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Red Garland

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Red Garland
Garland at Keystone Korner jazz club, San Francisco, California, May 1978
Garland atKeystone Kornerjazz club,San Francisco, California,May 1978
Background information
Birth nameWilliam McKinley Garland, Jr.
Born(1923-05-13)May 13, 1923
Dallas,Texas, U.S.
DiedApril 23, 1984(1984-04-23)(aged 60)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
GenresJazz,straight-ahead jazz,bebop,hard bop
OccupationMusician
InstrumentPiano
Years active1940s–1984
LabelsPrestige
Formerly ofMiles Davis

William McKinley"Red"Garland Jr.(May 13, 1923 – April 23, 1984)[1]was an American modernjazzpianist. Known for his work as a bandleader and during the 1950s withMiles Davis,Garland helped popularize theblock chordstyle of playing injazz piano.[2][3]

Early life and education

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William "Red" Garland was born in 1923 inDallas, Texas.He began his musical studies on theclarinetandalto saxophone,having studied with saxophonist Buster "Prof" Smith, who had been an early mentor of alto saxophonistCharlie ParkerinKansas City.

He joined theUnited States Armyin 1941 and was stationed inFort Huachuca,Arizona.While there, Garland began to learn the piano with Army pianists John Lewis (not to be confused withJohn Lewisof theModern Jazz Quartet) and Lee Barnes. At this time, he was also anamateur boxer,having foughtSugar Ray Robinsonbut losing the match.

After beingdischarged from the militaryin 1944, Garland played locally around Texas until 1946 when he joined thetrumpetplayerHot Lips Page's band, playing with him until a tour ended inNew Yorkin March 1946. Garland decided to stay in New York and soon found work there and also in Philadelphia. While in New York, Garland was recommended to singerBilly Eckstine,who hired him for several weeks.[4][5][6][7]

Musical career

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1955–1958: the first great Miles Davis Quintet

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Garland found success in 1955 when he joined theMiles Davis Quintet,featuringJohn Coltrane,Philly Joe Jones,andPaul Chambers.Davis was a fan of boxing and was impressed that Garland had boxed earlier in his life. Together, the group recorded their famousPrestigealbums,Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet(1956),Workin,Steamin',Cookin',andRelaxin'.Garland's style is prominent in these seminal recordings—evident in his distinctive chord voicings, his sophisticated accompaniment, and his musical references toAhmad Jamal's style. Some observers dismissed Garland as a "cocktail" pianist,[8]but Miles was pleased with his style, having urged Garland to absorb some of Jamal's lightness of touch and harmonics within his own approach.[9]

Garland played on the first of Davis's many Columbia recordings,'Round About Midnight(1957). Their relationship was already beginning to deteriorate, but he continued playing with Miles. By 1958, Garland and Jones had started to become more erratic in turning up for recordings and shows. He was eventually fired by Miles but later returned to play on another jazz classic,Milestones.Davis was displeased when Garland quoted Davis's much earlier, and by then famous, solo from "Now's The Time" in block chords during the slower take of "Straight, No Chaser". Garland walked out of one of the sessions forMilestones;on the track "Sid's Ahead", Davis comped behind the saxophone solos in his absence.[citation needed]

1958–1984: Red Garland Trio and later life

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In 1958, Garland formed his own trio. Among the musicians the trio recorded with arePepper Adams,Nat Adderley,Ray Barretto,Kenny Burrell,Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis,Jimmy Heath,Harold Land,Philly Joe Jones,Blue Mitchell,Ira Sullivan,andLeroy Vinnegar.The trio also recorded as a quintet withJohn ColtraneandDonald Byrd.[10] Altogether, Garland led 19 recording sessions while at Prestige Records and 25 sessions for Fantasy Records. He stopped playing professionally for a number of years in the 1960s when the popularity of rock music coincided with a substantial drop in the popularity of jazz.[citation needed]

Garland eventually returned to his native Texas in the 1970s to care for his aged mother. He led a recording in 1977, namedCrossings,which reunited him with Philly Joe Jones, and he teamed up with bassistRon Carter.His later work tended to sound more modern and less polished than his better-known recordings. He continued recording until his death from a heart attack on April 23, 1984, at the age of 60.[11]

