Concert by the Sea
Erroll Garner · 1956
Concert by the Sea is a 1955 live Erroll Garner Trio album recorded at Sunset School in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It features Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums. The piano is out of tune. The bass and drums are receded. The acoustics are poor. The recording was made with primitive sound equipment. It was captured unofficially by Armed Forces Radio Network engineer Will Thornbury. Manager Martha Glaser discovered the tape backstage, edited it, and persuaded George Avakian to release it. Servicemen from Fort Ord were bused to attend. The concert took place in a gothic-revivalist assembly hall. It was a best-selling jazz album in its day. The decision to release it was easy for Avakian.