You certainly need a basic knowledge of piano theory if you wish to play Jazz piano
. Some of this knowledge will consist of chord formation, rhythmic feel, and scales and modes.
All jazz songs have a special chord progression in each piece. Your jazz piano lessons should focus on learning the different rhythms of a jazz piano.
Every jazz style is dependent on beat and has a unique rhythm. You definitely have to practice playing different rhythms within the bass line.
Your jazz piano lessons must emphasize weak beats which are also known as syncopating. You should know that in jazz music the second and fourth beats are emphasized by resting on the normally strong strong beats. In order to make a stronger syncopation you should rest on just the first half of the first and third beats.
Your beginners piano lessons has to also focus on an important aspect in the Jazz feel and this ist he swing rhythm. To accomplish this you need to play uneven eight notes.
Within a pair of eight notes you should play the first note longer than the second to make an uneven pattern. You shouldn't hold each note for the same amount of time.
Your jazz piano lessons must practice jazz chord progessions. The basic progression is the twelve bar blues. The twelve bar blues includes progressions among the I, IV, and V chords.
In the key of C, the chords would be C (I), F (IV), and G (V). You must start on the C and move between the C and F for numerous bars, adding a G chord until you get a pattern with twelve bars.
These are some of the things your jazz piano lessons should focus on. With the right lessons there is no reason you can't learn how to play jazz piano songs.