Red Garland

1946–54

After the Second World War, Garland performed with Billy Eckstine, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, and Lester Young. He found steady work in the cities of Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. In the late 1940s, he toured with Eddie Vinson at the same time that John Coltrane was in Vinson's band. His creativity and playing ability continued to improve, though he was still somewhat obscure. By the time he became a pianist for Miles Davis, he was influenced by Ahmad Jamal and Charlie Parker's pianist Walter Bishop.

1955–58 – Miles Davis Quintet

Garland became famous in 1954 when he joined the Miles Davis Quintet, featuring John Coltrane, Philly Joe Jones, and Paul Chambers. Davis was a fan of boxing and was impressed that Garland had boxed earlier in his life. Together, the group recorded their famous Prestige albums, Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet (1954), Workin, Steamin', Cookin', and Relaxin'. Garland's style is prominent in these seminal recordings—evident in his distinctive chord voicings, his sophisticated accompaniment, and his musical references to Ahmad Jamal's style. Some observers dismissed Garland as a "cocktail" pianist,^[6] but Miles was pleased with his style, having urged Garland to absorb some of Jamal's lightness of touch and harmonics within his own approach.^[7]

Garland played on the first of Davis's many Columbia recordings, 'Round About Midnight (1957). Though he would continue playing with Miles, their relationship was beginning to deteriorate. By 1958, Garland and Jones had started to become more erratic in turning up for recordings and shows. He was eventually fired by Miles, but later returned to play on another jazz classic, Milestones. Davis was displeased when Garland quoted Davis's much earlier, and by then famous, solo from "Now's The Time" in block chords during the slower take of "Straight, No Chaser". Garland walked out of one of the sessions for Milestones, so that on the track "Sid's Ahead", Davis comped behind the saxophone solos.

1958–84 – After the Miles Davis Quintet

In 1958, Garland formed his own trio. Among the musicians the trio recorded with are Pepper Adams, Nat Adderley (Cannonball Adderley's brother), Ray Barretto, Kenny Burrell, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Jimmy Heath, Harold Land, Philly Joe Jones, Blue Mitchell, Ira Sullivan, and Leroy Vinnegar. The trio also recorded as a quintet with John Coltrane and Donald Byrd.^[8] Altogether, Garland led 19 recording sessions while at Prestige Records and 25 sessions for Fantasy Records. He stopped playing professionally for a number of years in the 1960s when the popularity of rock music coincided with a substantial drop in the popularity of jazz.

Garland eventually returned to his native Texas in the 1970s to care for his aged mother. He led a recording in 1977, named Crossings, which reunited him with Philly Joe Jones, and he teamed up with bassist Ron Carter. His later work tended to sound more modern and less polished than his better known recordings. He continued recording until his death from a heart attack on April 23, 1984 at the age of 60.^[9]

As leader

Compilations

• Rediscovered Masters (Prestige 1958-1961; released 1977)

As sideman

With Arnett Cobb

• Sizzlin' (Prestige, 1960)
• Ballads by Cobb (Moodsville, 1960)

With John Coltrane

• John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio (Prestige 1957; reissued as Traneing In)
• Soultrane (Prestige 1958)
• Lush Life (Prestige 1961)
• Settin' The Pace (Prestige 1961)
• The Believer (Prestige 1964)
• The Last Trane (Prestige 1965)

With Miles Davis

• The Musings of Miles (Prestige 1955)
• Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige 1955)
• Cookin' with The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige 1956)
• Relaxin' with The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige 1956)
• Workin' with The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige 1956)
• Steamin' with The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige 1956)
• 'Round About Midnight (Columbia 1957)
• Milestones (Columbia 1958)

With Curtis Fuller

• Curtis Fuller with Red Garland (Prestige 1957)

With Jackie McLean

• McLean's Scene (Prestige 1956)

With Art Pepper

• Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section (Contemporary 1957)

With Sonny Rollins

• Tenor Madness (Prestige 1956)

With Phil Woods

• Sugan (Prestige Status, 1957)