Arvin Charles Garrison (August 17, 1922 – July 30, 1960) was an American jazz guitarist. He was born in Toledo, Ohio, and spent most of his life there.[1][2][3]
Garrison taught himself ukulele at age nine and played guitar for dances and local functions beginning at the age of twelve. He led his own band at a hotel in Albany, New York, in 1941.[3] He married a double bassist and performed with her in a group under her name, the Vivien Garry Trio. They recorded one album.[2]
In the 1950s he returned to Toledo and played locally. In 1960, while he was swimming, he died when he had an epileptic seizure in the water.[2]
Discography
Vivien Garry Quartet, Central Avenue Breakdown Vol. 1 (Onyx, 1974) split album with Teddy Edwards and Dodo Marmarosa; includes "Hopscotch", "I Surrender Dear", "Where You At", "I've Got To, That's All", "Tonsillectomy", and "These Foolish Things" recorded 1945 for Sarco Records in Hollywood, California[2]
Swing to Bop Guitar: Guitars in Flight 1939–1947 (Hep, 2000) various artists CD anthology; includes Garrison's "Five Guitars in Flight" recorded 1946 for Black & White Records with Earle Spencer's Orchestra)
Charlie Parker, The Complete Charlie Parker Vol. 2: Now's The Time 1945–1946 (Frémeaux & Associés, 2011)[2]
The Complete Dial Modern Jazz Sessions (Mosaic, 2014) various artists 9-CD box set; includes Garrison's February 1946 Dial Records session with Dizzy Gillespie's Tempo Jazzmen, his March 1946 session with Charlie Parker's septet, and his October 1946 session with the Howard McGhee/Dodo Marmarosa Sextet
The Unknown Arv Garrison: Wizard of the Six String (Fresh Sound, 2021) various artists 3-CD box set
References
^Barry Kernfeld, ed. (2002). "Garrison, Arv(in Charles)". The new Grove dictionary of jazz, vol. 2 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries Inc. p. 18. ISBN1561592846.
^ abcdefYanow, Scott (2013). The Great Jazz Guitarists. San Francisco: Backbeat. p. 81. ISBN978-1-61713-023-6.
^ abChadbourne, Eugene. "Arv Garrison". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
Further reading
Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler, The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford, 1999, pp. 247–48.
