Magician Erroll Garner

3 CD Set, 45 essential tracks from the brilliant jazz pianist & composer. One of the most distinctive of all pianists, Erroll Garner proved that it was possible to be a sophisticated player without knowing how to read music, that a creative jazz musician can be very popular without watering down his music, and that it is possible to remain an enthusiastic player without changing one's style once it is formed. A brilliant virtuoso who sounded unlike anyone else, on medium tempo pieces, Erroll Garner often stated the beat with his left hand like a rhythm guitar while his right played chords slightly behind the beat, creating a memorable effect. His playful free-form introductions (which forced his sidemen to really listen), his ability to play stunning runs without once glancing at the keyboard, his grunting, and the pure joy that he displayed while performing were also part of the Erroll Garner magic.

This material is quite excellent, often adventuresome and some of his best studio sides. Included here from 2/5/68 and never issued before is a brief "Nice Work If You Can Get It" with Garner singing along to himself - it's a wonderful gem of a private moment. Backup is Eddie Calhoun or Ike Isaacs on bass, Kelly Martin or Jimmie Smith on drums and Jose Mangual, congas.

Erroll Garner's first album for Mercury Records, The Original "Misty" from the Piano Virtuoso, is a lovely, swinging record that spotlights his light, sophisticated style. Supported by bassist Wyatt Ruther, drummer Eugene "Fats" Heard and conga player Candido Camero, Garner swings a number of standards - "You Are My Sunshine," "I've Got the World on a String," "Misty" - performing all of them in true style. It's a wonderful record from the pianist's prime.

For this lengthy session, pianist Erroll Garner added a conga player (Candido) to his trio (which includes bassist Wyatt Ruther and drummer Eugene Heard) for the first time. Throughout the remainder of his career he would occasionally play in the Latin idiom. This CD reissue (which adds two songs from the same session to the original LP program) finds the pianist in typically enthusiastic form and the highlights include "Mambo Garner," "Night and Day," "Cherokee" and "Sweet Sue."

Inspired by a trip to Paris in late 1957, Erroll Garner entered the studio in the spring of 1958 to create his own impressions of the city, which were presented on the LP Erroll Garner in Paris (Philips B 07375 L). Garner is showcased here leading his trio, which featured bassist Eddie Calhoun and drummer Kelly Martin. The material consists of familiar French favorites such as Édith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose,” Paris-related songs such as Jerome Kern’s “The Last Time I Saw Paris” and Cole Porter’s “I Love Paris,” plus several original compositions.

Many of Erroll Garner's sessions from the 1960s have been reissued by Telarc. This single CD brings back all of the music from two former LPs. Garner and his quartet (bassist Ike Isaacs, drummer Jimmie Smith and percussionist Jose Mangual) romp through 13 songs taken from movies (including "You Made Me Love You," "I Found a Million Dollar Baby," "It's Only a Paper Moon" and even "Sonny Boy") during the first half of the set while the later session finds the group backed by seven horns arranged by Don Sebesky on nine diverse tunes ranging from swing standards to "The Girl from Ipanema," "Groovin' High" and Garner's lone original "Up in Erroll's Room." All of the Telarc Erroll Garner CDs are easily recommended (the pianist never seems to have made an uninspired record) and this one is no exception.

In 1954 Woody Herman recorded one of his most unusual sets, a purely vocal album in which he was accompanied by the Erroll Garner Trio. Herman, who originally sang on half of his band's recordings, was always an expressive ballad singer and he does a fine job on such standards as "My Melancholy Baby," "Let's Fall in Love" and "I'm Beginning to See the Light."

Two former LPs were reissued in full on this single CD. The earlier date features pianist Erroll Garner in typically brilliant and witty form with his 1961 trio, which also included bassist Eddie Calhoun and drummer Kelly Martin. Whether it be a sly "My Silent Love," "All of Me," or a joyful "Back In Your Own Backyard," Garner is heard throughout in his prime. The later date is a bit more unusual, for the pianist improvises on ten themes that would be used in the Paul Newman film A New Kind of Love. Joined by a big band and string orchestra conducted by Leith Stevens, Garner, who never learned to read or write music, contributed several original themes to the score (a few of which are quite catchy) in addition to jamming on such tunes as "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me," "Louise," and "Mimi"…