Erroll Garner
Erroll Garner's ballad Misty has become one of the most durable jazz standards, its long singing line and easy harmonic lift still inviting singers and instrumentalists. As a pianist he was known for swing, whimsical introductions and a right hand that floated just behind the beat.
His melodic improvisations stayed close to the theme while using novel chord voicings. A steady left-hand pulse against a freer right hand created rhythmic tension, sometimes rushing and dragging within the bar. He often opened with teasing, off-kilter introductions that left the tune itself in suspense until the band locked in. That sound reached a wide audience on Concert by the Sea; Misty, first recorded in the mid-1950s, crossed into the wider repertoire and still turns up far from the jazz club, including in church organ programmes.
Compositions by Erroll Garner appear on
Historic Organs of the Barossa Valley, Vol. 2
Christopher Dearnley and John Stiller play seven historic Lutheran church organs of South Australia’s Barossa Valley in the second volume of this survey.
Just For The Record
Renowned jazz singer Linda Cable gathers moody ballads and up-tempo standards in a polished set that moves from cool and slinky to full swing.