Red GARLAND Quintet - Soul Junction 1957

Red GARLAND Quintet - Soul Junction 1957

Jazz

While the late Red Garland is best-known and fondly remembered as the pianist for the Miles Davis Quintet in the mid-1950s, he also had a career of his own. Garland's style was a gregarious balance of the sophistication of bebop and the earthiness of the blues. SOUL JUNCTION, recorded in 1950, is Garland leading a group featuring Davis bandmate John Coltrane and soon-to-be-rising-trumpet-star (in the late '50s/early '60s) Donald Byrd. It's a thoroughly enjoyable hard bop jaunt through a Garland original and four familiar standards, with Coltrane laying down his near-torrential "sheets of sound" and Byrd playing Mr. Cool to 'Trane's soul and fire. Art Taylor keeps things swinging crisply and Garland, as usual, is masterful (but never in a show-off manner).
From CD Universe.
**
Red Garland- (Piano)
John Coltrane- (Tenor Saxophone)
Donald Byrd- (Trumpet)
Art Taylor- (Double Bass)
George Joyner- (Drums)
**
01. Soul Junction (Red Garland) 15:30
02. Woody' N You (Dizzy Gillespie) 6:52
03. Birk's Works (Dizzy Gillespie) 7:35
04. I've Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (Duke Ellington/Paul Francis Webster) 6:16
05. Hallelujah (Clifford Grey/Leo Robin/Vincent Youmans) 6:29
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Red GARLAND Quintet - Red's Good Groove 1962

Red GARLAND Quintet - Red's Good Groove 1962
Label: OJC / Jvc
Recorded March 22, 1962 at Reeves Sound Studios, NYC.
Jazz 

Recorded in 1962, this is a laid back affair thats worth getting if you're a keen fan of swinging Jazz. Amazingly this album was only remastered in 2001 and its already out of print in the UK.
Red Garland of course most famously worked with Miles Davis and here he's in top form backed by the classy musicians above. Its great to hear the the sadly underused baritone Sax. What a beautiful sound it makes.
My favourite track is the lovely version of Gershwins marvellous "Love Is Here To Stay". A great song and a superb version.
By  S.J. Buck.
**
Although this is a one time studio blowing session, things obviously gelled quickly for everyone as they got underway on this 1962 recording by Red Garland, which features both Blue Mitchell and Pepper Adams in prominent supporting roles. The pianist gets things off on the right foot with his relaxed blues "Red's Good Groove," while Mitchell, who had already recorded a number of dates as a leader himself, delivers a confident yet understated trumpet solo. Baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams contributed the oddly named "Excerent!" (a title which somewhat puzzled the original liner note writer Peter Drew but likely refers to the tendency of some Orientals to substitute the letter "r" for "l," long before such humor would be considered politically incorrect and unlikely to appear on a CD jacket), it's a hard bop tune that isn't the least bit reminiscent of the Far East. The core of the date consists of several standards, concluding with a driving take of "Falling in Love With Love." Bassist Sam Jones and drummer Philly Joe Jones supply the fluid rhythm that powers the quintet throughout this very enjoyable session.
By Ken Dryden, AMG.
**
Red Garland- Piano
Blue Mitchell- Trumpet
Pepper Adams- Baritone Sax
Sam Jones- Bass
Philly Joe Jones- Drums
**
01. Red's Good Groove (R.Garland) 8:21
02. Love Is Here to Stay (G.Gershwin/I.Garshwin) 4:43
03. This Time the Dream's on Me (Arlen/Mercer) 5:53
04. Take Me in Your Arms (Alfred/Fritz/Mitchell) 5:35
05. Excerent! (P.Adams) 6:05
06. Falling in Love With Love (Rodgers/Hart) 6:05
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Red GARLAND Trio - Manteca 1958 (REPOST)

Red GARLAND Trio - Manteca 1958 (REPOST)
Label: Ojc
Audio CD: (July 1, 1991)

