Erroll Louis Garner (1921-1977) was one of the greatest and most popular pianists in jazz history.

At three years of age, being the youngest of six very musical siblings, he was able to play everything by ear, that the family's piano teacher presented to him. Reading sheet music, on the other hand, was of no interest to Garner, who had a phenomenal musical memory. When asked about this, he once said: "You can't hear me reading."

Garner belongs to a line of pianists in jazz history who, with their virtuosity and musicality, were able to conquer a worldwide audience, that reached far beyond the specialist circles, among them were also Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson.

Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city with a rich piano tradition with talents like Billy Strayhorn and Ahmad Jamal, he soon became a local child star and began performing on the radio. In 1944 he moved to New York and made his first recordings with Slam Stewart, Don Byas and Charlie Parker. At this time he also made his first solo recordings, which were released under the title 'Overture to Dawn'. With his album 'Concert By The Sea', which was recorded in 1955, he finally reached an audience of millions. He made recordings in quick succession with his trios and as a soloist, and a rich selection of his most successful works is collected here. The orchestral album 'Other Voices' being a rare exception.

After his death at the age of 55, interest in Garner's music faded. Only his most famous composition 'Misty' became a jazz standard. From the 1970s onwards, pianists such as Herbie Hancock, Cecil Taylor and Keith Jarrett dominated the scene. The Jamaican Monty Alexander was the only one carrying on the swinging legacy of Peterson and Garner. In the last years of her life, the extraordinary pianist Geri Allen (1957-2017) campaigned for Garner's musical legacy, and several of Garner's records have since been re-released. With her student Christian Sands (born in 1989), a musician is currently in the centre of worldwide attention, who fills this important tradition of the mainstream jazz piano virtuoso with new life and new impulses.