Looks like I wrote it up already about 2 years ago on Reddit, at least from the 1920s thru the 1950s. 1960s and later is easier for most people on this board: h

Looks like I wrote it up already about 2 years ago on Reddit, at least from the 1920s thru the 1950s. 1960s and later is easier for most people on this board: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1qtvav/iama_professional_pianist_who_can_improvise_on/cdgqnnk?context=1 https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1qtvav/iama_professio... First post has a lot of good recommendations from the 20s that I stand by. I'd rewrite most of the second post, though. I'll just do an overview here of what I'm familiar with: 30s -- swing/big band, western swing, acoustic/country/delta blues 40s -- western swing (cont), electric blues, honky-tonk, bop, vocal groups (less familiar) 50s -- bluegrass, rockabilly/rock & roll, honky-tonk (cont), folk revival, post-bop 60s and onward is a lot harder to follow, but... 60s -- folk, folk-rock, psych rock, psych folk, PLUS all sorts of jazz (bossa nova, modal) and country (Bakersfield Sound) 70s (note country drops off the map here) -- jazz-fusion, free jazz, disco, soul, singer-songwriter (less familiar), prog (less familiar) 80s -- post-disco, smooth jazz (yes, it can actually be good), punk, detroit techno, proto-house, rap (less familiar), new wave (less familiar) 90s -- house and beyond (my knowledge outside of dance music drops off pretty hard after the mid 80s)