Jazz for aficionados

OK frog, educate me.

I enjoyed the (new to me) example of Garland's playing.  However I heard him play in that "block chord" style up until 1:17, which sounded like a typical group ensemble intro.  Then I heard single note lines up to 2:50, which for me was more of a solo focus, after which he reverted to chords, like a larger group joining in following a solo.  So my impression was this was not all that different from other pianist's styles of mixing the two technics.

Since Garland plays both ways, is it a heavier dominance of block chording that you are referring to?  I would like to better understand this.

Jeez, what a long thread! Nobody's mentioned the BEST out-there sax player of today: Peter Brotzmann! Checkout "Machine gun"! Plenty of his recordings available on vinyl from the Bay!

Killer little known record.  Red Garland, the great Phil Woods and to try and keep up with Alex a little known, but great trumpet player Ray Copeland; rest of the rhythm section not too shabby 😎 (great!):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JIRWpxSoYDw

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uS4dFEzn5MU

orpheus, I haven’t read much of a Hawes, I must correct that...

*.*
Bonga - Mona Ki Ngi Xica
with pretty photo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQe6hTKX35o

with lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvr6F6kwyEo

p.s.
awesome music you all are posting...

pryso, your observations are correct and good for you for digging deeper. Yes, he plays both ways and his style is a heavier dominance of block chording. Importantly, it was the way he did it with a distinctive voicing (arrangement of notes) that he used in those block chords that gave him a distinctive sound. I disagree that this was no different than other pianists’ use of the two techniques. Yes, some players will use chords in their solos, but not with the exact same and unique voicing for each chord nor to that degree which is what gave him that unique sound. My point in comparing Evans to was that I wondered if this influenced Evans’ playing on that record. Evans plays almost exclusively in a block chord style on “Jazz Track”; rather unusual for him up until then. I could not have explained it better:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Garland

**** Playing style

Garland’s trademark block chord technique, a commonly borrowed maneuver in jazz piano today, was unique and differed from the methods of earlier block chord pioneers such as George Shearing and Milt Buckner. Garland’s block chords were constructed of three notes in the right hand and four in the left hand, with the right hand one octave above the left. Garland’s left hand played four-note chords that simultaneously beat out the same exact rhythm as the right-hand melody played. But unlike George Shearing’s block chord method, Garland’s left-hand chords did not change positions or inversions until the next chord change occurred. It is also worth noting that Garland’s four-note left-hand chord voicings frequently left out the roots of the chords, a chord style later associated with pianist Bill Evans. ****

http://www.riccardoscivales.com/billy-boy-red-garlands-block-chords-style/

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J3UnzDeZ8lI

Btw, I don’t set out to educate, but to comment based on what is important to me when listening to music. If asked, as you did, I will gladly try and explain. I hope the above links helped clarify.