Shearing was born in the Battersea area of London, United Kingdom. Congenitally blind, he was the youngest of nine children. He started to learn piano at the age of three. After limited training and extensive listening to recorded jazz, he began playing at hotels, clubs and pubs in the London area, sometimes solo, occasionally with dance bands. In 1940, Shearing joined Harry Parry's popular band and became a star in Britain, performing for the BBC, playing with Stéphane Grappelli's London-based groups of the early 1940s, and winning seven consecutive Melody Maker polls.
In 1946, Shearing established himself in the United States. In 1955, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Leading a quintet (piano with guitar, bass, drums and vibraphone), which over the years included Cal Tjader, Margie Hyams, Denzil Best, Israel Crosby, Joe Pass and Gary Burton, Shearing had a succession of hugely popular records including September In The Rain and his own composition, Lullaby Of Birdland (1952). His style, including the joint playing of the melody by piano and vibraphone, was also widely copied, becoming part of the idiom of pop music, so that his records from that period now sound far less innovative than they did at the time. Later, Shearing played with a trio, as a solo and increasingly in duo. Among his collaborations have been sets with the Montgomery Brothers, Marian McPartland, Brian Torff, Jim Hall, Hank Jones and Kenny Davern.
In the 1970s, Shearing's profile had been lowered considerably, but upon signing with Concord Records in 1979, Shearing found himself enjoying a renaissance.
Over the years, Shearing has also collaborated with singers including Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Ernestine Anderson, Carmen McRae, and most notably, Mel Tormé, with whom he performed frequently in the late 80s and early 90s at festivals, on radio and for recordings.
Recently, Shearing collaborated with the John Pizzarelli Trio to create the album The Rare Delight of You, which garnered extremely good reviews. The album cover, featuring Pizzarelli and Shearing posing in front of a solid blue background, was designed to resemble the cover of Nat King Cole Sings George Shearing Plays, a legendary jazz recording with which it shares some similarities in style.
Shearing's interest in classical music resulted in some performances with concert orchestras in the 1950s and 1960s, and his solo's frequently draw upon the music of Debussy and, particularly, Erik Satie for inspiration. Shearing also made a recording with the classical French horn player Barry Tuckwell.
Shearing wrote a number of jazz arrangements of hymn tunes for the organ in collaboration with organist Dale Wood, that have been published in sheet music form.
(2) For a long stretch of time in the 1950s and early '60s, George Shearing had one of the most popular jazz combos on the planet -- so much so that, in the usual jazz tradition of distrusting popular success, he tended to be underappreciated. Shearing's main claim to fame was the invention of a unique quintet sound, derived from a combination of piano, vibraphone, electric guitar, bass, and drums. Within this context, Shearing would play in a style he called "locked hands," which he picked up and refined from Milt Buckner's early-'40s work with the Lionel Hampton band, as well as Glenn Miller's sax section and the King Cole Trio. Stating the melody on the piano with closely knit, harmonized block chords, with the vibes and guitar tripling the melody in unison, Shearing sold tons of records for MGM and Capitol in his heyday.
The wild success of this urbane sound obscures Shearing's other great contribution during this time, for he was also a pioneer of exciting, small-combo Afro-Cuban jazz in the '50s. Indeed, Cal Tjader first caught the Latin jazz bug while playing with Shearing, and the English bandleader also employed such esteemed congueros as Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Armando Peraza. As a composer, Shearing was best known for the imperishable, uniquely constructed bop standard "Lullaby of Birdland," as well as "Conception" and "Consternation." His solo style, though all his own, reflected the influences of the great boogie-woogie pianists and classical players, as well as those of Fats Waller, Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, and Bud Powell -- and fellow pianists long admired his light, refined touch. He was also known to play accordion and sing in a modest voice on occasion.
Shearing, who was born blind, began playing the piano at the age of three, receiving some music training at the Linden Lodge School for the Blind in London as a teenager but picking up the jazz influence from Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller 78s. In the late '30s, he started playing professionally with the Ambrose dance band and made his first recordings in 1937 under the aegis of fellow Brit Leonard Feather. He became a star in Britain, performing for the BBC, playing a key role in the self-exiled Stéphane Grappelli's London-based groups of the early '40s, and winning seven consecutive Melody Maker polls before emigrating in New York City in 1947 at the prompting of Feather. Once there, Shearing quickly absorbed bebop into his bloodstream, replacing Garner in the Oscar Pettiford Trio and leading a quartet in tandem with Buddy DeFranco. In 1949, he formed the first and most famous of his quintets, which included Marjorie Hyams on vibes (thus striking an important blow for emerging female jazz instrumentalists), Chuck Wayne on guitar, John Levy on bass, and Denzil Best on drums. Recording briefly first for Discovery, then Savoy, Shearing settled into lucrative associations with MGM (1950-1955) and Capitol (1955-1969), the latter for which he made albums with Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee, and Nat King Cole. He also made a lone album for Jazzland with the Montgomery Brothers (including Wes Montgomery) in 1961, and began playing concert dates with symphony orchestras.
