Includes a 16-page booklet with recording details, original liner-notes and rare photos.
Too often in jazz commercial success is followed by reduced critical acceptance, lessened artistic standards, or both. The experts become tired of hearing the artist once he has mass acceptance, and too often are prone to complain that he has sold out whether he has or not.
Erroll Garners was an exceptional case. He was one of the delights of the era, one of the most popular jazz pianists in the world, and he would remain unchangeably one of the best. Erroll did this session without rhythm section and with only nine fingers (the index finger of his left hand was in a splint). But nothing could change, or reduce, his capacity for swinging. He is easily and unflaggingly his own rhythm section; in several places, his orchestral conception conveys a big band feeling to the date.
Tracklist
Total time: 120:12 min.
CD 1
01. Yesterdays (Harbach-Kern) 7:20
02. Who? (Hammerstein-Harbach-Kern) 6:06
03. A Cottage for Sale (Conley-Robinson) 6:23
04. That Old Feeling (Brown-Fain) 5:19
05. Over the Rainbow (Arlen-Harburg) 10:36
06. Afternoon of an Elf (Erroll Garner) 5:52
07. Solitaire (Erroll Garner) 6:28
08. Sleep (Earl Lebieg) 5:44 *
09. When a Gypsy Makes His Violin Cry (Deutsch-Rogan-Smith-Winegar) 5:11
CD 2
01. A Smooth One (Christian-Goodman) 4:24
02. I'll Never Smile Again (Ruth Lowe) 5:31
03. Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby (Austin-Jordan) 3:56
04. Love in Bloom (Rainger-Robin) 5:30
05. Fandango (Erroll Garner) 5:00
06. It's the Talk of the Town (Livingston-Neiburg-Symes) 6:00
07. Salud Segovia (Erroll Garner) 6:12
08. Then You've Never Been Blue (Fiorito-Lewis-Young) 6:12
09. Don't Be That Way (Goodman-Sampson-Parish) 6:22
10. All My Loves Are You (Erroll Garner) 5:00
11. St. James Infirmary (Traditional) 6:08
Album details
Sources:
CD 1, track #6, and CD 2 tracks #1,3,5,9-11 originally issued on the 12" LP "Afternoon Of An Elf" (Mercury MG20090)
CD 2, track # 4 originally issued on the 12" LP "Plays Misty" (EmArcy MG20062)
CD 1, tracks #3-5, 7 and CD 2, tracks #2,6,8 originally issued on the 12" LP "Solitaire" (EmArcy MG36063)
CD 1 tracks #1-2,9, and CD 2 track #7 originally issued on the 12" LP
"Erroll! In The Land Of Hi-Fi" (EmArcy MG36069)
Note: Track #8 on CD 1, appeared briefly on the original issue EmArcy MG36069, but for some reason it was replaced by 'Imagination' (a quartet track from the July 27, 1954 session) on later issues.
Erroll Garner (piano solo, celesta on CD 1, track #8).
All tracks recorded in New York, on March 14, 1955
Original recordings produced by Bob Shad
This reissue produced by Jordi Pujol and "Beethoven" (Jean-Michel Reisser)
Special thanks to J. Calvados
Hi Fi / Mono · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas S.L.Press reviews
-Solitaire
"On March 14, 1955, Erroll Garner sat down at the piano and played one interesting solo after another, resulting in two albums of music. Seven pieces (all but "That Old Feeling" are taken as ballads) were originally released as Solitaire [...] This rhapsodic and occasionally wandering -but always intriguing- set should greatly interest fans."
-Afternoon Of An Elf
"This long out-of-print LP features a typically exuberant solo set by pianist Erroll Garner. Garner actually recorded 20 selections during the one session, seven of which are on the album. The distinctive pianist introduces three of his originals (including the title cut) and comes up with clever reworkings of four standards, highlighted by a well-disguised "St. James Infirmary" and a witty rendition of "A Smooth One." Few pianists showed as much consistent enthusiasm and inventiveness within a set style as Erroll Garner, and this fine LP is quite enjoyable."
Both by Scott Yanow -All Music Guide
