The Essence Of...
Erroll Garner brought a totally original concept of piano-playing to jazz. The self-taught Garner was virtuosic without being too flashy, and evoked gorgeous sentiment without becoming lachrymose. His eccentric two-handed approach was not particularly influential, but it was wildly popular. Garner loved to put his own stamp on standards, but he was also a handy writer, composing the well-known hit "Misty." That track is included in these recordings, made between 1950 and 1957 with several different trio lineups, including the group with Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums that recorded the popular 1956 live recordingConcert by the Sea.--John Swenson