Another trio recording eh, i can assure you that it’s a coincidence, but i guess it illustrates Paul Chambers’ preferred setting, if he had one. The trio recordings he participated in were numerous and frequent. Wynton Kelly used him from 1958 until a short time before his all too early death. At the time of this recording, Red Garland was starting out his own group. ‘Red Garland’s Piano’ is in fact his second album for Prestige Records, before the end of 1958 he would rack up another fifteen, and Chambers and Art Taylor would feature heavily.
You would be excused to think that with that kind of catalogue there’s bound to be some fillers and not all killers, but with Garland you get quality. His trio recordings are easy on the ear but not trivial. This one starts out sedate, with a blues, his trademark block chords and airy loping notes welcomes you gently before your foot gets stompin’ on the next one. ‘If I Were A Bell’ comes with an intro hinting of his choice before he sets off. Garland and Chambers are the soloists, Taylor is the pace keeper. This is a very groovy album, not bursting with raw energy but emotional enough to fall in love with.

1. Please Send Me Someone To Love - 9:51 (Mayfield)
2. Stompin’ At The Savoy - 3:12 (Goodman, Razaf, Sampson, Webb)
3. The Very Thought Of You - 4:12 (Noble)
4. Almost Like Being In Love - 4:52 (Lerner, Loewe)
5. If I Were A Bell - 6:41 (Loesser)
6. I Know Why (And So Do You) - 4:50 (Gordon, Warren)
7. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love - 5:05 (Fields, McHugh)
8. But Not For Me - 5:52 (Gershwin, Gershwin)

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack New Jersey on 14. December 1956 and 22. March 1957

Red Garland, Piano
Paul Chambers, Bass
Art Taylor, Drums

Go on, have a listen to If I Were A Bell in the player