Discography

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As leader

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Recording date Title Label Year released Personnel/Notes
1956-08 A Garland of Red Prestige 1957 Trio, withPaul Chambers(bass),Art Taylor(drums)
1956-12,
1957-03 		Red Garland's Piano Prestige 1957 Trio, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1957-05 Red Garland Revisited! Prestige 1969 Most tracks trio, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums); some tracks quartet, withKenny Burrell(guitar) added
1956-05,
1957-03,
1957-08 		The P.C. Blues Prestige 1970 Most tracks trio withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums); one track trio with Chambers (bass),Philly Joe Jones(drums)
1956-12,
1957-05,
1957-08 		Groovy Prestige 1957 Trio withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1957-11 All Mornin' Long Prestige 1958 Quintet, withJohn Coltrane(tenor sax),Donald Byrd(trumpet),George Joyner(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1957-11 Soul Junction Prestige 1960 Quintet, withJohn Coltrane(tenor sax),Donald Byrd(trumpet),George Joyner(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1957-11,
1957-12 		High Pressure Prestige 1961 Quintet, withJohn Coltrane(tenor sax),Donald Byrd(trumpet),George Joyner(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1957-03,
1957-12,
1958-02 		Dig It! Prestige 1962 One track trio, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums); two tracks quintet, withJohn Coltrane(tenor sax),Donald Byrd(trumpet),George Joyner(bass), Taylor (drums); one track quartet, without Byrd
1958-02 It's a Blue World Prestige 1970 Trio, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1958-04 Manteca Prestige 1958 Quartet, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums),Ray Barretto(congas)
1958-06 Can't See for Lookin' Prestige 1963 Trio, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1958-08 Rojo Prestige 1961 Quartet, withGeorge Joyner(bass),Charlie Persip(drums),Ray Barretto(congas)
1958-11 The Red Garland Trio Moodsville 1960 Trio, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1958-11 All Kinds of Weather Prestige 1959 Trio, withPaul Chambers(bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1959-04 Red in Blues-ville Prestige 1959 Trio, with Sam Jones (bass), Art Taylor (drums)
1959-08,
1959-10 		Satin Doll Prestige 1971 Most tracks trio withDoug Watkins(bass),Charles "Specs" Wright(drums); some tracks trio with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Taylor (drums)
1959-10 Red Garland at the Prelude Prestige 1971 Trio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Charles "Specs" Wright (drums); in concert
1959-10 Lil' Darlin' Status/Prestige 1965 Trio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Charles "Specs" Wright (drums); in concert
1959-10 Red Garland Live! New Jazz/Prestige 1965 Trio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Charles "Specs" Wright (drums); in concert
1959-12 The Red Garland Trio + Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Moodsville 1960 Most tracks trio, withSam Jones(bass),Art Taylor(drums); some tracks quartet, withEddie "Lockjaw" Davis(tenor sax) added
1960-04 Red Alone Moodsville 1960 Solo piano
1960-04 Alone with the Blues Moodsville 1960 Solo piano
1960-07 Halleloo-Y'-All Prestige 1964 Trio, with Sam Jones (bass),Art Taylor(drums); Garland plays organ on one track
1960-07,
1961-03 		Soul Burnin' Prestige 1964 Three tracks trio, with Sam Jones (bass),Art Taylor(drums); two tracks quintet, withOliver Nelson(tenor sax, alto sax),Richard Williams(trumpet),Peck Morrison(bass),Charlie Persip(drums)
1961-07 Bright and Breezy Jazzland 1961 Trio, with Sam Jones (bass),Charlie Persip(drums)
1961-11 The Nearness of You Jazzland 1962 One track solo piano; most tracks trio, withLarry Ridley(bass),Frank Gant(drums)
1962-01 Solar Jazzland 1962 Most tracks trio, with Sam Jones (bass), Frank Gant (drums); some tracks quartet, withLes Spann(guitar, flute) added
1962-03 Red's Good Groove Jazzland 1962 Quintet, withBlue Mitchell(trumpet),Pepper Adams(baritone sax), Sam Jones (bass),Philly Joe Jones(drums)
1962-10 When There Are Grey Skies Prestige 1963 Trio, withWendell Marshall(bass),Charlie Persip(drums)
1971-05 The Quota MPS 1973 Quartet, withJimmy Heath(tenor sax, soprano sax),Peck Morrison(bass),Lenny McBrowne(drums)
1971-05 Auf Wiedersehen MPS 1975 Trio, with Sam Jones (bass),Roy Brooks(drums)
1974-03 Groovin' Live Alfa Jazz 1991 [2CD] Trio, with James Leary (bass), Eddie Marshall (drums); in concert
1974-03 Groovin' Live II Alfa Jazz 1991 Trio, with James Leary (bass), Eddie Marshall (drums); in concert
1977-05 Keystones! Xanadu 1977 Trio, withLeroy Vinnegar(bass),Philly Joe Jones(drums); in concert
1977-05 Groovin' Red Keystone 1995? Trio, with Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums); in concert
1977-12 Red Alert Galaxy 1978 Some tracks trio, withRon Carter(bass),Frank Butler(drums); one track quartet, withNat Adderley(cornet) added; two tracks sextet, withHarold LandandIra Sullivan(tenor sax) added; one track quartet, with Sullivan, Carter, Butler
1977-12 Crossings Galaxy 1978 Trio, withRon Carter(bass),Philly Joe Jones(drums)
1978-05 Feelin' Red Muse 1979 Trio, with Sam Jones (bass),Al Foster(drums)
1978-05 I Left My Heart... Muse 1985 Some tracks trio, with Chris Amberger (bass), Eddie Moore (drums); some tracks quartet, withLeo Wright(alto sax) added; in concert
1978-08 Equinox Galaxy 1979 Trio, withRichard Davis(bass),Roy Haynes(drums)
1979-07 Stepping Out Galaxy 1981 Some tracks trio, withRon Carter(bass),Ben Riley(drums); some tracks quartet, withKenny Burrell(guitar) added
1979-07 So Long Blues Galaxy 1984 Some tracks trio, withRon Carter(bass),Ben Riley(drums); two tracks quartet, withKenny Burrell(guitar) added; some tracks quintet, withJulian Priester(trombone),George Coleman(tenor sax) added
1979-07 Strike Up the Band Galaxy 1982 One track quartet withJulian Priester(trombone),Ron Carter(bass),Ben Riley(drums); one track quartet withGeorge Coleman(tenor sax), Carter (bass), Riley (drums); three tracks quintet, with all listed
1982-04 Misty Red Sony Music Entertainment 1982 Trio, withJamil Nasser(bass), Frank Gant (drums)

