George Shearing
Born August 13th 1919
George Shearing is a well-known British jazz pianist.
He was born blind and started to learn piano at the age of three.
After limited training and extensive listening to
recorded jazz, he began playing at hotels, clubs and pubs in the London area, sometimes solo, occasionally with dance
bands.
In 1940. he joined Harry Parry's popular band and became a star in Britain, performing for the BBC, playing with
Stephane Grappelli in the early 1940s, and winning seven consecutive Melody Maker polls.
In 1946, George Shearing established himself in the United States.
Performing as a quintet with piano guitar, bass, drums and vibraphone), which over the years included Cal Tjader,
Margie Hyams, Denzil Best, Israel Crosby, Joe Pass and Gary Burton, He had a succession of hugely popular records
including
"September in the Rain", and his own composition,
"Lullaby of Birdland",
His
style, including the joint playing of the melody by piano and vibraphone, was also widely copied.
Later, He played with a trio, as a solo and increasingly in duo. Among his collaborations have been sets with the
Montgomery Brothers, Marian McPartland, Brian Torff, Jim Hall, Hank Jones and Kenny Davern.
In the 1970s, his profile was lowered considerably, but upon signing with Concord Records in 1979, he found himself
enjoying a renaissance.
Over the years, he has collaborated with singers including Peggy Lee, Ernestine Anderson, Carmen McRae, and,
most notably, Mel Tormé, with whom he performed frequently in the late 80s and early 90s at festivals, on radio
and for recordings.
His interest in classical music resulted in some performances with concert orchestras in the 1950s and 1960s, and his
solos frequently draw upon the music of Debussy and, particularly, Erik Satie for inspiration.
He also made a
recording with the classical French horn player Barry Tuckwell