With such legends as Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea serving as key pianists in key Miles Davis lineups, it’s easy to forget about Red Garland who served in that role from 1955 to 1958. But none of those guys had the bluesy swing that seemed to come naturally for Garland, and he made fundamentally solid trio records during and after his stint with Miles (as well as a memorable trio encounter in 1957 with bandmate John Coltrane).
“On Green Dolphin Street” was recorded by Miles Davis in 1958 and though it wasn’t the first version, it’s the one that made this Bronislaw Kaper/Ned Washington composition part of the jazz standard canon. Garland was replaced by Bill Evans by this time, but Red made the song a part of his trio’s repertoire shortly afterwards. Furthermore, he recorded this song twice in 1961, once with his trio for Bright and Breezy and another time with Oliver Nelson on sax and Richard Williams on trumpet for his Soul Burnin’ release.
Many years later in 1977, Red Garland was still playing this standard when he performed at San Francisco’s famed Keystone Korner late that year. The makeup of the rhythm section of The Red Garland Trio fluctuated a lot but that never seemed to matter because Garland always found highly adept and sympathetic bassists and drummers. In ’77, he led a particularly special rhythm section with Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Vinnegar was one of the great sideman acoustic bassists, owner of a killer walking style and played alongside greats such as Stan Getz and Sonny Rollins (as well as The Doors and Van Morrison). Jones, of course, was also in Miles’ band the same time as Garland.
Swingin’ on the Korner: Live at Keystone Korner contains this along with fifteen other previously unreleased December 1977 performances by the trio at the Korner, and will be released by Elemental Music on January 20, 2015.
After a brief intro, Vinnegar’s lithe figure provides the groundwork for Garland’s initial statement on “On Green Dolphin Street” theme. When Garland launches into his solo, his brandishes that signature lyricism, using meaty right hand phrasings and two-fisted block chords to put an exclamation point on things. Jones was well past his greatest fame as a member of Miles’ quintet, but those same things that made him a star then were present on that night. What he did behind Garland was equally as impressive as Garland himself, comping with such affinity with the piano and not afraid to take chances. That mindset extends straight into Vinnegar’s solo.
Still, it all comes back to Red Garland; a splendid, graceful pianist who made many melodies colorful and swinging. “On Green Dolphin Street,” with Jones and Vinnegar’s strong support, is a prime example.
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