Red Garland
Piano Solo on
Surrey with the Fringe on Top

About

Red Garland's piano solo is the last of three solos on this recording, following John Coltrane on tenor sax. Spanning two choruses of the 40-bar AABAC form in B♭ at a moderate 124 BPM with a swing feel, Garland closes with two elegantly swinging piano choruses. Garland brings both harmonic sophistication and melodic invention to the improvisation, utilizing the piano's full range to build and release tension throughout. "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" is a masterful reinterpretation of Richard Rodgers's show tune from Oklahoma!, recorded by Miles Davis for his 1956 Prestige album Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet.

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