Nick Tomalin: Remembering George Shearing

Shades of Shearing:

Nick Tomalin - piano

Nat Steele - vibes

Dave Warren - guitar

Dominic Howles - bass

Matt Fishwick - drums

Nick Tomalin's Shades of Shearing band is dedicated to performing and interpreting the music of British pianist George Shearing. The band features the original instrumentation of the Shearing quintet, including guitar and vibraphone, and performs music ranging from Shearing's best-known tunes like Lullaby of Birdland and Conception, along with less well-known compositions and arrangements. The Shades of Shearing project is very much a labour of love: the respect and admiration for Shearing and his music from all five musicians is palpable.

Throughout the gig, Nick explains the background to each song in the context of Shearing’s life and work. After the first number, he describes the challenging circumstances in young George’s life: blind from birth; his father delivering coal and his mother cleaning trains for a living. George was something of a musical prodigy as he was offered various scholarships to continue his musical education. In true jazz style though, young George instead got a job playing piano for “25 bob a week” at the local pub. He first visited America in 1946 and moved there permanently the following year, arriving at the height of the bebop boom and finding fame and fortune.

There is plenty of opportunity for each musician in the Shades of Shearing quintet to demonstrate their chops, Nat Steele is a vigorous, resourceful performer who last year performed at The Jazz Centre with his own trio. Dave Warren’s bebop style has been compared to the great American guitarist Grant Green.