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Jimmy Garrison

Bassist Jimmy Garrison was the anchor in the classic John Coltrane Quartet, from 1961-'66, which recorded all of its well-known albums on Impulse. Garrison's big, blunt sound, steady time and inventive counter lines were an elemental ingredient in the sound of that famous group. He actually fitted into the group with great insight, supplying a traditional role on the more straight ahead material and exploratory counter melodies and responses as the music grew more progressive.

Garrison was born on March 3, 1934, in Miami, but grew up in Philadelphia, where he first played briefly with Coltrane and McCoy Tyner, in 1957. Garrison moved to New York the following year, where he worked with Curtis Fuller, Philly Joe Jones, Benny Golson, Bill Evans, Kenny Dorham and Lennie Tristano.

Garrison’s early work with Ornette Coleman earned him respect and recognition in the New York jazz circle, and his joint effort with Elvin Jones in that period is thought to be some of Coleman’s best outings.

His first record with Coleman was “Art of the Improvisers,” (Atlantic, 1959). In 1960, he made “My Favorite Things” (Atlantic) with Coltrane. He continued to play with Coleman and others, but by 1962 his job with Coltrane had essentially become full-time. Garrison remained with Coltrane until the saxophonist's death in July 1967. “The Olatunji Concert: The Last Live Recording” (Impulse!, 2001), a live recording made by Coltrane just a couple of months before his death, includes Garrison with Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Rashied Ali, and Jumma Santos. After Coltrane, Garrison worked with Ornette Coleman once again, and played on record dates led by Sanders, Jones, Shepp, Sonny Rollins, and Alice Coltrane. He was featured on quite an extensive number of sessions as bassist. He also taught at Bennington and Wesleyan colleges

Jimmy Garrison died on April 7, 1976, in New York.

Recommended recordings: Live At The Village Vanguard (Impulse!), A Love Supreme (Impulse!) Source: James Nadal

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15
Album Review

Alice Coltrane: The Carnegie Hall Concert

Read "The Carnegie Hall Concert" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


The most perfect of time machines, with no errant destinations and no abrupt landings, The Carnegie Hall Concert transports one to a time when artists took their art seriously, when it was sacrosanct. Alice Coltrane's harp comes on like the siren lure of angels, like a missionary, calling all to stop their labor. It seems to say, “Come to listen, come to wonder, come to rest, don't be afraid." And Coltrane wasn't, not ever. Here she was with ...

8
Album Review

John Coltrane: Sun Ship

Read "Sun Ship" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Why is a 180-gram vinyl reissue of John Coltrane's Sun Ship, remastered from the original tapes, important? If you are old enough, you'll remember the advent of the compact disc. After the CD was introduced in the 1980s, listeners abandoned their vinyl collections in favor of the promise of this new technology which was free from the nasty clicks and pops their LPs delivered. What they gave up in the name of cleanliness did come at a cost, and we're ...

Album Review

Ornette Coleman: New York Is Now & Love Call Revisited

Read "New York Is Now & Love Call Revisited" reviewed by Stefano Merighi


Verso la fine degli anni Sessanta, il jazz deve combattere una battaglia impari contro il mondo del nuovo rock, sviluppatosi dopo l'anno del flower power e dell'influsso dei nuovi gruppi inglesi negli USA. Il pubblico è attratto dalle insorgenti fusioni stilistiche--che Miles Davis intercetta con genialità--ed evita con indifferenza il mainstream e ancor più la durezza dell'avanguardia legata al free jazz. Anche la figura cristallina di Ornette Coleman non se la passa troppo bene, tra difficoltà discografiche e ...

5
Liner Notes

John Coltrane: Song Of Praise: New York 1965 Revisited

Read "John Coltrane: Song Of Praise: New York 1965 Revisited" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Witness [ wit-nis ] an individual who, being present, personally sees or perceives a thing; a beholder, spectator, or eyewitness. Have you ever considered yourself a witness to history? If you answered in the affirmative, let me posit that it was only after time and reflection that this notion occurred to you. Did the soldiers standing in the mud and muck at the Somme during the Great War in 1916 comprehend the significance of the moment? And more ...

