Red Garland
Piano Solo on
Tune Up

About

Red Garland's piano solo is the last of three solos on this performance, following John Coltrane on tenor sax. Spanning three choruses of the 16-bar form in B♭ at a blazing 319 BPM with a swing feel,"Tune Up/When Lights Are Low" from Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet is a medley that pairs two contrasting compositions, recorded during the prolific 1956 session at Rudy Van Gelder's studio. Garland brings both harmonic sophistication and melodic invention to the improvisation, utilizing the piano's full range to build and release tension throughout.

Red Garland was 32 to 33 years old at the time.