Great choice by Alex; great record.
I love Red Garland’s playing. Obviously, we all like certain styles of playing and not others and Garland sure had a very distinctive style; and one which influenced many other piano players. For me, there was a tremendous amount of swagger In his swing feel, but it was his pioneering use of “block chords” for soloing that made his style distinctive and influential. Instead of single note lines in a solo, each note would be harmonized in like fashion. One hears a series of chords (with the melody notes on top of the chord) instead of the usual single note lines with independent left hand chord accompaniment. Both hands moved together.
Btw, Keegiam it was Bill Evans on “So What” from KOB. If you have the 1986 reissue, Wynton Kelly played on a different and alternate take of “So What” that does not appear on the original KOB. Is that what you refer to? Garland played on the Miles’ record “Milestones”.
Check this out for a great and fascinating explanation-by-example of block chords. At the start of this tune from “Relaxin With The Miles Davis Quintet” we can hear “studio chatter” from the players. Garland starts the intro to “You’re My Everything” with a typical single note line. Miles is heard whistling loudly to stop the band and we hear his gravelly voice saying “Play some block chords, Red..block chords, Red”. They start the tune again and we hear Garland’s intro again, now with block chords. That was his signature sound. Obviously, Miles liked it.
https://youtu.be/COqizkflS9UFrom “Milestones”. On his solo on this tune Garland changes from single note lines to the use of “block chords” at 7:30:
https://youtu.be/erlKauAFwSwTwo other favorite Garland recordings that may or may not change your mind:
https://youtu.be/57IY0wDqdCshttps://youtu.be/LYVgQVnUkmAhttps://youtu.be/2fj0Qu8d864https://youtu.be/GBLQMPtgGbU
