Red Garland’s style has influenced jazz musicians for generations.
Life
William Garland was born on May 13, 1923 in Dallas Texas to a father who worked as an elevator operator and a mother who played several instruments. Red began learning the clarinet and the saxophone in high school and studied saxophone with Buster Smith (who had a big influence on Charlie Parker). Red didn’t begin to learn the piano until he was 18 and in the Army; he heard a pianist at his station in Arizona, who taught him the basics. While in the Army, and beginning the piano, Red was also a prizefighter. He had actually fought Sugar Ray Robinson before giving up fighting and switching his focus entirely to music. Garland spent all his free time practicing on the piano, making huge improvements very quickly. He also learned to play from various recordings by Art Tatum, Bud Powell, Nat King Cole, and Count Basie. These artists, and others, helped shape Red’s signature conservative sound as a pianist.
Red’s first gig on piano was in Fort Worth, 1945. During that weekend, the trumpeter Oran Page came through town with his band to perform at some dances. The musicians in town knew that Page’s pianist had quit, and many of the town’s piano players showed up to after-gig auditions, including Red. That same night, Page asked Red to come on the road with him, but Red almost refused out of feeling not ready.
When the tour ended in New York City, Red decided to stay in the city to find work. He quickly found friends, including Art Blakey; via Art’s recommendation, Red landed a spot in Billy Eckstine’s band. Eckstine was a popular bandleader and singer at the time who always looked for new upcoming musicians. When Red was hired, and began a new stage in his career.
Red toured with Eckstine for a short while, only to be picked up by Eddie Davis, who played a variety of clubs throughout New York City. It was in these clubs that Red met and became friends with Bud Powell, only after Bud had kicked Red off the piano one night. Powell shortly became a mentor for Red, as Art Tatum had once been.
Through the late ’40s Red was called and hired by almost every famous horn player around, including Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Lester Young. Red’s reputation was spreading quickly as key player in jazz at the time. In the early ’50s Red had finally gained enough of a reputation to begin touring with a trio of his own; he worked for five years with his trio, often playing with Lester Young, until Miles Davis called.
In 1955, Miles formed his first quintet, and wanted to bring Red Garland in on piano. Miles originally had another lineup of musicians in mind for his quintet, but when they had other obligations and could not commit, Red suggested other players, including John Coltrane. Red played in Davis’ group until 1958 when the group’s music turned modal; Red had a falling out with Davis and was replaced by Bill Evans.
For the next 10 years, Red continued to successfully perform with his trio, but as the jazz scene began to dwindle in the ’60s with the growing popularity of rock music, Red decided to take a break. He went home to Texas in 1968 when his mother passed away.
Red Garland played only in his home town for almost 10 years until he was brought of retirement to play a concert in San Fransisco in 1978. Thereafter, Red performed a consistent touring schedule until his death in 1984.
Influence
Red Garland, with his unique style and sound, influenced the way many jazz musicians have phrased melodic and improvisational lines. His use of block chords on every note was also an important feature of his playing. This style was very new at the time, cutting through the sound of other pianists. Red’s progressive post-bop sound and ground-breaking piano voicings have become standard parts of the curriculum for young musicians learning about jazz.
Style & Technique
Red Garland’s style is almost completely unique to his own playing. Never having formal lessons, Red learned by ear, listening to records and concerts of jazz. What his characteristic about Red’s sound is the use of block chords in the left hand. This sound was quite different from that of most post-bop pianists at the time, which Red’s style stand out. The use of block chords was usually applied to the rhythm of the both the melody and the solos, so both hands would follow almost the exact same rhythm throughout the tune. Block chords remain within one octave and usually have clusters of notes played together. In the right hand, Red would play the melody in octaves, always including the 5th and 4th in between, often creating a common #4 (or lydian) sound throughout a tune; this was another sound that was characteristic to Red’s playing. However, Red’s overall harmony was very conservative (moreso than Bill Evans’ for instance.)
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