Keith Emerson was an English keyboardist, composer, and record producer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and is considered one of the greatest keyboard players of all time. Emerson was known for his virtuosic playing style and his use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments.
2. Rick Wakeman (born 1949)
Rick Wakeman is an English keyboardist, songwriter, and producer. He is best known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes, of which he was a member from 1971 to 1980 and again from 1990 to 1995. Wakeman is considered one of the most influential keyboard players of all time, and is known for his use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments.
3. Herbie Hancock (born 1940)
Herbie Hancock is an American pianist, composer, and record producer. He has been a major figure in jazz for over 50 years, and has also worked in funk, R&B, soul, and electronic music. Hancock is considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, and is known for his innovative playing style and his use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments.
4. Chick Corea (1941-2021)
Chick Corea was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz for over 50 years, and has also worked in fusion, latin jazz, and classical music. Corea is considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments.
5. Oscar Peterson (1925-2007)
Oscar Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He was one of the most influential jazz pianists of all time, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his use of stride piano. Peterson was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
6. Art Tatum (1909-1956)
Art Tatum was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He is considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his use of stride piano. Tatum was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
7. Thelonious Monk (1917-1982)
Thelonious Monk was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He is considered one of the most influential jazz pianists of all time, and is known for his unique playing style and his use of bebop. Monk was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
8. Bill Evans (1929-1980)
Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He is considered one of the most influential jazz pianists of all time, and is known for his lyrical playing style and his use of block chords. Evans was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
9. Wynton Marsalis (born 1961)
Wynton Marsalis is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and educator. He is one of the most influential jazz musicians of his generation, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his commitment to traditional jazz. Marsalis is also a prolific composer, and has written over 100 songs.
10. Miles Davis (1926-1991)
Miles Davis was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his innovative playing style and his use of bebop. Davis was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
11. Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987)
Jaco Pastorius was an American jazz bassist, composer, and arranger. He is considered one of the greatest jazz bassists of all time, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his use of fretless bass. Pastorius was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
12. John Coltrane (1926-1967)
John Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his innovative playing style and his use of modal jazz. Coltrane was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
13. Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
Charlie Parker was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his innovative playing style and his use of bebop. Parker was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
14. Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)
Dizzy Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader. He is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his innovative playing style and his use of bebop. Gillespie was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
15. Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
Louis Armstrong was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and entertainer. He is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his distinctive gravelly voice. Armstrong was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
16. Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
Duke Ellington was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader. He is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his sophisticated compositions and his use of big bands. Ellington was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 1000 songs.
17. Count Basie (1904-1984)
Count Basie was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. He is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his swinging style and his use of big bands. Basie was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
18. Benny Goodman (1909-1986)
Benny Goodman was an American jazz clarinetist, bandleader, and composer. He is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his use of swing music. Goodman was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
19. Glenn Gould (1932-1982)
Glenn Gould was a Canadian pianist, composer, and conductor. He is considered one of the greatest pianists of all time, and is known for his unique playing style and his focus on classical music. Gould was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.
20. Van Cliburn (1934-2013)
Van Cliburn was an American pianist. He is considered one of the greatest pianists of all time, and is known for his virtuosic playing style and his focus on classical music. Cliburn was also a prolific composer, and wrote over 100 songs.