Biography of Erroll Garner

One of the most original piano stylists in all of jazz, Garner never learned to read music but conceived of the piano as a big, swinging band in which he was both the melody voice and the rhythm section. He used his left hand almost like Count Basie's sterling guitarist Freddie Green, and in the trio setting he preferred (with bass and drums just keeping steady time), he could outswing most bands and combos at the middle and up tempos he mastered. On ballads, he adopted a heavily arpeggiated, romantic approach that contrasted with the impish humor he brought to his swinging style. Garner also liked to keep his listeners in suspense with elaborate solo introductions that were little masterpieces in themselves. Though he never said a word on stage, he could hold the largest audience spellbound just with his music, which was filled with joy and life. Like Louis Armstrong, he transcended the jazz category and had fans of all ages and musical persuasions. Also like Armstrong, he was one of the first (and few) jazz performers to establish himself as a concert attraction. A prolific recording artist, he left behind a legacy from which treasures continue to be culled. His most famous composition, of course, is "Misty". ~ Dan Morgenstern