Erroll Garner
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.
Garner, whose older brother Linton was also a fine pianist, appeared on the radio with the Kan-D-Kids at the age of ten. After working locally in Pittsburgh, he moved to New York in 1944 and worked with Slam Stewart's trio during 1944-1945 before going out on his own. By 1946, Garner had his sound together, and when he backed Charlie Parker on his famous Cool Blues session of 1947, the pianist was already an obvious giant. His unclassifiable style had an orchestral approach straight from the swing era but was open to the innovations of bop. From the early '50s on, Garner's accessible style became very popular and he never seemed to have an off day up until his forced retirement (due to illness) in early 1975. His composition "Misty" became a standard. Garner, who had the ability to sit at the piano without prior planning and record three albums in one day (all colorful first takes), made many records throughout his career for such companies as Savoy, Mercury, RCA, Dial, Columbia, EmArcy, ABC-Paramount, MGM, Reprise, and his own Octave label.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Long Ago And Far Away
Traditional Jazz & New Orleans - Released by Columbia on 1 Jan 1951
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Way You Look Tonight (Mono Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1958
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Afternoon Of An Elf
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 14 Mar 1955
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Around Midnight: Erroll Garner
Jazz - Released by Verve on 1 Jan 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Erroll Garner's Finest Hour
Jazz - Released by Verve on 1 Jan 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best Things in Life are Free
Jazz - Released by Putlabel on 27 Feb 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Verve Jazz Masters 7: Erroll Garner
Jazz - Released by Verve on 1 Jan 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Humoresque (Mono Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1957
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Jazz Legends (Légendes du Jazz), Vol. 14/32: Erroll Garner - Misty
Jazz - Released by ISIS on 1 Oct 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A New Kind of Love (Octave Remastered Series)
Jazz - Released by Mack Avenue Records on 1 Mar 2011
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Erroll Garner
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 28 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Concert by the Sea (Expanded)
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 18 Sep 2015
The Qobuz Essential Discography24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Original Misty
Jazz - Released by Island Mercury on 1 Jan 1955
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Body & Soul
Traditional Jazz & New Orleans - Released by Columbia on 22 Jan 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Savoy Master Takes
Jazz - Released by Savoy on 6 Oct 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphony Hall Concert (Live)
Jazz - Released by Mack Avenue Records on 17 Sep 2021
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
On Savoy: Erroll Garner
Jazz - Released by Craft Recordings on 21 Oct 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Erroll Garner : The Complete Savoy Master Takes
Jazz - Released by Savoy Jazz on 6 Oct 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo