• Profile
• Discography
• Video Clips
• Forum

• More ...
• Directory A-Z
• More links
• Music T-Shirts!
•  
• Add to ...
• Del.icio.us

 

Red Garland (1923–1984) was an American jazz pianist whose complex block-chord style influenced many forthcoming pianists in the jazz idiom.

Beginnings

William M. Garland was born in Dallas, Texas on May 13, 1923. Though he came from a non-musical family, Garland showed an early interest in music. He began his musical studies on the clarinet and alto saxophone but in 1940 switched to the piano. Garland spent copious amounts of time practicing and rapidly developed into a proficient player.

Early Work

After the Second World War Garland performed with Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, and Lester Young. He found steady work in the cities of New York and Philadelphia. His creativity and playing ability continued to improve, though he was still somewhat obscure.

The Quintet

Garland became famous when he joined the now classic Miles Davis Quintet in 1955, which featured Miles himself, a younger John Coltrane, Philly Joe Jones and Paul Chambers. Together the group recorded their famous Prestige recordings, "Workin'," "Steamin'," "Cookin'," and "Relaxin'." Garland's so-called 'cocktail piano' style is prominent in these seminal recordings - evident in his distinctive chord voicings, his sophisticated accompaniment and his musical references to Ahmad Jamal's style. The quintet's recordings would arguably influence the Free jazz movement more than some of the more jazz avant-garde records of the time. Garland played on the first of Miles's many Columbia recordings, "Round About Midnight." Though he would continue playing with Miles, their relationship was beginning to deteriorate. By 1958, Garland and Jones had started to become more erratic in turning up for recordings and gigs. He was eventually fired by Miles, but later returned to play on another jazz classic, "Milestones."

Post-Quintet

In 1958 Garland formed his own trio. Among the musicians the trio recorded with are Pepper Adams, Nat Adderley (Cannonball's brother), Ray Barretto, Kenny Burrell, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Jimmy Heath, Harold Land, Philly Joe Jones, Blue Mitchell, Ira Sullivan, and Leroy Vinnegar. The trio also recorded as a quintet with John Coltrane and Donald Byrd.

Return to Texas and retirement

Red Garland eventually returned to Texas in the 1970s. He led a recording in 1977 named Crossings which reunited him with Philly Joe Jones again, and he teamed up with world-class bassist Ron Carter. He continued recording until his death from a heart attack in 1983. His block-chord style, relaxed feel, and classic jazz recordings remain as his lasting legacy.