With jazz, you need to have an extensive knowledge of chords, scales, chord progressions, and basic musicality. The music on the page is only a suggestion as to how to play it. It's a much freer type of music than classical.
With classical, you need to able to play very complex pieces and put emotion with it. However, unlike jazz, you play exactly what's on the page.
In my opinion, jazz is more difficult because every song and every solo you take is like a mini composition. Mingus said something similar to that more eloquently, but I don't remember the exact quote.
This is a good question, though it gets repeated often enough. I can't believe, with all the experienced people answering, that no one has mentioned the FIRST(I am not certain about this), MOST-IMPORTANT and FOREMOST classically-trained jazz pianist to you! I still gave out a lot of "thumbs up", these are good answers...But... Dave Brubeck is not only a great composer, but also a player whose jazz solos are not so far removed from classical music. He and Peterson are VERY different, and both are very good. Brubeck somehow could swing compositions that are based on classical formats and even those in "odd" time meters, as well as more "popular" works. McCoy Tyner also plays with that classical bent. Not to deny any of his phenomenal talent, Peterson had the technique part down pat, but is more known for "popular" music formats. Another one of my favorites who approaches things from a classical approach, but takes his own (very different) direction, is the Brazilian pianist Deodato. His arrangements are the way you can start with songs you probably already know and move swiftly into a "different feel" with them. Then you can re-arrange things to get the jazz feel you are searching for. Good luck.
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They each have their difficult parts.
With jazz, you need to have an extensive knowledge of chords, scales, chord progressions, and basic musicality. The music on the page is only a suggestion as to how to play it. It's a much freer type of music than classical.
With classical, you need to able to play very complex pieces and put emotion with it. However, unlike jazz, you play exactly what's on the page.
In my opinion, jazz is more difficult because every song and every solo you take is like a mini composition. Mingus said something similar to that more eloquently, but I don't remember the exact quote.
This is a good question, though it gets repeated often enough. I can't believe, with all the experienced people answering, that no one has mentioned the FIRST(I am not certain about this), MOST-IMPORTANT and FOREMOST classically-trained jazz pianist to you! I still gave out a lot of "thumbs up", these are good answers...But... Dave Brubeck is not only a great composer, but also a player whose jazz solos are not so far removed from classical music. He and Peterson are VERY different, and both are very good. Brubeck somehow could swing compositions that are based on classical formats and even those in "odd" time meters, as well as more "popular" works. McCoy Tyner also plays with that classical bent. Not to deny any of his phenomenal talent, Peterson had the technique part down pat, but is more known for "popular" music formats. Another one of my favorites who approaches things from a classical approach, but takes his own (very different) direction, is the Brazilian pianist Deodato. His arrangements are the way you can start with songs you probably already know and move swiftly into a "different feel" with them. Then you can re-arrange things to get the jazz feel you are searching for. Good luck.
I agree with J and will add that it takes a concerted effort to play ANY instrument or ANY style at a professional level