Re-Visiting The Complete Concert by the Sea
Errol Garner
The Complete Concert by the Sea
Sony Legacy, 2015
In the house I grew up in there was a copy of the original on vinyl, at least two on cassette and when I came back to visit, I found a copy on CD. It was a popular recording to say the least. Concert by the Sea, is one of those magical recordings that transcends time, place and genre. People who wouldn’t identify as jazz fans helped make this required listening.
The single disc release has been lovingly restored, cleaned up and re-released in it’s entirety in this 3 disc boxed set. Recorded on September 19, 1955 at the Sunset School in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, by a fan and recording engineer of Armed Forces Radio Network, Will Thornbury, it was never intended for commercial release. Martha Glasser, Garner’s personal manager saw the recording equipment and confiscated the tapes, which she later played for Sony. Released less than a month later, it went Gold by 1958, no small feat for a Jazz album.
The re-issue doubles the amount of music with 11 previously unreleased tracks, including the introductions by the promoter, Jimmy Lyons, as well as a post show interview by Thornbury.
Originally muddied, the sound is greatly improved.
“Mambo Carmel” is a bright eyed number made fresh once more. “April in Paris” winks slyly for still holding up as the soundtrack of many a great swingin’ bachelor pad. From the newer material, “Bernies Tune” is a stand out. Starting off playfully, it soon enough launches into a double quick bop feel. “Lullaby of Birdland,” strides with a confident playfulness. Bassist Eddie Calhoun and the drummer Denzil DaCosta Best deliver enlivened performances, recognizing they were there to bolster Garner’s performance.
This isn’t just an album for purists or completist type fans. It’s here to be discovered and delighted in by new listeners as much as old, this time with a more clear picture of all that transpired in that sleepy sea side town.
