Erroll The Essential LPs (HC) (2020)

Erroll Garner (1921-1977) was an inimitable jazz pianist and composer who enjoyed international recognition performing for audiences in concert halls and clubs throughout the world. He released many of his own compositions as well as popular songs on more than forty record labels throughout his career. In Erroll: The Essential LPs, author Jim Doran surveys well over a hundred 10- and 12-inch LPs produced over Garner's thirty years of recorded output. Each LP has its own page, in color, that lists the song titles and discographical information, including personnel, dates, and locations of the recording sessions. Doran celebrates those individuals behind the scenes who produced the visual art of the album covers-the art directors, graphic designers, photographers, artists, and illustrators. He also takes note of the record labels, including Atlantic, Blue Note, Columbia, Mercury, MGM, Philips, and Savoy. Also included is a well-crafted biography that takes us from Garner and his twin brother's birth in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh all the way through his magnificent career starting with the Kan-D-Kids on radio station KQV. This book is a visual extravaganza and a remarkable achievement that dignifies the life and recorded output of Erroll Garner. This volume is certainly an important addition to the literature of jazz that will serve scholars, researchers, and Garner collectors for many years to come.