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Willie "The Lion" Smith

Stride Piano: Bottom-End Jazz

Fats Waller seemed to pack 10 lifetimes of fun into his 39 years on the planet. Evening Standard/Hulton Archive hide caption

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Evening Standard/Hulton Archive

Take Five: By Instrument

Stride Piano: Bottom-End Jazz

Jazz24

Born out of Harlem in the 1920s, stride pianists took the basic left-hand "oompah" rhythm of ragtime, but played it with more swing and complexity, while the right hand played the melody and the ever-increasing improvisations upon it. Read and hear a five-song introduction to a style that travels great distances up and down the keyboard.

Willie 'The Lion' Smith: Stride Piano Master

Willie "The Lion" Smith was a major influence on Duke Ellington, who wrote several compositions dedicated to him. William P. Gottlieb/Library of Congress via flickr.com hide caption

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William P. Gottlieb/Library of Congress via flickr.com

NPR's 'Jazz Profiles'

Willie 'The Lion' Smith: Stride Piano Master

The pianist was well-known for his flamboyant behavior, ever-present cigar, and trademark derby hat. But in front of the keys, he was also a leading purveyor of the ragtime-based style called Harlem Stride.

Willie 'The Lion' Smith: Stride Piano Master

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