GEORGE SHEARING
Like Fine Wine (Mack Avenue Records)
Reviewed by Ron Saranich

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George Shearing will turn 85 next month and has been in the music business for 65 years. With that much professional experience, you would expect a seamless, smooth recording long on technique yet extremely listenable. And that's exactly what you get with Like Fine Wine. With his soft and gentle touch on the piano, Shearing brings a lyrical tenderness to each of the 14 songs. Joined by Reg Schwager on guitar and Neil Swainson on bass, Shearing has created an eloquent testimony to his musical approach.

Blind since birth, Shearing has a delicately beautiful sound on piano that seems made for romantic songs, yet he is not above letting his wonderful sense of humor shine through. For instance, he begins this cd with a bossa nova rendition of Coltrane's "Giant Steps." You've gotta love it.

Like Fine Wine is an appropriate title for Shearing's latest release. Containing many ageless bebop standards including "You And The Night And The Music," "Tricrotism," and Con Alma," this recording gets better with repeated sampling, just like fine wine. I especially enjoyed Shearing's interpretation of Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low." All in all, a first class musical offering.

© 2004 - Ron Saranich