George Shearing -- Dead at 91

George Shearing has died of congestive heart failure in New York. He was 91. The British jazz pianist, who performed for years with his George Shearing Quintet, composed the standard, Lullaby of Birdland, an ode to the famous New York jazz club. Shearing's first hit with his quintet was September in the Rain.
 
I was fortunate enough to have been at several of his performances at Birdland, including one when he teamed with Dave Brubeck for a couple of sets.

Here you go again Michael----talking about people who no one but you and I ever heard of----well maybe Seafarer John, but he is probably visiting Florida to warm up and not on Roadfood.
 
I had the thrill of seeing and listening to George Shearing twice -- both times with Mel Torme.  Once they threw in Gerry Mulligan for your dancing pleasure.  One time it was at Jones Beach open air ampitheater.
They really were great together.  Torme was as good as they get.
 
Made a list in my mind of my favorite male vocalists----In no particular order because on any given night it varies.
 
Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Sinatra, Joe Williams,  Johnny Hartman, Fred Astaire and of course ---- Bing (especially the early years).,
 

I know who all these people are.  And I can go a lot further back than that.  But I've studied popular entertainment in the first half of the 20th century for 40 years in all its forms, so I'm familiar with the subject matter.

I saw Shearing and Torme live at Cincinnati's Music Hall, the year their first duo album came out. Stan Getz was the opening act (and he was in a FOUL mood).
 
Simply amazing. Shearing's interest in and knowledge of classical music was especially delightful in his improvisations. I have an album where he starts with Satie's Gymnopedie #2 and turns it into "It Never Entered My Mind."
 
One of my all-time favorite pianists.

Lowis----I know who George Washington was too, studing history,
it is not the same as living it.  But it is great to know that people like Shearing are remembered and well thought of.
 
Hey, Deacon McKee you really know this stuff-----who is Satie? 
Didn't know anyone in Batavia knew so much.  Wasn't Batavia
 the country where a lot of mid-evil bad guys came from?
 
 
 
 
 
 

the ancient mariner

Hey, Deacon McKee you really know this stuff-----who is Satie? 
Didn't know anyone in Batavia knew so much.  Wasn't Batavia
the country where a lot of mid-evil bad guys came from?

Satie was a French composer, mid-19th to early-20th century.
 
I am a jazz guy from back in my college days; spent a lot of time -- and a bit of cash -- hanging out at the old Blue Wisp in Cincinnati, when it wasn't downtown, and heard a lot of folks live. Was introduced to Woody Herman by a former singer of his, saw Stan Kenton on several occasions, and generally absorbed a lot of jazz -- and a lot of opera --- over the years.
 
Batavia is east of Cincinnati. In Clermont County. So if I said Cincinnati, i'd be lying. :-)

Thanks for the info Brother Jim----I Loved Woddy Herman and his Woodchopper's Ball.  I have a few CDs of his----he once said in an interview that his success was all due to the Nuns who straightened him out in school and gave him a clarinet.
 
Kenton was a little progressive for me when he first appeared but I got used to him and love Eager Beaver and some others.
 
 
 

Being a child of the Rock n Roll era, I was only vaguely familiar with George Shearing, but I'm learning a lot today, thanks to this memorial broadcast which is going on all day today, thru 9PM on Columbia Univ radio, WKCR.
 
Listen here:
http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/wkcr/
 

Glad you are being educated.in the finer things in life.
There is hope for you yet.