Jazz

On "Manteca", we find a traditional trio comprised of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Arthur Taylor on drums, then add Ray Barretto on congas. Does the conga rhythm work with the trio? You'll have to be the judge of that.
With two percussionists on this CD, there are some lively solos (some extended) with Taylor and Baretto trading off on "Manteca", "Lady Be Good", and "Exactly Like You". At times, the conga does add an interesting element to these, as well as the other numbers. At other times, the conga rhythm/beat seems a bit repetitive and a little distracting. It's more a matter of personal taste than a reflection on the musicians as they are all clearly talented.
Each member of of this quartet gets ample solo time to show off their stuff. Red Garland, who served as a sideman for the Miles Davis Quintet, provides a solid performance whether he's carrying the melody or improvising during his solos and accompaniment. Paul Chambers, another Davis Quintet alumni, serves up fine performances as well and even has a bowed solo in "S'Wonderful".
Overall, it's an interesting experiment with an unusual combination that works for me on certain levels, but not on others. For those who are new to Red Garland, or expanding their RG collection, I would first suggest checking out the titles "Red Garland's Piano", "All Kinds of Weather", or "A Garland Of Red".
By Music lover.
**
If you think that Red Garland has been accused of cocktail mannerisms by some (stupid?) critics, you find yourself thinking about the justice in this world. Very few pianists even nowadays could reach Red's perfection this is for sure. Red Garland to me is one of the greatest piano players in the history of jazz music. Period. His albums are paradigmatical Jazz played at the highest level. He simply was perfection in Jazz piano. He had swing, melody, taste, comp abilities, flashy chops, bop techniques all at his command. How could we call him a cocktail pianist?!?! In this album he proved his marvellous playing once again. The line up is the common Garland trio with Paul Chambers and Arthur Taylor responsible with Red of a long list of splendid albums recorded for Prestige during the fifties - early sixties. In this case we find Ray Barretto on the congas too. And the alchemy works. Ray simply reinforce the beat on two and four. Don't think of this album as a "latin" album as the booklet rightly explain. This is pure Jazz the bebop way. The only "pure latin" tune is the wonderful Manteca, played with congas since ever, so Ray is even more in place here. A perfect gem is the closing number, the ballad "Portrait of Jenny". But even in the other standard tunes (plus a long slow blues, Mort's Report) Ray simply reinforce the swing feel (emphasizing the second and fourth beats of the bar as I already told you) and does not ruin anything of this trio's magic. On the contrary he adds a little rythmic spice that in this album is enjoyable. It is a little detour from the common sound of this perfect, perfect, ... perfect trio.
By Jazzcat "stef".
**
Red Garland- Piano,
Paul Chamber- Bass,
Arthur Taylor- Drums,
Ray Barretto- Conga.
**
01. Manteca   8.07
02. S'Wonderful   6.42
03. Lady Be good   5.50
04. Exactly Like You   7.08
05. Mort's Report   12.11
06. Portrait Of Jenny   7.18
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Red GARLAND - Rojo 1958

Red GARLAND - Rojo 1958
Label: Ojc
Audio CD: (March 21, 1993)

Jazz

This a thoroughly enjoyable disk!......More so if you are a Red Garland fan.
The title track was written on the fly at the recording session which astounds me since it plays so well. Less surprising is the blues track, also composed on the spot, because Red could really play the blues. These two plus "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" and "Mr Wonderful" include the conga playing of Ray Barretto, the remaining two cuts being trio numbers.
"We Kiss In A Shadow" is the only cut done in a slow ballad tempo, the sensitive, romantic late night style with which Red is so adept.
"Darling Je Vous" was kind of a shock at first since I had never heard any version but the smooth mellow voice of Nat Cole doing it, but instrumentally it comes off very well in an
uptempo arrangement. The other two ballads also are played more upbeat and are a listening treat, especially with Red's improvisational skills.
If you like good jazz, good piano, something with a Latin beat, and something bright, light and energetic one or more of those descriptions, you will enjoy this cd.
By Robert J. Ament.
**
Pianist Red Garland recorded frequently with trios for Prestige during the second half of the 1950s. For this set (reissued on CD), Garland, bassist George Joyner and drummer Charlie Persip are joined by Ray Barretto on congas and the emphasis is on forceful swinging. Garland takes such ballads as "We Kiss in a Shadow" and "You Better Go Now" at faster-than-expected tempos. "Ralph J. Gleason Blues" and the Latin feel of "Rojo" are among the highlights of this enjoyable disc.
By Scott Yanow. AMG.
**
Red Garland- Piano
George Joyner- Bass
Charlie Persip- Drums
Ray Barretto- Conga
**
01. Rojo (8:51)
02. We Kiss In A Shadow (6:44)
03. Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup (5:11)
04. Ralph J. Gleason Blues (6:40)
05. You Better Go Now (5:10)
06. Mr. Wonderful (8:14)
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Red GARLAND - Groovy 1957 (REPOST)

Red GARLAND - Groovy 1957 (REPOST)
Label: Ojc
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack,
New Jersey on December 14, 1956 and May 24 & August 9, 1957
Originally released on Prestige.

Jazz

Red Garland has never received the amount of praise he deserves. Maybe he simply didn't stick around long enough with Miles once the maestro was signed to Columbia. The great Miles Prestige sets which Garland was a part of as well as Round About Midnight and Milestones, are among the greatest piano accompanyments on record.
It was very hard to decide whether this record merits 4 stars or 5. I chose 4 because I cannot put this record on the level of other Garland/Miles records. However, this is Garland's greatest set, because he plays just what is needed and nothing more; something many pianists forget.

