George Shearing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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George Shearing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir George Shearing, OBE (13 August 1919 14 February

2011) was a British jazz pianist who for many years led a
popular jazz group that recorded for Discovery Records,
MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over
300 titles, including the jazz standard "Lullaby of Birdland",
he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the

Sir George Shearing

1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s.[1] He died of heart failure in

New York City, at the age of 91.

Contents
1 Biography
1.1 Early life
1.2 US years

Shearing in 1959

1.3 Later career

1.4 Personal life

Background information
Born

13 August 1919
Battersea, London, England

Died

14 February 2011 (aged 91)

New York City, United States

5 References

Genres

Jazz, bebop, swing, cool jazz

6 External links

Occupation(s)

Musician

Instruments

Piano

Years active

19372011

Labels

MGM
Capitol
Concord

2 Awards and honors

3 Discography
4 Filmography

Biography
Early life

Savoy

Born in Battersea, London, Shearing was the youngest of

www.georgeshearing.net/
nine children. He was born blind to working class parents: his Website
father delivered coal and his mother cleaned trains in the
evening. He started to learn piano at the age of three and began formal training at Linden Lodge School for the
Blind, where he spent four years.[2]

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Though he was offered several scholarships, Shearing opted to perform at a local pub, the Mason's Arms in
Lambeth, for "25 bob a week"[3] playing piano and accordion. He even joined an all-blind band during that time
and was influenced by the records of Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller.[1] Shearing made his first BBC radio
broadcast during this time after befriending Leonard Feather, with whom he started recording in 1937.[2] In
1940, Shearing joined Harry Parry's popular band and contributed to the comeback of Stphane Grappelli.
Shearing won seven consecutive Melody Maker polls during this time. Around that time he was also a member
of George Evans's Saxes 'n' Sevens band.

US years
In 1947, Shearing emigrated to the United States, where his harmonically complex style mixing swing, bop and
modern classical influences gained popularity. One of his first performances in the US was at the Hickory
House. He performed with the Oscar Pettiford Trio and led a jazz quartet with Buddy DeFranco, which led to
contractual problems, since Shearing was under contract to MGM and DeFranco to Capitol Records. In 1949,
he formed the first George Shearing Quintet, a band with Margie Hyams (vibraphone), Chuck Wayne (guitar),
later replaced by Toots Thielemans (listed as John Tillman), John Levy (bass) and Denzil Best (drums) and
recorded for Discovery, Savoy and MGM, including the immensely popular single "September in the Rain"
(MGM), which sold over 900,000 copies; "my other hit" to accompany "Lullaby of Birdland". Shearing said of
this hit that it was "as accidental as it could be."[3] He credited the Glenn Miller Orchestra's reed section of the
late 1930s and early 1940s as an important influence.
Shearing's interest in classical music resulted in some performances with concert orchestras in the 1950s and
1960s, and his solos frequently drew upon the music of Satie, Delius and Debussy for inspiration. He became
known for a piano technique known as "Shearing's voicing", a type of double melody block chord, with an
additional fifth part that doubles the melody an octave lower. (This style is also known as "locked hands" and
the jazz organist Milt Buckner is generally credited with inventing it.) In 1956, Shearing became a naturalized
citizen of the United States.[3] He continued to play with his quintet, with augmented players through the years,
and recorded with Capitol until 1969. He created his own label, Sheba, that lasted a few years. Along with
dozens of musical stars of his day, Shearing appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. Earlier, he
had appeared on the same network's reality show, The Comeback Story, in which he discussed how to cope with
blindness.

Later career
In 1970, he began to "phase out his by-now-predictable quintet"[1] and disbanded the group in 1978. One of his
more notable albums during this period was The Reunion, with George Shearing (Verve 1976), made in
collaboration with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Rusty Jones, and featuring Stphane Grappelli, the
musician with whom he had debuted as a sideman decades before. Later, Shearing played with a trio, as a
soloist and increasingly in a duo. Among his collaborations were sets with the Montgomery Brothers, Marian
McPartland, Brian Q. Torff, Jim Hall, Hank Jones and Kenny Davern. In 1979, Shearing signed with Concord
Records, and recorded for the label with Mel Torm. This collaboration garnered Shearing and Torm two
Grammys, one in 1983 and another in 1984. Shearing remained fit and active well into his later years and
continued to perform, even after being honoured with an Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.
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He never forgot his native country and, in his last years, would split his year between living in New York and
Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, UK, where he had bought a house with his second wife, singer Ellie
Geffert. This gave him the opportunity to tour the UK, giving concerts, often with Torm, backed by the BBC
Big Band. He was appointed OBE in 1996. In 2007, he was knighted. "So", he noted later, "the poor, blind kid
from Battersea became Sir George Shearing. Now that's a fairy tale come true."
In 2004, he released his memoirs, Lullaby of Birdland, which was accompanied by a double-album "musical
autobiography", Lullabies of Birdland. Shortly afterwards, however, he suffered a fall at his home and retired
from regular performing. In 2012 Derek Paravicini and jazz vocalist Frank Holder did a tribute concert to the
recordings of Shearing. Ann Odell transcribed the recordings and taught Paravicini the parts, as well as being
the MD for the concerts. Lady Shearing also endorsed the show, sending a letter to be read out before the
Watermill Jazz Club performance.

