Erroll Garner Concert By The Sea

Concert by the Sea was arguably the finest record pianist Erroll Garner ever made, and he made many - a few outstanding - good recordings. But this live recording (September 19, 1955) with his trio (Eddie Calhoun, bass; Denzil Best, drums) presented a typical Garner program; it was a mixture of originals, show biz, and pop standards delivered with his unique delivery and enthusiasm. The rhythms and brilliant use of tension and release were perfectly captured. And while for many jazz listeners, Garner's deliberate structures were too orchestrated, there was an equal spontaneity in the propulsion of these orchestrations that swung as well as anything.

Erroll Louis Garner (1921-1977) was one of the greatest and most popular pianists in jazz history. At three years of age, being the youngest of six very musical siblings, he was able to play everything by ear, that the family's piano teacher presented to him. Reading sheet music, on the other hand, was of no interest to Garner, who had a phenomenal musical memory. When asked about this, he once said: "You can't hear me reading."

The third volume in a series of unissued recordings that Emarcy began issuing in the late 1980s over a decade after Erroll Garner's death comes from a previously unknown 1954 record date. Like all of his trio dates, the rhythm section, including bassist Wyatt Ruther and drummer Eugene Heard, strictly provides a supporting role for the pianist. This date is a bit different than many of Garner's releases, as it includes a piano novelty (Zez Confrey's "Kitten on the Keys"), a brisk take of the normally placid "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" and other pieces one wouldn't usually associate with him…

As was the case with Fats Waller, Erroll Garner's natural and advanced musical talent ingratiated him to jazz aficionados and experts alike. Garner took to the piano intuitively, never needing to take lessons because of his exceptional ear for music. Further breaking the mold, he transcended many of the jazz styles he came up with, including both swing and bebop. You hear the power of swing pianist Earl Hines in his fleet and robust approach, and, yes, he once played with Charlie Parker, but as heard on this Columbia collection from 1951-1952, Garner concocts a unique blend of the big band's svelte rhythms and bebop's heady swing…

On March 14, 1955, Erroll Garner sat down at the piano and played one interesting solo after another, resulting in two albums of music. Seven pieces (all but "That Old Feeling" are taken as ballads) were originally released as Solitaire; this CD reissue adds four additional selections that are taken at faster paces. Although not essential, this rhapsodic and occasionally wandering - but always intriguing - set should greatly interest fans.

Erroll Louis Garner (June 15, 1921 – January 2, 1977)[5][6][7] was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His best-known composition, the instrumental ballad "Misty," has become a jazz standard. It was first recorded in 1956 with Mitch Miller and his orchestra, and played a prominent part in the motion picture "Play Misty for Me."…