Compilations

  • Rediscovered Masters(Prestige, 1977) – rec. 1958–61
  • At the Prelude, Vol. 1(Prestige, 1994) – rec. 1959. compilation ofRed Garland at the Prelude+Red Garland Live!.
  • Blues in the Night(Prestige, 1997) – rec. 1960. compilation ofHalleloo-Y'-All+Soul Burnin'.
  • Red's Blues(Prestige, 1998) – rec. 1956–62.
  • Stretching Out(Prestige, 2002) – rec. 1959. compilation ofSatin Doll+Lil' Darlin'.
  • The Best of the Red Garland Quintets(Prestige, 2004)
  • The Best of the Red Garland Trios(Prestige, 2004)

As sideman

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References

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  1. ^Dobbins, Bill; Kernfeld, Barry (2002). "Garland, Red". In Barry Kernfeld (ed.).The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, vol. 2(2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries Inc. p. 14.ISBN1561592846.
  2. ^Yanow, Scott."Red Garland Biography".AllMusic.All Media Network.Retrieved28 August2016.
  3. ^Simpson, Joel."Red Garland Profile".All About Jazz.Retrieved28 August2016.
  4. ^Seeing Red.Texas Monthly. 1977-03-01.
  5. ^https://aaregistry.org/story/red-garland-jazz-pianist-born/
  6. ^https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/921
  7. ^http://flatfivejazzdb.com/musician/red-garland/
  8. ^Giddins, Garry (April 3, 1978)."Red Garland's Texas Cocktail".The Village Voice.p. 49.
  9. ^Mathieson, Kenny (2012).Giant Steps: Bebop And The Creators Of Modern Jazz, 1945-65.Canongate Books. p. 209.ISBN978-0-85786-617-2.
  10. ^"Discogs.com".Discogs.com.Retrieved2017-02-25.
  11. ^Pareles, John(26 April 1984)."Red Garland, a Pianist in Miles Davis Quintet".The New York Times.
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