Red Garland, Ron Carter, Philly Joe Jones - Crossings (US Galaxy Vinyl LP)

Vinyl: EX
Sleeve: VG+ (still in original shrink wrap)

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Red Garland, Ron Carter, Philly Joe Jones - Crossings Vinyl LP - US Galaxy Records Santa Maria Pressing

A meeting of three masters from different eras of jazz, Crossings brings together pianist Red Garland, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Philly Joe Jones for a swinging, blues-drenched piano trio session. Recorded in December 1977 at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley and released in July 1978 on Galaxy Records, this album represents a beautiful crossing of generations and styles: Garland and Jones, both veterans of Miles Davis' legendary first quintet of the 1950s, reuniting with Carter, who came to prominence with Davis' revolutionary second quintet of the 1960s.

Red Garland's piano playing defined the sound of hard bop piano in the 1950s. His block chord style, bluesy touch, and gift for creating groove made him Miles Davis' first-choice pianist during the classic quintet period. By 1977, Garland had experienced career ups and downs, including a period away from music, but his playing here demonstrates that his touch and timing remained impeccable.

The album opens with Miles Davis' composition "Solar", a piece both Garland and Jones would have known intimately from their Davis days. The familiarity shows in their relaxed, authoritative interpretation. "Railroad Crossing" likely references the intersection of these three musicians' careers, while the standard "Never Let Me Go" receives a tender ballad treatment that showcases Garland's gift for melodic embellishment. Sonny Rollins' "Oleo" closes the first side with an uptempo romp through bebop changes.

Side two presents "But Not For Me" and Cole Porter's "Love For Sale", both standards given fresh life through the trio's interaction. Ron Carter's bass playing throughout is a marvel of melodic invention and rhythmic solidity. His tone, always impeccable, and his harmonic sophistication represent the more modern approach he developed with the Miles Davis Second Quintet, creating an interesting contrast with Garland's more traditional hard bop vocabulary.

Philly Joe Jones, despite health issues that would contribute to his death just seven years later, plays with characteristic fire and swing. His brush work is delicate, his cymbal playing shimmers, and his ability to propel the music forward while remaining utterly musical makes it clear why he was Davis' favourite drummer. The chemistry between Jones and Garland, forged in the 1950s, remains intact, while Carter adapts brilliantly to their aesthetic.

Recorded and mixed by Bruce Walford at Fantasy Studios and mastered by David Turner, also at Fantasy, this Galaxy Records release benefits from excellent engineering that captures the intimacy of the piano trio format. The Santa Maria pressing plant was Fantasy's own facility, known for generally good quality control. Distributed by Fantasy Records, this album represents the tail end of the 1970s acoustic jazz revival that saw veteran players like Garland recording prolifically again.