Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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GARLAND, Red

(b William Garland, 13 May '23, Dallas, Texas; d 23 April '84) Piano. Started on reeds as a child; discovered in home town by Hot Lips Page; played with all the big names from '45: influential from period with classic Miles Davis Quintet on Prestige '56--8; also recorded with John Coltrane, Art Pepper, others; toured with own trio, retired to Dallas '65 when his mother died except for trips to NYC to record, club dates in LA etc. Own albums incl. about 30 trio LPs on Prestige/Moodsville, Jazzland labels '56--62; MPS/BASF '71, Galaxy and Muse '77--9, Japanese Trio '80, Baystate/Timeless '82: Moodsville LP '59 added Lockjaw Davis; The Quota '71 on MPS had Jimmy Heath on two tracks; earlier sets on Prestige added Kenny Burrell or Ray Barretto. Quintet sessions on Prestige '57 with Coltrane, Donald Byrd variously issued as Saying Something, All Morning Long, Soul Junction, High Pressure, Dig It. Red's Good Groove on Jazzland '62 incl. Blue Mitchell, Pepper Adams; Strike Up The Band '79 on Galaxy had Julian Priester, George Coleman; sextet Red Alert '77 on Galaxy featured Harold Land, Nat Adderley, multi- instrumentalist Ira Sullivan. Trio Keystones! on Xanadu had Leroy Vinnegar and Philly Joe Jones. Solo piano sets on Moodsville '60 issued as Red Alone and Alone With The Blues. His work remains popular, two dozen CDs in print '97; most of his recordings have ended up on Fantasy.