Customer Reviews

Red Garland's Piano

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, a word of advice, get the 20-bit remastered version of this cd. It is, by far, hands down, no question, a far superior version of this cd and the sound quality has vastly been improved. I mean vastly. It truly is one of the most impressive remasterings I have heard. So, get that version.

As for this cd, another word of advice...more like a rule of thumb...you truly can do no wrong when it comes to picking up a Red Garland cd. Take your pick, virtually any one of them is going to be absolutely beautiful from start to finish, even if it's just him "ALONE" or his trio with Coltrane or Hawkins. It doesn't really matter, any one is absolutely perfect.

The one thing with this cd that you should be aware of is the mood is a little up and down. Many times with Red Garland cd's, there is a general vibe. With this, the songs alternate...ballad, more upbeat, ballad, more upbeat, etc. Something along those lines. It makes it a little less suitable for dimmed lights with your sweet baby if you catch my drift. But, all in all, I feel ashamed for even making such a criticism given the excellence of the music. But, just a pointer so take it for what it's worth.

Also, Prestige hasn't gotten around to remastering all of the Red Garland releases yet, though some of them are. Don't know if plans are being made for the others to come out or not. Groovy for instance is available in the remastered 20-bit version. But, the Japanese LP sleeve versions are all remastered and still available of EACH of the TRIO cd's (and the ALONE cd) from what I can tell and, although more expensive, are an INCREDIBLE way to go if the mood should strike you to blow through some serious scratch. The packaging, the sound...it's VERY much worth it.

At any rate, if there are doubts whatsoever, rest assured, you will definitely enjoy this cd for years and years to come. Get this. You will not regret it.

Red Garland is probably best known for his stellar accompaniment for the Miles Davis Quintet in the mid-fifties. Rubbing shoulders with such company as Miles and an emerging John Coltrane, Red proved he could be a brilliant accompanist while still maintaining an individual voice. He put together a trio exclusively for recording and the results are stupendous. "Red Garland's Piano" is an excellent showcase of Red's talent as well as top-notch bassist Paul Chambers, and the kicky brushwork of Art Taylor. The album (an archaic phrase to some), is a fantastic sampling of eight solid standards, from the lilting, bluesy "Please Send Me Someone To Love," to the jumpy "Stompin' At The Savoy." All of the selections are toe-tapping and beautfiul. My personal favorite, "Almost Like Being In Love" is an upbeat number that features the unit both collectively and individually. It works like a dream. For fans that like smooth, propulsive trio jazz, pick up this album.

Most of my favorite Garland Trio stuff is very uncomplicated. The structure of the recording (tunes chosen), and the structure of songs themselves (Red, bass solo by Chambers, or Jones - then 'trading fours' with A.T. on brushes) is always accessible. This one is a little different in that Red chooses to play some great standards, and not just the 'blues/ballads' that define the later Trio recordings. Chambers especially seems to profit from this departure from the later norm, and his work here, especially on "Stompin' At The Savoy" is killer. This one should definately put to rest the rap on Garland's Trio work being too predictable, short, or, as one reviewer said, "mediocre". I still love my 'straight-ahead-Red' stuff, but this one shows itself worthy of a big 5 also.

Red Garland was always great in Miles' band, but when he recorded in his own right as this album shows, he was more than capable of standing alongside other trio leaders such as Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans. Obviously it would not be fair to compare Garland with these two other guys as they were vastly different in style and approach to the instrument. However I think "Red Garland's Piano" is as worth getting as say "Night Train" or "Sunday at the Village Vanguard", or any of the best Jazz Piano recordings. Tracks to check out in particular are "I can't give you anything but love" and "Almost like being in Love". For those who know about Jazz Piano theory and playing, listen throughout to Red's forward motion when comping and for those who just want to appreciate it on a general level, then dig his sense of space.

Other album's I recommend are all Red's stuff with Miles, Errol Garner's "Concert by the Sea" and Ahmad Jamal's "Live at the Pershing". I am sure you'll appreciate the similarities between all three players.

Hope you enjoy the CD!!

The sound quality of this CD is excellent. Garland's notes drop with crystal clarity, and every one of Chambers's pitches can be heard and understood (which, elsewhere, is not always the case!). I am generally unfamiliar with Red Garland's music, but I imagine that this CD is a worthy part of his discography. Nothing ground-breaking here, nor many especially extraordinary moments - but the jazz is high quality, the music sounds of three individuals (particularly Garland and then Chambers), and the stories told seem truly felt. The tone overall is relaxed, reflective, and open. It's my introduction to Red Garland, and I'm very pleased with it.

Red Garland has become one of my favorite jazz pianists. And piano is my favorite jazz instrument. I first discovered Garland through his sideman work with Miles Davis and I had to hear him featured in a trio. This cd is a great trio performance, with Paul Chambers, one of the all-time best jazz bassists. The album includes "If I Were a Bell," which Garland and Chambers also did with Davis on "Relaxin."

I am a bass player and I picked this up cause Paul Chamber's is the guy that I listen to most. In the trio format he gets to play over every tune. WOW!!! His prowess on the bass is amazing! Not only is every solo great, but just walking behind Red is amazing as well. He swings his butt off! It's a great album, even if you don't play bass. Get it, it's well worth it.

I think most fans of jazz recordings made between the end of World War II and the start of the Vietnam Era, the period I think of as the golden years of jazz, would not name Red Garland as one of the top ten or even top 15 pianists. Those slots would go to Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Thelonious Monk, Errol Garner, George Shearing, Oscar Peterson, and many other candidates who left us many recordings on which they were soloists or leaders of groups small and large. Red Garland left relatively few tracks on which he was the leader, including this album. He was in the Coleman Hawkins band, the first quintet put together by Miles Davis and was a sideman on many, many recordings fronted by other artists. This 1957 Prestige release has him being helped by the great bassist Paul Chambers, and the competent drummer Art Taylor. The menu includes some very fine songs, and the Garland take is always pleasant and gently swinging. This version was remastered in 2005 by Rudy van Gelder, the engineer on the original sessions, and it sounds great. This CD is not one you will likely "study" unless you play piano yourself, but stick it in the player while driving, or as background at home while reading or paying the bills or on the computer, and you will have an excellent experience. The eight selections complement each other perfectly. While no part of this record screams "Master at work, pay close attention and you will hear something new" it does satisfy. The songs will be familiar to anyone with a good knowledge of '50's jazz and pop music, and Red's improvisations are just varied enough from the standard treatments of the tunes to produce smiles of surprise in casual listeners.

Superb. Jazz piano as it should be played. Superb.
Nothing more to add. Red's phrasing, his balance in mixing melody and technique and his way in giving colours to a standard song with his style are simply magnificient. Here's a pianist who knows what the word MUSIC means. Red's style is predictable? Who said that? If playing the best possible way means being predictable, wow, I want to be predictable too! Same for Chambers and Taylor exceptional musicians, but here the star is Red even if the trio seems almost like a single instrument. I hate to be brief but here there's nothing more to say for real. I have to repeat myself. SUPERB, from the first note to the last one. Exceptional!

This is a fine showing by Red Garland's Trio. The songs are all pretty straight forward (not that there's anything wrong with that) rendentions of ballads and blues. Overall nothing really musically offensive or abrasive takes place however nothing horribly exciting or different takes place either. Paul Chambers is featured pretty heavily and he is in nice form throughout. For that reason fans of Chambers' work will want to check this record out. Fans of Garland's other records are very likely to enjoy this too. Fans of more 'out' or edgy styles will probably not find enough here to keep them excited.