Erroll Garner - The Classic Trio Recordings 1949 (2020)

Erroll Garner was one of the most distinctive jazz piano stylists of the post-war era, his approach transcending the emerging sub-genres of modern jazz, although his music was rooted in swing and he was a noted performer of ballads, his performances characterised by elaborate and eccentric introductions, often described as being almost orchestral in style. He was especially effective working in a trio fromat, playing with a variety of combinations of bass players and drummers over the years, and this great-value 50-track 2-CD collection focuses on a series of six sessions he recorded during 1949 for the Savoy, Atlantic, Portrait and 3 Deuces labels, with two different trio line-ups. One comprised John Simmons on bass and Alvin Stoller on drums, and the other featured Leonard Gaskin on bass and Charlie Smith on drums. The repertoire primarily comprises familiar Great American Songbook classics much-loved by the jazz community, and it makes for a very satisfying body of work which captures the great virtuoso pianist in fine flowing form in a favoured metier in which at that time he clearly felt particularly comfortable. Its an entertaining showcase for his unique piano styling.