Linton Garner Trio - Quiet Nights (2002)

Pianist Linton Garner, the older brother of Erroll Garner, was always a fine player himself. However, because his brother was such a major individualist and Linton spent much of his life living in Canada, he was largely overlooked throughout his career. Garner, who passed away just four months after this live session, was a gentle player who could swing hard but was subtle in his music. For this set of standards, he is joined by the cool-toned tenor saxophonist Ross Taggart and the supportive bassist Russ Botten. Although few surprises occur, this is a spirited and happy outing, one of the few Linton Garner recordings available, and well worth picking up. ~ Scott Yanow