Garage sale find. One of the first things I noticed about this collection was that they spelled Garner's first name wrong! Unbelievable. Anyway, Erroll Garner is my favorite jazz pianist, because my grandfather introduced me to him and also because I love his expression and how smooth his playing is. There's a Garner track for almost every mood. Erroll (spelled with two L's!!!) was from Pittsburgh, PA, near where I grew up. My grandfather saw him a few times back in the day, up in Pittsburgh, and so Garner came to be a family favorite as my grandpa passed down knowledge. Interesting tidbit: like a lot of jazz musicians, Garner wasn't formally trained and couldn't read music. These things obviously don't factor at all because it didn't stop him from becoming one of the greatest jazz pianists in history. His bouncy 'This Can't Be Love' is a blast, the swinging 'Sunny Side..' is a great springtime jam, and the dizzy climbing and plummeting of 'Moonglow' is an enjoyable ride. I enjoy every track on here. The quality of these recordings isn't optimal, but the somewhat muddy sound creates a certain ambiance I can't argue with.
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