 — Thad, Hank & Elvin Jones. Vintage Bandstand. https://vintagebandstand.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-jones-brothers-in-1958-thad-hank.html
Ginell, R.S. (n.d.) An Evening With Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock Review. AllMusic. https://www.allmusic.com/album/an-evening-with-chick-corea-herbie-hancock-mw0000038644#review
Hardaker, J. (2015). Review: Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock, Sydney Opera House. Megaphoneoz. https://megaphoneoz.com/review-chick-corea-herbie-hancock-sydney-opera-house/
Kenny, B. (n.d.). The Art of the Piano Duo – Live. https://kennybarron.com/recordings/art-piano-duo-live/
Lorge, S. (2019). Kenny Barron on Compatibility, Writing and Mulgrew Miller. DownBeat. https://downbeat.com/news/detail/kenny-barron-compatibility-writing-mulgrew-miller
West, M. J. (2024). Kenny Barron & Mulgrew Miller: The Art of Piano Duo – Live (Groovin’ High). JazzTimes. https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/kenny-barron-mulgrew-miller-the-art-of-the-piano-duo-live-groovin-high/
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