American jazz pianist, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest of all time. Born: October 13, 1909 in Toledo, Ohio Died: November 5, 1956 in Los Angeles, California. From infancy he suffered from cataracts which left him blind in one eye and with only very limited vision in the other. A major influence on later generations of jazz pianists, he was hailed for the technical proficiency of his performances, which set a new standard for jazz piano virtuosity. Among the countless quotes of praise he received, jaz…