To the avid jazz listener: Be warned, while this is a very special set, it will not blow you away, if you've heard Garland in the Miles Quintet. If by some chance you came upon this recording and do not own any of Miles' recordings with Garland, I suggest you purchase that first, particularly Milestones.
By David Solomon.
**
When Red Garland was a member of Miles Davis's band in the late '50s, Davis would regularly depart the stage to feature Garland in a trio format. He was a complete jazz pianist, able to find ideal chordal extensions to prod a soloist, to swing aggressively with block chords, and to string together single note lines with buoyant energy and a bright articulation. He was capable of real delicacy, but his playing never descended to the decorative. His regular trio featured bassist Paul Chambers, his gifted partner from the Davis quintet, and drummer Art Taylor, a rock-solid timekeeper whose balance of subtlety and drive also made him Bud Powell's drummer of choice. Garland mated his harmonic sophistication to elements that communicated directly, his tunefulness, his rhythmic drive, and his vigorous roots in Texas and the Southwest blues traditions. They're evident everywhere here, from the medium-tempo swing of Ellington minimalist masterpiece "C-Jam Blues" to the deep, melancholic blues that infuse "Willow Weep for Me." Garland's Prestige recordings of the late '50s are models for the piano trio in modern jazz, and Groovy is among the best of them.
By Stuart Broomer. AMG.
**
Red Garland- Piano
Paul Chambers- Bass
Arthur Taylor- Drums
**
01. C Jam Blues 8:19
02. Gone Again 6:43
03. Will You Still Be Mine? 4:40
04. Willow Weep For Me 9:34
05. What Can I Say Dear (After I Say I'm Sorry?) 7:11
06. Hey Now 3:38
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Red GARLAND - All Morning Long 1957 (REPOST)

Red GARLAND - All Morning Long 1957 (REPOST)
Label: Ojc
Audio CD: (July 1, 1991)

Jazz  

I can't add much to the stylistic notes from the always- knowledgeable Mr. Chell in his review. I will say, however, that this is an extremely good introductory album for anyone interested in great, not-watered-down (read, "contemporary" or "mellow") jazz. Coltrane and Garland mesh extremely well together, and even Donald Byrd, not my favorite trumpet player for the reasons stated by Mr. Chell, sounds strong, confident, and in synch with the other musicians. All three songs are masterpieces highlighted by immensely satisfying solos (what else would you expect from musicians of this caliber), especially the title cut and the slightly boppish take on "They Can't Take That Away From Me."

This was one of the first jazz albums I owned; I purchased a used vinyl with a notation on the cover that read something like "scratchy but excellent!" I listened to it many times, and the supremacy of the musicians rose like cream through the worn record. Fortunately, I found it again at Amazon.com in CD form, and am enjoying it just as much as when the jazz genre was so new to me. Yes, it's a personal favorite with some history behind it, but its excellence may make it one of your favorites as well.

With George Joyner on bass and Arthur Taylor on drums(who are also featured on "The Best of the Red Garland Quintets," another CD worth checking out.) Engineered by the great Rudy Van Gelder, this 1957 studio date was remastered for its 2001 re-release.
By  M. Allen Greenbaum.
**
How easy it is to dismiss, ignore, take for granted the brilliance of Red Garland. On the other hand, maybe Coltrane deserves the credit for bringing out the best in these "merely" frontline musicians. "All Mornin' Long" is a Bb blues running over 20 minutes. Coltrane has the first solo--probing, passionate, daring. Time for the ensuing players to run for cover or stand up like real men. Donald Byrd, always a tasteful and melodic if "safe" player, practically goes for broke for a change. He employs some half-valve effects (rare for Byrd) and aims for some upper-register notes that aren't there (no matter--it's one of the few recorded moments when Byrd really reaches). Then it's Red's turn.

Red not only holds his own but makes you forget about what's preceded--not through blazing technique or adventurous innovation but ceaseless invention and an incorporation of every possible style. He alternates "trite" rhythm and blues riffs with breathtakingly lithe, Powell-like single-note lines; he moves to his "stretched" block chord style for two, not just one, extended stretches; he makes the blocked-chord style work at a tempo that would discourage its use by any other pianist. His solo, however harmonically and melodically "conservative," is a tour de force.

Dozens of pianists have borrowed from the Garland vocabulary--Gene Harris, Wynton Kelly, Monty Alexander, Ahmad Jamal. This recording is just another reminder that there was only one pianist who mastered that language.
By  Samuel Chell.
**
On November 15, 1957, a quintet headed by pianist Red Garland recorded enough material for two records. This CD reissue (whose companion is Soul Junction) has a 20-minute version of "All Mornin' Long," along with briefer renditions of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (a mere ten minutes) and Tadd Dameron's "Our Delight." More important than the material is that, in addition to Garland, the main soloists are John Coltrane and trumpeter Donald Byrd. Byrd was on his way to getting his sound together, while Trane, very much in his sheets-of-sound period, was already blazing a new path for jazz to follow. An excellent and often quite colorful jam session-flavored hard bop set.
**
Red Garland- Piano
John Coltrane- Saxophone
Donald Byrd- Trumpet
Art Taylor- Drums
George Joyner- Bass
**
01. All Mornin' Long  20.18
02. They Can't Take That Away From Me  10.25
03. Our Delight  6.18
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