Personal life
Shearing was married to Trixie Bayes from 1941 to 1973. Two years after his divorce he married his second
wife, the singer Ellie Geffert. Geffert survived him after he died on 14 February 2011.[4]
Shearing was a member of the Bohemian Club and often performed at the annual Bohemian Grove
Encampments. He also composed music for two of the Grove Plays.

Awards and honors

Performed for U.S. Presidents
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Performed at Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
1975, honorary degree of Doctor of Music from Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.
1978, Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans.
Grammys:
1983 An Evening with George Shearing & Mel Torm
1984 Top Drawer
1993, Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement.
1994, honorary degree of Doctor of Music from Hamilton College in New York.
1996, included in the Queen's Birthday Honours List and invested by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham
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Palace as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his "services to music and Anglo-US
relations".
1998, the first American Music Award by the National Arts Club, New York City.
2002, honorary degree of Doctor of Music from DePauw University in Indiana.
2003, "Lifetime Achievement Award" from BBC Jazz Awards.[5]
2007, knighted for services to music.

Discography
1947: Piano Solo Savoy
1947: Great Britain's Marian McPartland & George Shearing Savoy Jazz (Released 1994)
1949: Midnight on Cloud 69 Savoy
1949: George Shearing Quintet Discovery
1950: You're Hearing George Shearing and his Quintet MGM (E-3216)
1951: An Evening with the George Shearing Quintet
1951: Souvenirs London
1951: Touch of Genius MGM
1952: I Hear Music Metro
1955: Shearing Caravan MGM
1955: Shearing in Hi Fi MGM
1955: The Shearing Spell Capitol
1956: Latin Escapade Capitol
1956: Black Satin Capitol (T858)
1956: By Request London
1956: Velvet Carpet Capitol
1957: Shearing on Stage Capitol
1958: Blue Chiffon Capitol
1958: Burnished Brass Capitol
1958: Latin Lace Capitol
1958: George Shearing on Stage! Capitol
1958: Latin Affair Capitol
1958: In the Night with Dakota Staton Capitol
1959: Satin Brass Capitol
1959: Satin Latin MGM
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1959: Beauty and the Beat! (with Peggy Lee) Capitol

1960: San Francisco Scene Capitol
1960: On the Sunny Side of the Strip GNP
1960: The Shearing Touch Capitol (T1472)
1960: White Satin Capitol
1961: George Shearing and the Montgomery Brothers Jazz
1961: Mood Latino Capitol
1961: Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays (with Nat King Cole) Capitol
1961: Satin Affair Capitol
1961: The Swingin's Mutual! (with Nancy Wilson) Capitol
1962: Concerto for My Love ST-1755 Capitol
1962: Jazz Moments Blue Note
1962: Shearing Bossa Nova Capitol
1962: Soft and Silky MGM
1962: Smooth & Swinging MGM
1963: Touch Me Softly Capitol
1963: Jazz Concert Capitol
1963: Rare Form Capitol
1963: Old Gold and Ivory Capitol
1963: Latin Rendezvous Capitol
1964: Out of the Woods Capitol
1964: Deep Velvet Capitol
1966: That Fresh Feeling Capitol
1966: Live Jazz from Club 15 Request (Live, released 2006)
1968: Shearing Today Capitol
1969: In the Mind Capitol
1969: The Fool on the Hill Capitol
1970: Out of This World (Sheba Records)
1970: It's Real George (CRS 2023 Crown Records)
1971: The Heart and Soul of George Shearing and Joe Williams (Sheba)
1972: As Requested (Sheba)
1972: Music to Hear (Sheba)
1972: The George Shearing Quartet (Sheba)
1973: GAS (Sheba)
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1973: The George Shearing Trio, Vol. 1

