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| George Shearing... |
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Born in London in 1919 he began gigging in the late 1930s with the Ambrose band. In 1940-41 he was with Harry Parry. He began recording in London in the late 1930s and in the period up to 1945 made a large number of piano solo and trio records, (not detailed on this web page). Besides these he recorded from the late 1930s with a number of British jazzmen as detailed below He visited the USA in 1946, settling there permanently shortly afterwards, returning to London in 1948 as bop was developing here to make the trio records with Jack Fallon and Norman Burns. He died in February, 2011 at the age of 91. |
From 1949 to 1967 he led the extremely popular quintet bearing his name. He was always on the periphery of jazz although he was around the London bop scene in 1948 when things were about to happen and recorded with a surprising range of musicians. An accomplished pianist, he could play in any style from boogie to Bud Powell. It is only his early years that are of interest to the jazz follower but only his trio sides recorded in1948 are available on CD. He made many records over the years in the USA, they were always very musical and worth hearing... |
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Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer's Blue Six - June, 1938 (Lincon Rhythm Style) Jerry Kane (cl), Harry McCombe (vln), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Alf Hickman (b), Carlo Krahmer (d). Jada/In De Ruff. Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer's Blue Seven - June, 1938 (Lincon Rhythm Style) Jerry Kane (cl,bs), Harry McCombe (vln), Carlo Krahmer (vib), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis, Joe Dalton (g), Joe Muslin (b), Joe Kay (d). Girl Of My Dreams/Saturday Night Function/Vicology/ Daphne/ Feeling My Way. Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer Band - June 30th, 1938 (Lincon Rhythm Style) Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson (tp), George Chisholm (tb), Bertie King (cl,as), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Joe Muslin (b), Carlo Krahmer (d,vib). I Aint Got Nobody*/Shine On Harvest Moon*#/Angry*/Stooge Blues*#. (*Candid CD - Vic Lewis 'The Golden Years' 1938,1945 and 1946) (#Retrospective CD - George Chisholm The Gentleman of Jazz - A Centenary Tribute) Vic Lewis Jersey Jumpers - September 22nd, 1938 (Lincon) Bert Wade (tp), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Carlo Krahmer (d). Don't Be That Way/Why Do I Love You. Vic Lewis Chicago Stompers - September 24th, 1938 (Lincon) Al Baum (ts), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Carlo Krahmer (d). At The Jazz Band Ball/Black Eyes. Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer Band - January 10th, 1939 (Days Rhythm Style) Reg Arnold (tp), Jack Adare (cl,ts), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Carlo Krahmer (d). Mighty Like the Blues/Muskrat Ramble/There'll Come a Time/Jazz Me Blues/Sobbin' Blues/Boogie Woogie Blues. Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer Stompers - April 3rd, 1939 (Days Rhythm Style) Johnny Claes (cnt), Derek Neville (cl,ts), Reggie Dare (ts), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Wilky Davis (b), Carlo Krahmer (d). Exactly Like You/Runnin' Wild Blues/I Never Knew/7th Avenue At 51st. Street. Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer Chicagoans - April, 1939 (Days Rhythm Style) Reg Arnold (cnt), Jack Adare (cl), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Carlo Krahmer (d). King Porter Stomp/Sugarfoot Stomp/Tiger Jazz/I'll See You In My Dreams. Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer's Boys - February 13th, 1940 (HMV) Leo Wright (tp), Johnny Williams (as), George Shearing (p), Vic Lewis (g), Unknown (b), Carlo Krahmer (d). Love Is Just Around the Corner (unissued). Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - January 28th, 1941 (Parlophone) Harry Parry (cl), Roy Marsh (vib), George Shearing (p), Joe Deniz (g), Tommy Bromley (b), Ben Edwards (d). I've Found a New Baby*#/Black Eyes* (2 takes)/Boog It*/Softly As In A Morning Sunrise*. (#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm) (*JSP 5CD set - George Shearing - The Early Years) May 3rd, 1941 (Parlophone) Personnel as January 28th except Frank Deniz (g) and Sam Molineaux (b) replace Joe Deniz and Tommy Bromley. Dim Blues*/Parry Opus*/It Don't Count/I'm Young And Healthy. (*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets) July 19th, 1941 (Parlophone) Personnel as May 3rd, add Doreen Villiers (vocal). Champagne#/Honeysuckle Rose#/Don't Be That Way (vocal DV)#/Bounce Me Brother With a Solid four (vocal DV). (#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm) Melody Maker's Competition Band - May 31st, 1942 (Decca) Dave Wilkins, Kenny Baker, Tommy McQuater (tp), George Chisholm, Woolf Phillips (tb), Harry Parry (cl), Harry Hayes, George Evans, Aubrey Frank, Reggie Dare (ts), George Shearing (p), Joe Deniz (g), Tommy Bromley (b), Jock Cummings (d). Red Duster Rag*/Red Duster Rag. (*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) (*Hep Records CD - Kenny Baker, Birth of a Legend '41-'46) George Shearing Sextet - February 14th, 1944 (Decca) Kenny Baker (tp), Harry Hayes (as), Aubrey Frank (ts), George Shearing (p), Tommy Bromley (b), Carlo Krahmer (d). Cymbal Simon*/Riff Up Them Stairs*/Five Flat Flurry*^/Trunk Call*. (*Hep Records CD - Kenny Baker, Birth of a Legend '41-'46) (^Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) (*JSP 5CD set - George Shearing - The Early Years) Harry Hayes was the first British band where the new bop sounds began to emerge, although Hayes himself never got to grips with bop... Harry Hayes and his Band - October 7th, 1946 (HMV) Leo Wright (tp), Harry Hayes (as), Tommy Whittle (ts), Bill Lewington (bs), George Shearing (p), Alan Ferguson (g), Bert Howard (b), Billy Wiltshire (d). Familiar Moe#/High As A Kite#/A Flat To C#/Blue Charm*#. (*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) (# Harry Hayes 2 CD set - Harry Hayes and his Band - HMV recordings) (*JSP 5CD set - George Shearing - The Early Years) December 13th, 1946 (HMV) Johnny Wise (d) replaces Wiltshire. Let's Get Acquainted#/Alto Reverie#/Crazy Rhythm#/Rockin' In Rhythm*#. (*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) (# Harry Hayes 2 CD set - Harry Hayes and his Band - HMV recordings) Harry Hayes and his Band - April 24th, 1947 (HMV) Leo Wright (tp), Harry Hayes (as), Aubrey Frank (ts), Bill Lewington (bs), George Shearing (p), Alan Ferguson (g), Arthur O'Neill (b), Norman Burns (d). Scuttlebutt#. (# Harry Hayes 2 CD set - Harry Hayes and his Band - HMV recordings) Stephane Grappelly Quintet - April 25th, 1947 (Decca F8917) Stephane Grappelly (vln), George Shearing (p), Dave Goldberg (g), Coleridge Goode (b), Ray Ellington (d). Yellow House Stomp/Red-O-Ray/Channel Crossing (unissued)/In The Mode (unissued). Harry Hayes and his Band - May 5th, 1947 (HMV) Alan Franks (tp) replaces Wright. Ol' Man Rebop#/Lucky Number#/Dubonnet#. (# Harry Hayes 2 CD set - Harry Hayes and his Band - HMV recordings) With the inreasing interest in the new modern jazz sounds at this time, the 'Melody Maker' and 'Columbia Records' held a joint jazz rally at which the Harry Hayes Band and the Woolf Phillips group played. 'Blue Moon' includes a relaxed flowing solo from Ronnie Scott (then a big toned tenorman), and good contributions from Pete Chilver and George Shearing. Reg Arnold played a solo hinting at something different to his usual swing sound. Melody Maker's Jazz Rally - June 29th, 1947 (All issued on Columbia) Reg Arnold (tp), Woolf Phillips (tb), Frank Weir (cl), Ronnie Scott (ts), George Shearing (p), Pete Chilver (g), Jack Fallon (b), Norman Burns (d). Blue Moon (part 1)*/Blue Moon (part 2)*. (*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950) Harry Hayes and his Band - July 22nd, 1947 (HMV) Alan Franks (tp), Lad Busby (tb), Harry Hayes (as), Aubrey Frank (ts), Bill Lewington (bs), George Shearing (p), Alan Ferguson (g), Jack Fallon (b), Norman Burns (d), Lawrence Jackson (vcl). Dinner Jacket#/The Be-bop (vcl). (# Harry Hayes 2 CD set - Harry Hayes and his Band - HMV recordings) George Shearing Trio - November 26th, 1948 (Decca) George Shearing (p), Jack Fallon (b), Norman Burns (d). The Nearness Of You*/Someone To Watch Over Me*/Consternation*/The Fourth Deuce*/The Man From Mintons*/To Be Or Not To Bop*/Poinciana*. (*Proper Box 4 CD set - George Shearing - 'From Battersea to Broadway') Shearing did not record in Britain again. He made some 'cocktail' bop records in the USA before becaming enormously successful with his formulaic George Shearing Quintet... |
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