Night Concert

Reviewed: 2018-08-13
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: A completely self-taught pianist, Garner had evolved a unique style which managed to combine over-the-top romanticism with the most ferocious swing. A favorite way of deploying these was to set up a great perfumed cloud of sound, covering the entire keyboard, out of which would suddenly emerge, tripping merrily along, a well-known tune. e was ambidextrous, which meant that he could happily keep two rhythms going at once. Every track is a gem of virtuosity, but you can’t like them all.
If You Like: Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Fats Waller,
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Where Or When (4:18) – piano starts> uptempo jam builds to fast tempo> piano solo> fast jam> slows to stop
*2/ Easy To Love (4:21) – piano starts> midtempo jam> rocking piano solo> uptempo jam slows to stop
**3/ On Green Dolphin Street (4:47) – piano starts with cascading notes> uptempo jam builds to lightning fast> piano solo goes all over the place, then stops
4/ Theme From A New Kind Of Love (All Yours) – piano starts> slow jam> gorgeous piano solo> slow jam> crescendo end
5/ Night And Day (4:52) – piano starts> uptempo jam> piano solo> uptempo jam> fade
**6/ Cheek To Cheek (5:29) – piano starts with heavy chords> slow jam swings to fast tempo> piano solo> fast jam> quick fade
*7/ My Funny Valentine (5:19) – piano starts> slow jam> piano solo> slow jam> fade
**8/ Gypsy In My Soul (5:29) – piano starts slow & swings to fast tempo> piano solo> fast jam> crescendo end
9/ That Amsterdam Swing (6:07) – piano starts slow> midtempo jam> rocking piano solo with boogie-woogie vibe> uptempo jam mellows to midtempo> quick stop
*10/ Over The Rainbow (5:00) – piano stars> slow jam> piano solo> slow jam> fade
11/ What Is This Thing Called Love (4:40) – piano starts midtempo then gets quieter> midtempo jam> swinging piano solo> midtempo jam gets quieter> quick stop
12/ Laura (5:20) – piano starts> slow jam> piano solo> slow jam> slow fade
*13/ When Your Lover Has Gone (4:37) – piano starts> uptempo jam> rocking piano solo> uptempo jam gets quieter & stops
14/ No More Windows (4:16) – piano starts> slow jam> gorgeous piano solo> slow jam> slow fade
**15/ ‘S Wonderful (4:16) – piano starts> uptempo jam swings to fast tempo> swinging piano solo> fast jam slows to midtempo> crescendo end
16/ Thanks For The Memory (0:53) – piano starts> midtempo jam> quick stop