Always loved shearing..midnite on cloud 69...and a later album live on stage at claremount college. The late great pianist jack wilson named shearing as a major influence. His first group had george's instrumentation with roy ayers on vibes..The jack wilson quartet on atlantic and something personal on bluenote. The great george shearing!!! Thank you for the posting Kinya!
a sound never to be duplicated, perfect unison of musical instruments. No matter how many times he played April the phrasing and chordeing was the same
I was privledged to see him in Chicago at the London House
Really wonderful. I spent some time with Ross Tompkins during recording, and he could play in a Shearing way. To see and hear these caliber of players in person is something that never leaves you. I feel that way about having seen Jack Sheldon play many times too.
I played this on an old pub piano when I was 17.Mastered part of the Shearing solo but couldn't master those locked hands chords so had to do my own thing. The landlord was pleased and offered me a job in his pub playing on a Saturday nite. This was in Oxford UK
George lives in his musical recordings..remember the test of good art or good music is.....................TIME ....baby TIME..George's sound will always stimulate the synapsis of the human brain.
Thanks for posting. Now you just have to give us that other month-song, "September in the Rain," by this same quintet! ; )
This group's 'discovery' of ensemble unison playing-- even over passages that sound improvised-- was quite wonderful and distinctive. I put this on for people who don't yet know that they like Jazz.
Tis a real jazz. How sweet their sounds are; Marjorie's vibraphone , John's bass, and others' as well. The pictures show us the heyday of "jazz".
Thank you so much, kondolfine. You're great.
When I was a kid -- about 16 -- I was in a group that copied both instrumentation and style of Shearing's group. We even got some work doing it! The Shearing group was that much of a hit.
I'll remember April, the song, and Sir George Shearing, especially on Valentines Day each anniversary of his passing. His whole body of work is a valentine given to mankind.
Shearing had such an ear for what he did. I grew up listening to his records around my house. Both my folks were musicians...His playing was flawless, his craftsmanship through the years never wavered or slowed. He got an even fuller, richer sound as he grew older. Then when he was well along...Neil Swainson showed up, bringing to the table a new generation of Shearing lovers that fresh sound - to the table.