1974: Light Airy and Swinging MPS/BASF
1974: Swinging in a Latin Mood MPS/BASF
1974: My Ship MPS/BASF
1974: The Way We Are MPS/BASF
1975: The Best of George Shearing Capitol
1975: Continental Experience MPS/BASF
1976: The Many Facets of George Shearing MPS/BASF
1976: The Reunion MPS/BASF (with Stephane Grappelli)
1977: Windows MPS/BASF
1977: 500 Miles High MPS/BASF
1977: Feeling Happy MPS/BASF
1979: Getting in the Swing of Things MPS/BASF
1979: Live Concord Jazz
1979: Blues Alley Jazz (Live) Concord Jazz
1979: Concerto for Classic Guitar and Jazz Piano Angel
1980: Two for the Road (with Carmen McRae) Concord
1980: In Concert at the Pavilion Concord Jazz
1980: On a Clear Day Concord Jazz
1981: Alone Together (with Marian McPartland) Concord Jazz
1981: First Edition Concord Jazz
1982: An Evening with George Shearing & Mel Torm (Live, with Mel Torm)
1983: Top Drawer Concord Jazz (Live, with Mel Torm)
1984: Live at the Cafe Carlyle Concord
1985: An Elegant Evening Concord Jazz (with Mel Torm)
1985: Grand Piano Concord Jazz
1986: Plays Music of Cole Porter Concord
1986: More Grand Piano Concord Jazz
1987: A Vintage Year Concord Jazz (Live, with Mel Torm)
1987: Breakin' Out Concord Jazz
1987: Dexterity Concord Jazz (Live, featuring Ernestine Anderson)
1988: The Spirit of 176 Concord Jazz (with Hank Jones)
1988: Perfect Match Concord Jazz (with Ernestine Anderson)
1989: George Shearing in Dixieland Concord
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1989: Piano Concord Jazz

1990: Mel and George "Do" World War II Concord (Live, with Mel Torm)
1991: Get Happy! EMI Classics
1992: I Hear a Rhapsody: Live at the Blue Note Telarc (Live)
1992: Walkin': Live at the Blue Note Telarc (Live)
1992: How Beautiful Is Night Telarc
1994: That Shearing Sound Telarc
1994: Cocktail for Two Jazz World
1995: Paper Moon: Songs of Nat King Cole
1997: Favorite Things Telarc
1998: Christmas with The George Shearing Quintet Telarc
2000: Just for You: Live in the 1950s Jazz Band
2001: Live at the Forum, Bath 1992 BBC Legends (Live)
2001: Back to Birdland Telarc (Live)
2002: The Rare Delight of You (with John Pizzarelli) Telarc
2002: Pick Yourself Up Past Perfect
2002: Here and Now. New Look with G.S. Quintet and String Choir
2004: Like Fine Wine Mack Avenue
2005: Music to Hear Koch
2005: Hopeless Romantics (with Michael Feinstein) Concord
2012: George Shearing at home (with Don Thompson) Jazzknight Records 001, New York

Filmography
2003: George Shearing Jazz Legend
2004: George Shearing: Lullaby of Birdland[6]
2004: Swing Era George Shearing
2004: Joe Williams with George Shearing: A Song is Born[7]
2005: Duo Featuring Neil Swainson

References
1. ^ a b c Richard S. Ginell. "George Shearing" (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p7527). Retrieved 2007-02-26.
2. ^ a b "George Shearing Biography" (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=1961). Retrieved 2007-02-26.

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3. ^ a b c "George Shearing (interview with Les Tomkins): "How I Found the Sound" "
(http://www.nationaljazzarchive.co.uk/stories?id=127). Nationaljazzarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
4. ^ "Jake Coyle, "Jazz Pianist George Shearing Dies at 91" "
(http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110214/D9LCMR500.html). Apnews.myway.com. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
5. ^ "BBC Jazz Awards" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3107607.stm). News.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved
28 September 2014.
6. ^ "George Shearing: Lullaby of Birdland" (http://www.view.com/george_shearing_lullaby_of_birdland_dvd.aspx).
View.com. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
7. ^ "Joe Williams with George Shearing: A Song is Born"
(http://www.view.com/joe_williams_with_george_shearing_a_song_is_born_dvd.aspx). View.com. Retrieved
28 September 2014.

External links
George Shearing (http://www.georgeshearing.net) official website
George Shearing (http://www.discogs.com/artist/George+Shearing) discography at Discogs
George Shearing (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0790471/) at the Internet Movie Database
George Shearing (http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/shearing_george/albums.jhtml) discography at VH1
Receives Honorary Doctorate (http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=12101) from DePauw
University. 1 June 2002
Sir George Shearing obituary (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/15/sir-george-shearingobituary). The Guardian, 15 February 2011
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Shearing&oldid=639777532"
Categories: 1919 births 2011 deaths British jazz pianists Bebop pianists Cool jazz pianists
Swing pianists Blind musicians Knights Bachelor Musicians awarded knighthoods
Officers of the Order of the British Empire Grammy Award-winning artists Ivor Novello Award winners
Savoy Records artists Capitol Records artists Pausa Records artists Blue Note Records artists
MGM Records artists People from Battersea Concord Records artists Deaths from heart failure
People educated at Linden Lodge School
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