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Erroll Garner: The Most Happy Piano (Studies in Jazz)

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I don't know that there was any explaining Erroll Garner's genius, since it was a natural gift, any more than someone could explain Mozart's gift. This book provides little insight, but it does have some wonderful information and a discography which was complete at that time. There is now an Erroll Garner website, although I do not consider it very complete. If anyone is interested, one thing that is often missing from information is that Mr. Garner started out as a stride piano player. His style later change to the guitar strumming left-hand style he became famous for. Yet, paradoxically, being constricted to that style, although making him famous, limited his genius. His Latin recordings in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, when he was not restricted to that style, were a wonderful demonstration of rhythmic independence of the hands in piano playing. What this biography talks about is the influence of Martha Glaser. The implication is strong in other people's words, that this influence, while causing his fame, also limited his genius. One can gain almost as much information from old record jackets as one can from reading this book, but it is different information. Although I don't know if Amazon edits out this type of stuff, I can recommend some things about Mr. Garner, you might not find elsewhere. There is some wonderful information about Erroll Garner's playing in the CD-ROM by Dick Hyman titled A Century of Jazz Piano, by JSS Music. Mr. Hyman also wrote an article about Mr. Garner's style once in Piano Today magazine. Soon enough Hal Leonard Publishing is supposed to be coming out with a book of Erroll Garner's transcriptions in its Artist Transcription series. The most extensive catalog of Mr. Garner's CDs, as far as I know, is available at www.ktel.com. There were six music books put out about Mr. Garner's playing. Three were by Cherry Lane music, but only two of these are still in print. There were also two sheet music folios of Erroll Garner's music put out in the forties, when he was still a stride player. The recording that the Smithsonian put out is Mr. Garner playing in this style. This recording is transcribed in Brian Priestley's book, Jazz Piano Styles. There is also a book that was put out in the 70s, I think, by Schwarz, about how to play in the style of Garner, but it is long out of print. Although not great, at least it was an attempt. Finally, there is a wonderful series of books by Bill Dobbins, available from Jamey Aebersold. In the last one, there is an imitation of him playing Erroll Garner, which can be ordered on tape. This is also instructive. And really finally, there are two more examples I can think of. There were two books put out by Claude Bolling, in which several pieces owed a lot to Erroll Garner. One was very similar to Mr. Garner's latin style, but based on the chord changes to The Man I Love. Another was called Garnerama, and it drew upon Mr. Garner's ballad style. Yet another example of someone trying to imitate Mr. Garner can be found in one of Lee Evans's books. Also, Mr. Hyman put out a book of jazz etudes, based on styles of different jazz pianist. This is included in the CD-ROM I mentioned. I was planning a web site, but someone beat me to it. Yet, perhaps someone can find this information posted here useful. Please feel free to email me.My son is named Erroll, after Erroll Garner, so I would really appreciate it. If I ever get feeling down, all I have to do is put on a CD of Mr. Garner's, and I get going again.

I saw Mr.Garner life in concert in the fifty s in Amsterdam Concertgebouw.He is for me the most original style player,in the whole Jazz world. Because of his heigth, he needed the telephone book from Amsterdam, to sit on, upon his chair so he could play the piano. Good luck with your website. A real Garner fan.

I like Erroll garner, it's my favoite jazzman. He got a lot of swing and style and that's why i like his music. I would like to see a better site of he, because "il le mérite" (sorry for my poor english) Good bye And "vive Erroll garner!!!!!!"