From 1949 to 1978, The George Shearing Quintet was a household name and a staple in anyone’s record collection. Between George’s “Locked Hands” style of playing and the addition of vibes to the group, their sound was unique. The original group was comprised of Margie Hyams (vibes), Chuck Wayne (guitar), later replaced by Toots Thielemans, John Levy (bass), Denzil Best (drums), and of course Shearing himself (piano). The quintet underwent several changes through the years, until finally it was disbanded, in favor of trio, duo, and solo performances … until toward the end of his career Shearing made several recordings with major vocalists such as Mel Torme, Nat Cole (Pick Yourself Up – bottom), Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee and others.
Move (above) was one of the earlier quintets after Joe Roland had replaced Margie Hyams on vibes; the tune is one of the less mellow arrangements for which the group became known. The Duke (below) is a tune written by Dave Brubeck as a nod to the great Duke Ellington. It’s a live performance with Neil Swainson accompanying Sir George Shearing on bass.
