Best solo piano recording...redbook CDs only...Jazz, easy listening, piano bar

Check out Rachel Grimes' "Book of Leaves".  Might work for you.  Not strictly solo piano but her album "The Clearing" is also worth auditioning.

Richter J.S.Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier released in 1992 RCA Germany. Not bar-type music, but serves the soothing purpose as none in the world near with full sounding piano able to fill up the room. It's an extraordinary ability of Richter to make piano sound BIG.

1: Keith Jarrett: Koln Concert - best selling solo jazz piano album in history
2: Liz Story: Solid Colors - wonderful late night music; beautiful harmonies and progressions
3. Bill Evans: Alone - hey, it's Bill Evans; 'nuff said

A couple of mental late-arrivers:

"John Cage: In a Landscape" performed by Stephen Drury.  Not the aleatory John Cage one might expect. 

If not already familiar with him, might be a good time to make the acquaintance of Harold Budd.  His 2000 recording, "The Room" seems like it could be another that fits your requirements.

BTW - no claim is made that anything I've suggested is a "best".

Try Dave Brubeck's "Nocturnes".  The Naxos recording, performed by John Salmon, is nice.  Also George Shearing, "The Shearing Piano" is quite nice.  And I think Andre Previn's piano playing is wonderful, try "Ballads for Solo Piano".

Perhaps Fiona Joy's, "Into The Mist", from Blue Coast Records. I have not heard the CD version but the DSD is very organic and lifelike. 

Thanks Guys! Keep em coming. I intend to build a mini collection for late night listening. 

Bought a few duds lately. Like the music but sounded like a...toy piano and really clangy. Just couldn't get into it especially for semi critical listening. 

Here are the solo piano in my collection:

Alone Bill Evens

Alone Andre Previn

Beethoven for Elegant Dining Chemayne Micallef

Elegiac Cycle Brad Mehidau

Koln Concert Keith Jarrett 

Simple Gifts Chemayne Micallef

Yesterday Beegie Adair

The Shearing Piano George Shearing

Satie Piano Works Eric Satie

Alkan Equisses Op 63 Laurent Martin

LOL don't forget about Carmen Cavallaro haha.

Charles Mingus - "Mingus Plays Piano"

Brad Mehldau - 10 Years Solo Live

Herbie Hancock "The Piano" - - wonderfully recorded, and amazing playing, and not too busy at all.

Artur Rubinstein playing Chopin Nocturnes - - the definition of beautiful late night solo piano, played engagingly well and recorded well, to boot.

John O'Conor 
- Beethoven Piano Sonatas (complete)
- John Field: Nocturnes

all on Telarc http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/?filter=recent&type=artist_related&id=1424

Thanks Everyone. Great recommendations. Enough to start a mini collection. Anymore? 

Check out Chuck Leavell: Forever Blue

All-
excellent suggestions.

Brad Mehldau.....Live In Tokyo

Fred Hersch- Village Vanguard CD (new).

Ola Gjeilo .. either Stone Rose or Piano Improvisations are both beautifully recorded (2L). He is a mash up of Jazz, Classical, and Pop genres.

Jan Gunnar Hoff is another from the 2L label .. LIVING is fantastic.

Craig Urquhart is a fabulous new-age composer and pianist .. his new album is Calm Seas. Secret Spaces is quite good and both are very relaxing for late night. 

Cool...Thanks Guys!!!

A current favorite is Luis Perdomo's " Montage".

Try the "Cocktail Piano" series by Jim Haskins. This will fulfill your piano bar crteria.

(1) Your Xmas music soothing fix:

Chemayne Micallef -- Christmas Piano --

-- Top 10 classical XMAS CD per NY Times columnist

http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/cdreviews/tp/christmasclassicalmusic.htmt


(2) Steinway - The Beautiful ....  (Ultra HD 32-bit mastering  .... (FIM UHD 087 LE) (First Impression Music)

One of the very best quality piano recordings on CD .... 
-- Todd Crow , pianist at the Steinway

From the liner notes:
".... Many of the works in this collection are among the most familiar in all classic piano literature. Comprising a selection that ranges from Mozart to Debussy, the emphasis is on music by the foremost composers of the 19th century...."

both highly recommended.