Jazz Piano Across America
DISCOVER • LEARN • PLAY
Jazz piano has been shaped by musicians and musical communities across the United States—from major jazz centers to cities and regions whose stories are less widely known.
Jazz Piano Across America explores that history across the country, highlighting the pianists, musical traditions, festivals, organizations, and educational institutions that have helped shape jazz throughout the United States.
Researched and written by Dr. Bob Lawrence
Select a state link to explore its jazz piano history.
ALABAMA
From Birmingham's jazz tradition to the sound of the swing era.
ARIZONA
From the Phoenix jazz scene to the sound of the West Coast.
ARKANSAS
From Fort Smith to the territory bands, an early voice in American jazz.
From Central Avenue to the Bay Area, a tradition of innovation.
COLORADO
From Denver’s Five Points, a jazz tradition a mile high.
CONNECTICUT
From Norwalk's jazz roots to the birth of hard bop.
DELAWARE
From Wilmington's jazz roots to the frontiers of free improvisation.
FLORIDA
From Jacksonville's musical roots to the modern jazz piano tradition.
GEORGIA
From Atlanta’s roots to the evolution of modern jazz.
HAWAII
From the Hawaiian Islands to the frontiers of free jazz.
IDAHO
From Boise's jazz community to the soulful sound of Gene Harris.
ILLINOIS
From Chicago's jazz tradition to the frontiers of modern improvisation.
INDIANA
From Indiana Avenue to the Montgomery family's jazz legacy.
IOWA
From Iowa's early jazz roots to the sound of the swing era.
KANSAS
From Wichita's musical roots to the bold sound of progressive jazz.
KENTUCKY
From Lexington's musical roots to the soulful sound of jazz.
LOUISIANNA
From New Orleans' musical roots to the birth of jazz piano.
MARYLAND
From Baltimore's ragtime roots to the foundations of jazz piano.
MASSACHUSETTS
From Boston's jazz roots to the frontiers of modern improvisation.
MICHIGAN
From Detroit's jazz tradition to the elegance of modern bebop.
MINNESOTA
From Minneapolis's jazz tradition to the enduring sound of the Twin Cities.
MISSISSIPPI
From the Mississippi Delta's blues tradition to the sophistication of modern jazz.
MISSOURI
From Kansas City's swinging rhythms to the sound of the big-band era.
MONTANA
From Montana's western roots to the swinging sound of traditional jazz.
NEBRASKA
From Nebraska's musical roots to the sophisticated sound of modern jazz.
NEVADA
From Reno's jazz roots to the legendary stages of Las Vegas.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
From Portsmouth's jazz tradition to a lasting legacy of performance and education.
NEW JERSEY
From Plainfield's musical roots to the harmonic language of modern jazz.
NEW MEXICO
From Albuquerque's musical roots to the elegance of modern chamber jazz.
NEW YORK
From Harlem's jazz tradition to the birth of modern bebop.
NORTH CAROLINA
From Rocky Mount's musical roots to the revolutionary sound of modern jazz.
NORTH DAKOTA
From the Dakota plains to the creative language of modern jazz.
OHIO
From Toledo's musical roots to the virtuosity of modern jazz piano.
OKLAHOMA
From Muskogee's blues roots to the swinging sound of Kansas City.
OREGON
From Portland's jazz tradition to the timeless art of swing.
PENNSYLVANIA
From Pittsburgh's jazz roots to the unmistakable sound of modern swing.
RHODE ISLAND
From Woonsocket's musical roots to the art of swinging solo piano.
SOUTH CAROLINA
From Darlington's musical roots to the swinging sound of jump blues.
TENNESSEE
From Memphis's blues roots to the virtuosity of modern jazz piano.
TEXAS
From Dallas's jazz roots to the swinging sound of modern hard bop.
VERMONT
From Brattleboro's musical roots to the cool sound of West Coast jazz.
VIRGINIA
From Richmond's musical roots to the expansive sounds of jazz fusion.
WASHINGTON
From Tacoma's jazz roots to the expressive art of jazz piano and song.
WEST VIRGINIA
From Charleston's jazz tradition to a lifetime of musical expression.
WISCONSIN
From Milwaukee's jazz roots to the powerful sound of modern bebop.
