It was in 1949 that the first successful American recordings by George Shearing reached a delighted public’s ears. The wonderful freshness of a new sound, the inventiveness and artistry with which Shearing played established him immediately as a bright new name among the pantheon of distinguished recording stars.
George Shearing’s popularity with listeners has never diminished. His extraordinary mastery, his ability to make a song into a delightful community experience shared among an entire audience, the lilting freshness of his music continue to delight listeners anew with each hearing, whether he is playing swinging up-tempo tunes with the Quintet, soft and dreamy ballads with strings and reeds, sensuous Latin rhythms, or freewheeling jazz concerts in clubs and open air theatres.
This album might aptly have been titled Shearing Revisits Shearing, for in it he plays new Shearing versions of songs that first introduced him to America. These are by no means painstaking note-for-note recreations. These are fresh new versions of Shearing landmark tunes such immediately identifiable Shearing hits as “Don’t Blame Me,” “The Breeze and I,” “We’ll Be Together Again,” “Pick Yourself Up,” and many more.
One of the famous tunes is called “Changing with the Times,” and its title calls forth an appropriate comment. Shearing is one of those rare artists whose creativity never flags, an artist with the buoyancy to stay fresh, sound fresh through an eternity of changing musical styles. Proof of the pudding is this collection of vintage Shearing hits enhanced by the exhilarating sound of Shearing today. These great early Shearing favorites become great new Shearing favorites in wonderful new versions for orchestras of satiny strings and woodwinds backing the Shearing Quintet. They have that fresh feeling that is the enduring hallmark of the magical Shearing touch.
Produced by DAVID CAVANAUGH
Label: Capitol Records ST 2567 Cover photo/Capitol Photo Studio/Ken Veeder
