Easy listening, rather than jazz in these old LP's...
William E. Adams | Midland, Texas USA | 07/05/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Beautiful music, but best for background sounds, is my take on these two Capitol LP's. Razor & Tie put them together on CD in 1998, but "Black Satin" was a 1957 release, and "White Satin" came along in 1960. Both have orchestra backing, which diminishes the jazz feel for Shearing's always superb piano work. While the booklet credits "The George Shearing Quintet & Orchestra" for "Black", no players are named. Since Billy May did the arrangements, however, one might assume he also provided the other musicians. On the "White" album, three years later, May is credited with "conducting" the orchestra. Out of the 22 tracks, only two are written by George. The rest are a mixture of standards and now-obscure songs. I love Shearing, but I like him best with a quartet or quintet. His solo albums and his orchestra-backed works tend to be pretty, but a bit dull. Still, there are moments on this disc which are compelling, including his rendition of the Gershwin's classic "How Long Has This Been Going On?" A naughty bonus, for its era: The original cover of "White Satin" is reproduced as the back cover insert in this reissue. It features a redheaded woman in an open-front white dress, semi-reclining in an inviting pose. Tame by the standards of rap music videos, but quite daring for 1960."
The master of smooth
William E. Adams | 04/17/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Classic, smooth sounds...Shearing never intrudes on your space...Always keeps the jazz heritage in the background, so you remember his roots...great late nite music with low lights, your lady, and a snifter of good brandy..."
George Shearing and strings: a sound like no other
Andrew Mendez | White Bear Lake, MN USA | 04/02/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having received a faux-antique record player as a Christmas present, and eager to try out my new toy, I purchased both "Black Satin" and "White Satin" as LPs from a used book store. The lush orchestral arrangements, coupled with the distinctive Shearing piano-vibraphone melody, took my breath away. The opening song, "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", best represents this combination, offering the listener a beautiful partnership of Shearing's interpretation and the background of strings that support ably the haunting mood of the song. "Black Satin", a Latin-based melody with plenty of swing, leaves the listener wanting more. Another song with a Latin theme is "Blue Malibu". The percussion, combined with the harmonic patterns from Shearing's piano, take you to a sunny beach overlooking blue waters and white sands. From sexy to introspective, the songs of this compilation will lift your spirits. Truly timeless music!"
George Shearing's Black and White Satin
Reinaldo Araujo | USA | 10/07/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This set of productions by George Shearing was put together for their similar sounds and if you listen to these 22 songs and try to figure out which songs belong to what production, it would be a pretty hard task. The combination of Shearing's beautiful piano and the strings behind the music make this a pleasant and relaxing CD to listen to. Compared to other Shearing productions, these two collections give the listener a more sensitive and mellow sound which makes it perfect for a late rainy night.
A song that stands out from this collection is the melodious "Moon Song." This track, although just over two minutes, has so much music that it will make you listen to it over and over again. The most interesting part of this song is the dramatic ending which goes back to the intro of the song but this time more mysterious and haunting. Another song that will draw your attention is the popular standard "Laura." From all the versions that I have heard this is by far the best of them. Similar to "Moon Song," the ending of "Laura" comes back to the main melody but takes an unexpected turn to give it a happy ending. The sounds of this track give me the impression that if there is a "Laura", she is a lovely woman.
Although there are no lyrics in these productions, I think these sounds give the listener one thousand things to talk about, like it did for me.
I enjoy listening to George Shearing because his music is very rich in melody and his solos represent him as a great pianist. Whether he plays with his quartet or with an orchestra in the background, Shearing shows that he is versatile at different sounds.
Other artists that I listen to along with Shearing are Bill Evans, and Eliana Elias to name a few. From other Shearing albums that I own, I would definitely recommend his Christmas production: "Christmas with the George Shearing Quintet."
"
George Shearing could sell a tune without even trying--and t
Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 06/28/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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.
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1
