LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Two-Fisted Piano

Winsome -- 10/03/2004, 10:21:28 -- #7682

Hi all.  What is two-fisted piano?

Dr. Whack -- 10/03/2004, 11:50:15 -- #7685

I would think "fisted" would be a less than complimentary adjective to describe someone's playing:) Now maybe it implies the sort of "locked-hand" style usually associated with George Shearing (and others of course)in which a melody is played in octaves using two hands with chord tones filled in between...

ziggysane -- 10/03/2004, 12:58:08 -- #7687

I know that Oscar Peterson has described that, for himself, "two fisted piano" is the point he reached when he could trade fours between his left and right hands.  So that definition would assume an equal level of technical proficiency between both hands.   Katie Webster, a wonderful blues pianist who is no longer with us, had the nickname "Two Fisted Mama", and recorded a song by that same title.  Her main styles were boogie and blues.   In conclusion, I think two fisted piano would be more generally defined as any style (Stride, Boogie, Crazy-Oscar) in which the left hand has a role beyond Root/Fifth, Whole/Half Note, timekeeping. Hope that's slightly illuminating.

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