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Kris Bowers Teaches YouTubers the History of Jazz Piano Playing from the 1800s to Now, NPR Makes Corrections

YouTube can always secure a firm grip on the latest trending media. Perhaps one of those videos that has become a household, well, vid, is the "Evolution of Dance" phenomenon.

You remember it, maybe fragments of a orange-shirt, jean-wearing dance virtuoso, taking you through the steps of dance history, in the most interesting way he can.

Pianist Kris Bowers, in a similar vein as history's evolution of coordinated steps, is more than just a Thelonius Monk Competition winner.

Now, he's also a youthful sensation who, along with YouTube veterans CDZA, provides a brief overview of piano stylings from the late 1800s to now.

The video spans the great measure of piano players, starting with Scott Joplin's ragtime to Thelonius imitations, to contemporaries the likes of Brad Mehldau, Jason Moran and Robert Glasper.

The good folks at NPR were kind enough to provide some sound; however, they'd like to note a few errors:

We should probably note that there are a few factual errors and debatable omissions before the jazz commentariat does. The producer here also seems to have a thing for Herbie Hancock (so do I, but, I mean). And I have yet to see anyone perform a good imitation of Thelonious Monk.

To each their own, I suppose. The short production is really hooky and works on all levels for understanding some rudimentary contributors to wide the world of jazz piano composition.

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