Stride

Stride piano came out of New York before 1920 and built upon the Ragtime style by loosening up its structure and bringing in free-flowing improvisations. Pianists Willie "The Lion" Smith and James P. Johnson played a four beat rhythm with their left hands, while their right hands improvised on upbeat and propulsive melodies. Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Count Basie brought their mastery of stride piano into the Swing era.