Pianist George Shearing is that rare thing, a European jazz musician who became a household name in the US, as a result of the "Shearing sound"—the recordings of his historic late 1940s quintet. Together with his unique "locked hands" approach to playing the piano, Shearing's quintet with guitar and vibraphone in close harmony to his own playing revolutionized small group jazz, and ensured that after seven years as Melody Maker's top British pianist, he achieved even greater success in America. His compositions have been recorded by everyone from Sarah Vaughan to Miles Davis, and his best known pieces include "Lullaby of Birdland", "She" and "Conception". His story is all the more remarkable because Shearing was born blind. His candid reminiscences include a behind the scenes experience of New York's 52nd Street in its heyday, as well as memories of a vast roll-call of professional colleagues that includes all the great names in jazz.
Association of Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence Best Historical Research in Record Labels – Best History (2017) This biography tells the story of one of the most notorious figures in the history of popular music, Morris Levy (1927-1990). At age nineteen, he cofounded the nightclub Birdland in Hell's Kitchen, which became the home for a new musical style, bebop. Levy operated one of the first integrated clubs on Broadway and helped build the careers of Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell and most notably aided the reemergence of Count Basie. In 1957, he founded a record label, Roulette Records. Roulette featured many of the significant jazz artists who played Birdland but also scored top pop hits with acts like Buddy Knox, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Joey Dee and the Starliters, and, in the mid-1960s, Tommy James. Stories abound of Levy threatening artists, songwriters, and producers, sometimes just for the sport, other times so he could continue to build his empire. Along the way, Levy attracted "investors" with ties to the Mafia, including Dominic Ciaffone (a.k.a. "Swats" Mulligan), Tommy Eboli, and the most notorious of them all, Vincent Gigante. Gigante allegedly owned large pieces of Levy's recording and retail businesses. Starting in the late 1950s, the FBI and IRS investigated Levy but could not make anything stick until the early 1980s, when Levy foolishly got involved in a deal to sell remaindered records to a small-time reseller, John LaMonte. With partners in the mob, Levy tried to force LaMonte to pay for four million remaindered records. When the FBI secretly wiretapped LaMonte in an unrelated investigation and agents learned about the deal, investigators successfully prosecuted Levy in the extortion scheme. Convicted in 1988, Levy did not live to serve prison time. Stricken with cancer, he died just as his last appeals were exhausted. However, even if he had lived, Levy's brand of storied high life was effectively bust. Corporate ownership of record labels doomed most independents in the business, ending the days when a savvy if ruthless hustler could blaze a path to the top.
An updated new edition of Ted Gioia's acclaimed compendium of jazz standards, featuring 15 additional selections, hundreds of additional recommended tracks, and enhancements and additions on almost every page. Since the first edition of The Jazz Standards was published in 2012, author Ted Gioia has received almost non-stop feedback and suggestions from the passionate global community of jazz enthusiasts and performers requesting crucial additions and corrections to the book. In this second edition, Gioia expands the scope of the book to include more songs, and features new recordings by rising contemporary artists. The Jazz Standards is an essential comprehensive guide to some of the most important jazz compositions, telling the story of more than 250 key jazz songs and providing a listening guide to more than 2,000 recordings. The fan who wants to know more about a tune heard at the club or on the radio will find this book indispensable. Musicians who play these songs night after night will find it to be a handy guide, as it outlines the standards' history and significance and tells how they have been performed by different generations of jazz artists. Students learning about jazz standards will find it to be a go-to reference work for these cornerstones of the repertoire. This book is a unique resource, a browser's companion, and an invaluable introduction to the art form.
Second Edition Now Available: How do you make a sound on this hunk of brass? How do valves work? How do you play higher? What are some good exercises for trumpet? What's it like to perform? Sound the Trumpet answers these questions and more as it takes you through the fun world of trumpet playing with a clear, concise style that is sometimes funny and always friendly. Learn more at www.sol-ut.com
Pianist George Shearing is that rare thing, a European jazz musician who became a household name in the US, as a result of the "Shearing sound"—the recordings of his historic late 1940s quintet. Together with his unique "locked hands" approach to playing the piano, Shearing's quintet with guitar and vibraphone in close harmony to his own playing revolutionized small group jazz, and ensured that after seven years as Melody Maker's top British pianist, he achieved even greater success in America. His compositions have been recorded by everyone from Sarah Vaughan to Miles Davis, and his best known pieces include "Lullaby of Birdland", "She" and "Conception". His story is all the more remarkable because Shearing was born blind. His candid reminiscences include a behind the scenes experience of New York's 52nd Street in its heyday, as well as memories of a vast roll-call of professional colleagues that includes all the great names in jazz.
CD: Twelve popular standards from the gold age of jazz recorded by singing legends Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan and Chet Baker, amongst others.
(Jazz Transcriptions). Omnibooks are comprehensive collections featuring the most accurate note-for-note transcriptions for all instrumentalists. They also include chord symbols, metronome markings and record information. This Scat Omnibook collection is useful for vocalists as well as instrumentalists looking to master the more than 60 songs included in the collection, exactly as they were recorded by the masters of jazz. Songs include: Air Mail Special * All Blues * Bernie's Tune * Blue Skies * Centerpiece * Flying Home * Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You * I Got Rhythm * It's All Right with Me * Just Friends * Lullaby of Birdland * Oh, Lady Be Good! * Old Devil Moon * On the Sunny Side of the Street * Rockin' in Rhythm * Shiny Stockings * Sing, Sing, Sing * Stolen Moments * A-Tisket, A-Tasket * West Coast Blues * and many more. Includes an artist index and introduction on the history of scat vocals.
(Fake Book). 100 essential standards, in larger-than-usual fake book notation with lyrics and simplified harmonies and melodies. Includes: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea * C-Jam Blues * Caravan * The Girl from Ipanema * Have You Met Miss Jones? * I Get Along Without You Very Well * I'll Take Romance * It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) * The Lady Is a Tramp * Nancy * The Nearness of You * A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square * One Note Samba * Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars * So Nice (Summer Samba) * The Way You Look Tonight * and more.
