Available Now: Erroll Garner | “Magician” (Octave Remastered Series) via Mack Avenue Records

COMING THIS FRIDAY via

Mack Avenue Music Group and Octave Music:
Erroll Garner’s Magician from
Critically Acclaimed Octave Remastered Series
Newly Restored and Expanded Edition Features
Some of His Best Original Compositions
Alongside a Series of Timeless Contemporary
Takes on American Songbook Classics

Critical Acclaim for the Octave Remastered Series:

Erroll Garner featured in Variety

Erroll Garner’s A Night at the Movies Reviewed on NPR Fresh Air

“Octave 103” featured in The New York Times Playlist

“These albums have left me looking forward to 

what else is to come out of Octave’s vaults.” – The Arts Fuse

“He improvises with wit, style and grace, and he swings like mad. That joy he

radiated is still contagious. You could catch it even now.” – NPR Fresh Air

“…the improved sound quality…is really this series’ raison d’être.” – WBGO

The Octave Remastered Series – a historic year-long, 12-album project featuring newly restored and expanded editions of classic Erroll Garner releases from the 1960s and 1970s – continues with their tenth release Magician coming this Friday, May 15.

Each album contains a newly discovered unreleased bonus track. The first ten titles in the series – Dreamstreet, Closeup in Swing, One World Concert, A New Kind of Love, A Night at the Movies, Campus Concert, That’s My Kick, Up in Erroll’s Room, Feeling Is Believing, Gemini – were released to critical acclaim.

The master tapes for all 12 albums in the series were transferred and restored using the Plangent playback system. Employing a wideband tape head, preamp and DSP package to capture and track the original recorder’s ultrasonic bias remnant, the Plangent Process removes the wow and flutter and FM/IM distortion from the recorded audio. This returns the listener to the original session experience, bringing to life Garner’s incomparable performances of his own compositions, as well as classic works from the jazz canon.

Album Notes:

Magician | May 15

The selections Garner committed to tape in the fall of 1973 include what may be some of his best original compositions, alongside a series of timeless contemporary takes on American Songbook classics. Though it would turn out to be the final studio album of his life, it makes clear that Garner was continuing to innovate on his distinctly individualistic style, and surely would have for decades to come.

The newly minted bonus tracks in the series are all Garner originals, eight of the 12 being previously unreleased compositions. “It’s truly shocking, and one of the greatest joys of this work, to find these fully realized tunes just sitting there on tape,” says Peter Lockhart, senior producer of the Octave Remastered Series.

One of the most prolific composers and performers in the history of jazz, as well as a courageous advocate for African American artistic freedom through the ownership and control over his own works. Garner is a legend among jazz pianists. His unique approach melds bebop and swing influences into a unique, unrivaled mastery.

Garner is also a notable figure in popular music history for the hard-won precedents he set for artistic freedom that still stand today. In 1959, because he had rights of approval on what was released, Garner successfully sued Columbia Records to remove an album they had released without his permission.

His victory was the first of its kind for any American artist in the music industry. Garner and his manager, Martha Glaser, subsequently founded and launched Octave Records, whose 12 releases make up the Octave Remastered Series.

Erroll Garner was a rare musician who was equally adored and respected by peers and devoted fans alike. He and his art were best summed up by the late trumpeter Clark Terry: “The man was complete. He could do it all.”

About Erroll Garner & His Legacy:

One of the most prolific composers and performers in the history of jazz, as well as a courageous advocate for African-American empowerment and artistic freedom, Garner is a legend among jazz pianists. His unique approach melds bebop and swing influences into a unique, unrivaled mastery.

In addition to his brilliant keyboard artistry, Garner is also a notable figure in popular music history for the hard-won precedents he set for artistic freedom that still stand today. In 1959, because he had rights of approval on what was released, Garner successfully sued Columbia Records to remove an album they had released without his permission.

His victory was the first of its kind for any American artist in the music industry. Garner and his manager, Martha Glaser, subsequently founded and launched Octave Records, whose 12 releases make up the Octave Remastered Series.

Erroll Garner was a rare musician who was equally adored and respected by peers and devoted fans alike. He and his art were best summed up by the late trumpeter Clark Terry: “The man was complete. He could do it all.”

For press materials on Erroll Garner, Mack Avenue artists or its family of imprints

(including album covers, promotional photos and logos), please visit mackavenue.com/media

MACK AVENUE · the road to great music · mackavenue.com
OCTAVE MUSIC · the home of Erroll Garner · errollgarner.com

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DL Media · 267-541-2784
Maureen McFadden · maureen@dlmediamusic.com
Nuria Hunter · nuria@dlmediamusic.com

Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com