Live Jazz: The Sounds of Shearing at Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.

By Tony Gieske

It seems needlessly nutrition conscious to sneer at George Shearing because of the candy-like character of his music. The Centers for Disease Control has recorded not a single case of diabetes attributable to its consumption, for one thing.

Shearing’s innocence was well established by a sweet evening with The Sounds of Shearing Tuesday on a misty night at Vibrato.  A quintet of local heroes captured the famed radio-friendly sound exquisitely, and it proved in the age of television to be a sound that still comforts the ear and nourishes  the spirit.

Ron Anthony and Charlie Shoemake

Charlie Shoemake, the vibraharpist, and Ron Anthony, the electric guitarist, were the principal providers of this feat, and Charlie Christian and Lionel Hampton could not have done any better.  Chuck Wayne and Majorie Hyams were the role models in the original Shearing group.

The part of the entertainment world’s first Denzil, Shearing drummer Denzil Best, was ably filled by Colin Bailey.  Joe Bagg rode the piano bench, wisely steering clear of Shearing’s famed locked-hands style but providing his own patented songlike improvisations.

Joe Bagg, Colin Bailey, Luther Hughes (clockwise from left)

Bassist Luther Hughes played the part of the great John Levy, deploying a force quite a bit more vigorous. Pizzacato he was fun, but arco came out sharp.

Shoemake’s improvisation seemed to come from a great distance, but Anthony pulled the listener in and filled him or her with the promise of joy, not infrequently achieving the thing itself.

Sir George himself, coming up on age 91 this year at his Massachusetts farm, has recovered from the tumble that felled him a few years ago, walks with a cane, and plays at home alone every day.

I wish I could be there to ask him how he ever thought up that unique instrumentation: piano, electric guitar, vibraharp, bass and drums. Really!  Would he say you had to be a blind man?

Photos by Tony Gieske.  Read and see more of Tony’s jazz essays and photos at his personal web site tonyspage.com.

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