Honeysuckle Rose

Erroll Garner

“A typically unique version of a standard from the great pianist”

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Erroll Garner was a true original from his early days in the mid-1940s through the next three decades.

This performance, from the admirable British television series Jazz 625 in 1964, features Garner really cooking on Fats Waller’s “Honeysuckle Rose.”

After a long introduction that includes some stride piano and boogie-woogie without hinting at all at what was to come, Garner launches into “Honeysuckle Rose” at a fast tempo while bassist Eddie Calhoun and drummer Kelly Martin manage to keep up.

After a boppish segment, Garner shows just how powerful a stride pianist he could be, which is particularly impressive considering that in his career he rarely engaged in striding.

This performance is filled with pure happiness.

Personnel:

Erroll Garner, piano
Eddie Calhoun, bass
Kelly Martin, drums

– Scott Yanow

 

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