Jazz piano improv?

How do you learn how to play jazz piano improv and play from fake books. I wish I can play like Jamie Cullum. Have you guys heard of him?

It's actually pretty hard. You really have to LEARN YOUR THEORY...improvisation comes from the heart but to express what you feel inside you must have the intellectual prowess to do so. Learn your scales, chord progressions, chords, voicings...(I skipped this stage a bit because I have a very developed ear, and now have some problems!). But also listen, listen, listen. I'm sure you already do (Jamie Cullum's great!). Try singing along to other people's solos and maybe even write them down.

For jazz fake books, I recommend "The Real Book." It's the jazz bible, so to speak, although it is frequently wrong. Buy a legal version -- it's more expensive, but also more correct. I also recommend the Charlie Parker Omni Book. It includes Parker's transcribed solos so you can play them on the piano. It's very helpful.

Most importantly, let go. Just fool around on the piano and something might strike you. Like I said earlier, jazz improv comes from the heart. Just let everything inside you go.

Best of luck!

He's great! You really have to have an ear for it to start with but you can learn improvisation with a good teacher of music theory.

Go buy Mark Levine's book on Jazz Keyboard.. or Piano.. I have it somewhere around here. .I'm a guitarist,but his music theory is awesome. Also.. buy a fake book and learn to play through the changes.. Take lessons too.. good luck.

Ditto on the Mark Levin Jazz Piano book. You can teach yourself, but usually it's faster to take lessons from a pro.
It's more than just learning the chords, you have to understand how to voice them - where to place each note - and how to move from one chord to the next. And scales, and scales and scales and modes and alterations.

Oh, and practice! Of course the Jamey Aeberold stuff is fun play along - maybe start with his ii-V-I or blues books.

Yeah he is great. Learnjazzpiano.com is a good website

learn the scales and chords, so that your hands can find them quickly. Listen to Cullum and others, and hear the changes.
improvisation is largely about making inspired choices from what you already know.
Do not be deterred by complexity, and love simplicity.
in Jazz, when you open one door, you will find many others.
When you learn the scales, remember thats where the chords
come from...try to play the chords in different ways, i.e change the bass or lowest notes,,and spread the rest of the notes in different ways.
At some point, find a teacher...who plays the way you want to. As time goes on, try different teachers and talk and if possible play with other musicians. There is very little in solo Jazz, it depends on interplay, mutual aims etc.#
Use the fake books by learning the melodies, and playing what chords you can.
dont't look for the destination, look for the journey!
Good luck, its a wonderful rewarding field.