Features
Eight Never-Before-Heard Song Interpretations + Newly
Discovered Original Song
There are
certain musical artists who have transcended genre limitations, crossing over
into other areas of audience appeal. But in very rare cases there are artists
who cross over in an entirely different way, becoming iconic and beloved
figures to the broader spectrum of humanity by their very existence and essence
of their being as universal messengers of love and spirit. Legendary pianist
and composer Erroll Garner stands tall among those individuals.
A new
addition to his brilliant manifestation of artistry and jubilant expressiveness
is always a treat, but when it is at such a majestic peak as in Octave
Music/Mack Avenue Records’ spectacular new release, Erroll Garner:
Nightconcert, it is a revelation. Nightconcert presents Garner at the peak of
his genius, recorded at a midnight concert in November 1964 at The Royal
Concertgebouw in Amsterdam with an audience of 2000 highly enthusiastic and
enraptured people of all ages. Also notable is that this album features eight
never-before-heard Garner song interpretations, including a newly discovered
original.
"The
collection of recordings in the Garner Estate archives is immense and
substantive," states Mack Avenue Records President Denny Stilwell.
"To represent the historical treasure that is Nightconcert is a privilege
for Mack Avenue and we are energized by this new collaboration with Octave
Music."
Beginning
with the immortal 1955 album Concert by the Sea – the best-selling jazz album
of its era – Garner consistently proved that there is nothing to match that
magical essence of transcendent artistry shared in the same air with a totally
connected audience. On this night, the pianist’s consummate artistry is further
enhanced by his rhythm section of bassist Eddie Calhoun and drummer Kelly
Martin, with whom he’d been playing for nearly a decade – proving another
unquestionable truth, that jazz is never better expressed than by an ensemble
of musicians who have played together long enough to develop that telepathic
synergy demanded by the music at its highest level. Accompanying Garner
demanded that substance in exponential form.
As his
longtime manager Martha Glaser wrote in the concert program notes, “one of
Garner’s outstanding qualities is his unpredictability and spontaneity,” which
followed “the individual selections which Mr. Garner will play have not been
listed” – and neither of his accompanists were informed either. But there’s no
way one could tell, as they match the master at every twist and turn as though
it was just the way they rehearsed it. In fact, they never rehearsed. Their
performances were pure magic through mutual awareness.
True to his
singularly personal style, each piece begins with Garner’s sumptuous and often
impressionistically rubato explorations before exposing the theme of the actual
song he’s about to play, further stamping his personal ownership of the piece,
no matter how familiar or how many other people may have interpreted it before.
Each song is a unique entity, even in comparison to other interpretations that
he may have done at another time – a most special talent and a mark of utter
originality and immediacy.
The
repertoire on this album is pure Garner, heavily drawn from the Great American
Songbook with a nice infusion of originals. There are three Cole Porter
classics: “Easy to Love,” “Night and Day” and “What Is This Thing Called Love;”
and two gems from Rodgers & Hart: “My Funny Valentine” and “Where or When.”
The Gershwins are represented by “’S Wonderful;” Irving Berlin by “Cheek to
Cheek;” and Harold Arlen by “Over the Rainbow.” A couple of lesser luminaries
are included with Einar Aaron Swan’s “When Your Lover Has Gone” and Clay
Boland’s “Gypsy in My Soul.” Two great 1940s songs, immortalized by both being
the title songs of terrific films and interpreted by scores of heavyweight
artists are Bronislaw Kaper’s “On Green Dolphin Street” and David Raksin’s “Laura”
– which can now add two more remarkable versions to their storied history.
Another
outstanding title song from a film is one of three Garner originals, the
exquisite “Theme from ‘A New Kind of Love’ (All Yours);” along with the jaunty
“That Amsterdam Swing” and the touching “No More Shadows.” A brief taste of
Ralph Rainger’s “Thanks for the Memory” provides the digestif to close this
most delightful repast.
Nightconcert
is an exhilarating journey through a comprehensive history of jazz piano: smooth
stride, rollicking barrelhouse, unfettered swing, loping bop lines, Cecil
Taylor-like chord clusters; spiced by potent touches of Debussy/Satie-like
impressionistic flair. In other words, pure Erroll Garner: marvelously
imaginative, richly lyrical, full of unexpected surprises, and utterly
captivating.
This is the
third new Garner release through Octave Music since its relaunch in 2015; the
first, The Complete Concert By The Sea, was named 2016 historical record of the
year by the Jazz Journalist Association and nominated for a GRAMMY® Award and
an NAACP Image Award. It was produced by the late and deeply missed master jazz
pianist Geri Allen, along with four-time GRAMMY® Award-winner, Steve Rosenthal.
The second release, Ready Take One, a collection of previously unreleased
studio recordings that was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Jazz Album, was produced by Allen, Rosenthal and Peter Lockhart.
Nightconcert is produced by Peter Lockhart, Steve Rosenthal and Mack Avenue
Records pianist/composer Christian Sands in his new role as Creative Ambassador
for the Erroll Garner Jazz Project. The album is available in both CD and
double-vinyl and is beautifully packaged with excellent artwork by White
Bicycle, on-site photographs by Nico van der Stam/Maria Austria Instituut and
The Erroll Garner archive – housed at the University of Pittsburgh – historical
artifacts, and informative notes by renowned writers Nate Chinen and Robin D.
G. Kelley.
Erroll
Garner · Nightconcert
Mack Avenue
Records · Release Date: July 13, 2018
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