7
Album Review

John Coltrane: Favorites Revisited

Read "Favorites Revisited" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Besides “Giant Steps," the songs that every Coltrane fan, er fanatic, has probably committed to memory note-for-note are the three presented here, “Naima," “My Favorite Things" and the four-part suite “A Love Supreme." It is as if those sounds had existed even before John Coltrane penned them. Forgive the hyperbole, but listeners of the great man's music, even newcomers, undoubtedly recognize the treasure these are. Proof certain were the audiences' requests for Coltrane and his quartet of pianist McCoy Tyner, ...

Album Review

John Coltrane: Song Of Praise: New York 1965 Revisited

Read "Song Of Praise: New York 1965 Revisited" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini


John Coltrane è uno dei pilastri centrali attorno ai quali si è strutturato il jazz moderno. Un suo concerto newyorkese del 1965, al Half Note, era uscito dopo 40 anni sul CD doppio One Down, One Up: Live at the Half Note (Impulse!) nel 2005. In quel caso si era mantenuto l'ordine strettamente cronologico partendo con i due brani tratti dal concerto del 26 marzo ("One Down, One Up" e “Afro-Blue") per poi procedere con i due brani tratti dal ...

13
Album Review

John Coltrane: Favorites Revisited

Read "Favorites Revisited" reviewed by Chris May


A major event for connoisseurs of John Coltrane's classic quartet, Favorites Revisited delivers one and a quarter hours of landmark live recordings in state-of-the-art 21st century audio. Professionally recorded, and therefore sounding pretty good even on original release, the material now benefits from remastering by the ezz-thetics label's sonic jedi Michael Brändli. At times, it almost feels like one is hearing the music for the first time. A three-track disc, the first two tracks are “Naima" and ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Jimmy Garrison's birthday today!

Bassist Jimmy Garrison was the anchor in the classic John Coltrane Quartet, from 1961-'66, which recorded all of its well-known albums on Impulse. Garrison's big, blunt sound, steady time and inventive counter lines were an elemental ingredient in the sound of that famous group. He actually fitted into the group with great insight, supplying a traditional role on the more straight ahead material and exploratory counter melodies and responses as the ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Jimmy Garrison's birthday today!

Bassist Jimmy Garrison was the anchor in the classic John Coltrane Quartet, from 1961-'66, which recorded all of its well-known albums on Impulse. Garrison's big, blunt sound, steady time and inventive counter lines were an elemental ingredient in the sound of that famous group. He actually fitted into the group with great insight, supplying a traditional role on the more straight ahead material and exploratory counter melodies and responses as the ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Jimmy Garrison's birthday today!

Bassist Jimmy Garrison was the anchor in the classic John Coltrane Quartet, from 1961-'66, which recorded all of its well-known albums on Impulse. Garrison's big, blunt sound, steady time and inventive counter lines were an elemental ingredient in the sound of that famous group. He actually fitted into the group with great insight, supplying a traditional role on the more straight ahead material and exploratory counter melodies and responses as the ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Jimmy Garrison's birthday today!

Bassist Jimmy Garrison was the anchor in the classic John Coltrane Quartet, from 1961-'66, which recorded all of its well-known albums on Impulse. Garrison's big, blunt sound, steady time and inventive counter lines were an elemental ingredient in the sound of that famous group. He actually fitted into the group with great insight, supplying a traditional role on the more straight ahead material and exploratory counter melodies and responses as the ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci


Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci


1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci


1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci


1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci


Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jimmy Garrison

Source: Michael Ricci


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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Carnegie Hall...

Impulse! Records
2024

buy

Sun Ship

VMP Classics
2023

buy

Favorites Revisited

Ezz-thetics
2022

buy

A Love Supreme - Live...

Impulse! Records
2021

buy

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