After leaving Capitol, Shearing began to phase out his by-then-predictable quintet, finally breaking it up in 1978. He started his own label, Sheba, which lasted for a few years into the early '70s -- and made some trio recordings for MPS later in the decade. In the '70s, his profile had been lowered considerably, but upon signing with Concord in 1979, Shearing found himself enjoying a renaissance in all kinds of situations. He made a number of acclaimed albums with Mel Tormé, raising the singer's profile in the process, and recorded with the likes of Ernestine Anderson, Jim Hall, Marian McPartland, Hank Jones, and classical French horn player Barry Tuckwell. He also recorded a number of solo piano albums where his full palette of influences came into play. He signed with Telarc in 1992 and from that point through the early 2000s continued to perform and record, most often appearing in a duo or trio setting. Shearing, who had remained largely inactive since 2004 after a fall in his New York City apartment, died of congestive heart failure at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital on February 14, 2011. He was 91. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
George Shearing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Songbirds sing and winter turns to spring
Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell
I know such enchantment can be
Cause it happened one evening to me
That certain night, the night we met,
There was magic abroad in the air,
And a nightingale sang in Berkley Square
I may be right, I may be wrong,
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turn'd and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkley Square
The moon that lingered over London town
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown
How could he know we two were so in love,
The whole darn world seemed upside down
The streets of town were paved with stars,
It was such a romantic affair,
And as we kissed and said goodnight,
A nightingale sang in Berkley Square
George Shearing's "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a romantic love song set in Mayfair, a posh area in central London. The song describes a magical night when two lovers met, and the whole world seemed to be upside down. The lyrics are full of poetic imagery, metaphor, and personification, all designed to express the overwhelming feeling of love.
The first stanza sets the scene: "When two lovers meet in Mayfair, so the legends tell, songbirds sing and winter turns to spring. Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell." Mayfair is known as a fashionable and affluent district in London, and in the song, it's depicted as a romantic place where enchantment is possible. The second stanza describes the singer's personal experience of this enchantment when he met the woman he loves. He feels that magic is in the air, and angels are dining at the Ritz. The most evocative image in the song is that of the nightingale singing in Berkley Square: "And a nightingale sang in Berkley Square." The nightingale's song signifies the enchantment and magic of that moment when two lovers meet and fall in love.
The third and final stanza refers to the moon, which watched over them, but could not understand the love between the two. "Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown. How could he know we two were so in love? The whole darn world seemed upside down." The streets of Mayfair were paved with stars, and the lovers kissed under the magical spell of love. "It was such a romantic affair, and as we kissed and said goodnight, a nightingale sang in Berkley Square."
Overall, "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a beautiful and poetic love song that captures the essence of a magical and romantic moment when two lovers meet in Mayfair, London. The nightingale's song is a powerful symbol of this enchantment and magic, and it underscores the eternal nature of love.
Line by Line Meaning
When two lovers meet in Mayfair so the legends tell
As per the legends, when two people in love meet in Mayfair, it's a magical experience
Songbirds sing and winter turns to spring
The atmosphere becomes pleasant and cheerful, just like how winter ends and spring begins
Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell
Every curved and twisted street of Mayfair is enchanted when two lovers meet
I know such enchantment can be Cause it happened one evening to me
The singer is aware of such magical experiences because they happened to him once before
That certain night, the night we met, There was magic abroad in the air
The night they met, the air was filled with magic and charm
There were angels dining at the Ritz And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
The setting was extraordinary and surreal, as even angels were dining, and a nightingale was singing
I may be right, I may be wrong, But I'm perfectly willing to swear
The singer might not be entirely correct, but they are confident about their claim
That when you turn'd and smiled at me A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
The moment their beloved smiled, it felt so magical that it was as if a nightingale had sung
The moon that lingered over London town Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown
The moon above London seemed confused and perplexed with everything going on below
How could he know we two were so in love, The whole darn world seemed upside down
The love between the two was so intense that it felt like the entire world was revolving around them
The streets of town were paved with stars, It was such a romantic affair
The streets felt special and sparkly as if they were paved with stars, adding to the romantic aura
And as we kissed and said goodnight, A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
Even as they bid goodnight to each other with a kiss, the nightingale kept singing, making it a perfect end to a perfect night
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Eric Maschwitz, Manning Sherwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hughgraham6587
LYRICS - SING ALONG DEAR FRIENDS:
That certain night, the night we met
There was magic abroad in the air
There were angels dining at the Ritz
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
I may be right, I may be wrong
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
The moon that lingered over London town
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown
How could he know that we two were so in love?
The whole darn world seemed upside down
The streets of town were paved with stars
It was such a romantic affair
And as we kissed and said goodnight
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
When dawn came stealing up, all gold and blue
To interrupt our rendez-vous
I still remember how you smiled and said
"Was that a dream or was it true?"
Our homeward step was just as light
As the dancing of Fred Astaire
And like an echo far away
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
@salvadorvillavieja2611
Mel Torme is a singer's singer. Excellent phrasing, great diction and still does it with a lot of feeling. He's the voice!
@floridagal9542
How can anyone of any age not love a voice like that? No need for auto tune or anything to mask a voice, because this man worked at his art! He was 63 or 64 here and he had to spend many hours still, training his breath, the phrasing and vocal clarity is amazing.
@pamtebelman2321
He had unmatched control, range and vocal quality.
@marvinwhisman3333
@@pamtebelman2321 his control of his vibrato was unmatched.
@roybodden9243
Any song that Mel sang it automatically become his own! His interpretation of this sing with the piano of George Shearing is hard to top!
@saxafun3442
Aagghh..quite so😊
@dr.ulyssesswlabr6642
Two jazz giants making supreme musical magic together. Does it get any better?
@glendastormes-bice5772
It is one of my life's regrets that I came to Mel Torme's music long after his death. This is literally the best performance ever. I return to it time and time again for comfort, peace, and joy. And George Shearing....you are a master.
@jpathak6227
Listen to his songs. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. I was fortunate enough to see him perform in LV. Multi talented performer.
@pamtebelman2321
This is superb! Mel had unmatched control, range and vocal quality, and George's playing is incredibly beautiful here.