Erroll Garner and Art Tatum at Birdland, 1952
Photo by Marcel Fleiss
Ah, Misty, one of the sweetest tunes in the canon. Erroll Garners 1954 recording of his most romantic composition is a slice of heaven. Right from the start, he plays the theme a step behind the rhythm (and against his left hand), accenting it with perfect trills. The effect is 100 percent melancholy. The bassist and the drummer do fine, but they barely matter this is Garners showcase. Misty is lovers slow dancing. Misty is the lights down low. For these three minutes, time stops.