George Shearing entertained countless people in the twentieth century with his excellent piano playing; his blindness never discouraged him. Not only is he a hero for enriching our lives with his fine work; his artistry provides an excellent example for younger emerging artists to study so that they can better themselves.
The CD is a "two-fer" CD; this means that we get all the tracks from two of George Shearing's record albums: Black Satin and White Satin. Awesome!
The CD track set begins with the ten tracks from Black Satin. "The Folks Who Live On The Hill" gives us a perfect beginning to the CD. The lush musical arrangement sounds so smooth; this is easy music at its very best with an emphasis on George's piano playing. The arrangement makes good use of the strings and percussion to evoke a pensive yet soothing mood for "The Folks Who Live On The Hill."
"If I Should Lose You" continues in the same vein only now we hear a Latin beat added to the overall arrangement. The piano gets more of the spotlight, too. Grab your sweetheart, jump up and start dancing--this is the perfect music to dance to! "Black Satin" oozes sophistication with yet another classic ballad being molded to fit within the Latin rhythms of the day. Excellent! The strings enhance the quality of "Black Satin," too. "Nothing Ever Changes My Love" uses many of the same techniques employed by the song "Black Satin." Roll up the rug and start dancing, folks! That Latin beat with its trademark percussion from the late 1950s and the early 1960s always moves me. These arrangements by Billy May and George Shearing shine like gold.
"Moon Song" begins with a dramatic flourish by the strings; and George Shearing comes in with a beautiful piano arrangement for "Moon Song." "Moon Song" is remarkably romantic, pensive and sensitive all at once. George's flawless piano playing during the middle of this number showcases his talent. What a lush arrangement overall, too. The CD track set for the record album entitled Black Satin ends with the upbeat, bouncy and somewhat spicy medley of "As Long As I Live/Let's Live Again." What a joyous tune for the ending of this set! The strings complement George Shearing's piano playing to perfection; and I like how they use the drums.
We then get all the numbers from another George Shearing album entitled White Satin. White Satin literally bursts at the seams with romantic numbers; and the beginning track entitled "Your Name Is Love" sets this tone right away. The flutes are well used in this arrangement as Billy May conducts the number. "Dream," a well known classic love ballad, gets the royal treatment by Shearing, May and the rest of the crew. They perform "Dream" with passion and style. George's piano playing is nicely showcased in "Dream," too. Great! The ballad "Laura" comes from the movie of the same name; and you won't need any lyrics to this number to experience the thoughtful and somewhat melancholy mood of this number. George's piano runs parallel to the percussion; this creates a lush, romantic effect that makes "Laura" an instant highlight of this album.
"How Long Has This Been Going On" starts with a great horn introduction; and when the band and George on piano come in the full romantic effect of this instrumental ballad really shines. This is easy listening music that even royalty couldn't resist! They also slow down the usual tempo just a bit to embellish this great number. "Love's Melody" relies on the strings and the piano to carry the bulk of the melody; and this works well.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. "I'll Take Romance" ends the CD--and the second record album entitled White Satin--with a distinctly upbeat tone that leaves you wanting more. The infectiously catchy melody makes good use of the piano as the strings and percussion enhance the number. "I'll Take Romance" works on several levels at once; and therefore this number makes for a strong ending to this CD.
The liner notes give you the song credits and chart debut dates for the record albums Black Satin and White Satin. I would have liked an essay but this is a minor disappointment.
George Shearing's remarkable talent glistens on every single track on this fine CD; and he will remain a force in the entertainment world for quite some while to come. I recommend this CD for fans of George Shearing; and people who enjoy easy listening with an occasional Latin beat thrown in will always enjoy this CD.
Thank you, George!
Track listing for George Shearing Quintet and Orchestra - White Satin:
Side 1:
1. Your Name is Love
2. Dream
3. Laura
4. There's a Small Hotel
5. Old Folks
6. Blue Malibu
Side 2:
1. How Long Has This Been Going On
2. Love's Melody
3. An Affair to Remember
4. There'll Be Another Spring
5. Moonlight Becomes You
6. I'll Take Romance
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Track listing for The George Shearing Quintet and Orchestra - Black Satin:
Side 1:
1. The Folks Who Live On the Hill - (skips)
2. If I Should Lose You
3. Starlight Souvenirs
4. What is There to Say
5. Black Satin
Side 2:
1. You Don't Know What Love Is - (skips)
2. Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You
3. One Morning in May
4. Moon Song
5. Medley: As Long as I Live - Let's Live Again
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