Female Jazz Pianist

I was wondering how many female jazz pianist around. I searched You tube with this keyword. There seemed to be a lot, but was not that many. After about an hour research, I concluded that there was not many. And I finally picked three Japanese females. They satisfy the criteria of technicality as well as the perspective of jazz.

I have heard Carmen McCrae when I visited Newport Jazz Fes, in 1968, or was it 1967? I cannot be sure now. She is the only female jazz pianist I have known to this date. Well, she is rather a singer, don't you think? She passed away in 1995 at her age of 74.

I picked those three: Asako shirasaki, Yoko Miwa and Hiromi Uehara. All of them sound like having their base upon the mixture of Thelonious Monk, MacCoy Tyner and a little bit of Bill Evans. I just wanted to say they are pretty close in the way to look at jazz music.

Out of those three, if I dare to pick the most favorite, it could be Miwa. Here's her play at a Jazz fes in Japan.



I like her harmony. She has the punch in her left hand. Swings pretty nice.

Ms. Uehara is exceptional. This play with Chick Corea won't bother you at all. The tune is All Blues, yes that All Blues that played by Miles Davis in early 60es. or was it the late 50es? No player ever played this tune so excitingly as this play of Ms Uehara and Corea. I mean not exciting but thought provokingly. Check it out, you'd love it.



Why do I put Uehara over Miwa? Well, the jazz perspective of Uehara is much larger, or should it be wider? than Miwa. She really SWINGs!