Dick Twardzik: Piano Enigma

Before Bill Evans, there was Dick Twardzik. Not that they played anything alike. Twardzik was a much more percussive pianist who mixed stormy dynamics with cat-like sensitivity, while Evans was a smoldering, graceful swinger. But both musicians were romantics, both were influenced by Bud Powell, both went into a trance when they played piano and both we…