Groovy

Red Garland | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ojc
• ASIN: B000000Y3T
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,629 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When Red Garland was a member of Miles Davis's band in the late '50s, Davis would regularly depart the stage to feature Garland in a trio format. He was a complete jazz pianist, able to find ideal chordal extensions to prod a soloist, to swing aggressively with block chords, and to string together single note lines with buoyant energy and a bright articulation. He was capable of real delicacy, but his playing never descended to the decorative. His regular trio featured bassist Paul Chambers, his gifted partner from the Davis quintet, and drummer Art Taylor, a rock-solid timekeeper whose balance of subtlety and drive also made him Bud Powell's drummer of choice. Garland mated his harmonic sophistication to elements that communicated directly, his tunefulness, his rhythmic drive, and his vigorous roots in Texas and the Southwest blues traditions. They're evident everywhere here, from the medium-tempo swing of Ellington minimalist masterpiece "C-Jam Blues" to the deep, melancholic blues that infuse "Willow Weep for Me." Garland's Prestige recordings of the late '50s are models for the piano trio in modern jazz, and Groovy is among the best of them. --Stuart Broomer

Product Description

2009 Limited Edition Classic LP's High definition premium vinyl pressing for super fidelity. 180 gram vinly audiophile pressing. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superior LP., May 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Groovy (Audio CD)

Just who is this James from the USA? Red's "Groovy" may possibly be deemed the utmost representative of the now legendary Garland, Chambers, Taylor trio. The art of the trio is indeed perfected quite seldom; "Groovy" presents a superior example of this perfection. The first cut, Red's rendition of the very simple yet very complex Ellingtonian "C Jam Blues," is enough to ensure this album's place within the halls of the art of the jazz trio. Peterson, Brown, and Thigpen are not to be compared with these three masters--each trio offers equal yet opposing forms of genius.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Candy to the ears, June 6, 2003

By 

"sranney22" (Austin TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Groovy (Audio CD)

After hearing Milestones by Miles Davis, and hearing track 05 Billy Boy, I hurried over to my nearest CD store to pick up Groovy. The ease and the buoyancy created by Red Garland on Billy Boy, one of my favorite standards, was just it. Having the name Groovy, one would think that this album is full of alot of songs played with the style he had on Billy Boy. Although C-Jam Blues, Hey Now and What Can I Say (After I Say I'm Sorry) are very similar to the style of Billy Boy the other half of the songs are ballads. Now don't get me wrong the ballads are beautiful, candy to the ears. But if I were you I would buy Garland of Red first. But if you already have Garland of Red I would strongly recommend picking this album up.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very special record, June 4, 2003

By 

David Solomon "Mahler9" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Groovy (Audio CD)

Red Garland has never received the amount of praise he deserves. Maybe he simply didn't stick around long enough with Miles once the maestro was signed to Columbia. The great Miles Prestige sets which Garland was a part of as well as Round About Midnight and Milestones, are among the greatest piano accompanyments on record.

It was very hard to decide whether this record merits 4 stars or 5. I chose 4 because I cannot put this record on the level of other Garland/Miles records. However, this is Garland's greatest set, because he plays just what is needed and nothing more; something many pianists forget.

To the avid jazz listener: Be warned, while this is a very special set, it will not blow you away, if you've heard Garland in the Miles Quintet. If by some chance you came upon this recording and do not own any of Miles' recordings with Garland, I suggest you purchase that first, particularly Milestones.