As a tribute to the late George Shearing (1919-2011), who died in February, Retrospective offers this unique survey of his first two recording decades.

Pianist, bandleader and composer George Shearing was the first British jazzman to hit the big-time in the States, and remains one of the most internationally celebrated musicians this country has ever produced. Blind from birth, he was voted the top British pianist for seven years (1939-1946) before he emigrated to New York, created the unmistakeable "Shearing sound", and enjoyed stardom from then on.

Disc One surveys his musical journey from Battersea to Birdland. 16 London tracks include seven fine solos (eg Delayed Action), three examples of his work with the likes of Stéphane Grappelli (eg Dinah) and six fronting his Trio or Sextet with Kenny Baker (eg Trunk Call). In America success came quickly when he formed his famous Quintet with vibes, guitar, bass and drums, and the CD takes us up to his 1949 million-selling September In The Rain.

The second disc charts a decade of the George Shearing Quintet’s gradual progression from simply being one of the most popular jazz combos on the planet, to reaching out to a wider audience with the ultimate in sophisticated easy listening. It opens with a dozen superb examples of the Quintet in its heyday (eg East Of The Sun, I’ll Remember April), then there are reminders of the many top-selling albums from the mid to late 50s – sometimes with full orchestra (eg The Folks Who Live On The Hill, with Billy May), sometimes with Latin percussion (eg Serenata), and sometimes just his solo piano working miracles (eg Stella By Starlight).

George was also an accompanist par excellence, as can be heard here in the company of Billy Eckstine, Peggy Lee and Nancy Wilson. And two of the album tracks feature Shearing as jazz accordionist! – Squeezin' The Blues from 1939 and an amazing Cherokee from ten years later.

Contents:
CD 1
1. Lullaby Of Birdland
2. Stomp In F
3. Squeezin’ The Blues
4. The Sheik Of Araby
5. Missouri Scrambler
6. Dinah
7. Delayed Action
8. Jump For Joy
9. Champagne
10. More Than You Know
11. Rosetta
12. A Ghost Of A Chance
13. Five Flat Flurry
14. Trunk Call
15. It’s Easy To Remember
16. Have You Met Miss Jones?
17. Bop’s Your Uncle
18. Consternation
19. Poinciana
20. Cherokee
21. Bebop’s Fables
22. Sorry, Wrong Rhumba
23. Moon Over Miami
24. The Continental
25. Summertime
26. September In The Rain

CD 2
1. East Of The Sun
2. Conception
3. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was
4. I’ll Remember April
5. Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid
6. Little White Lies
7. Roses Of Picardy
8. Pick Yourself Up
9. I’ll Be Around
10. Taking A Chance On Love (With Billy Eckstine)
11. How High The Moon?
12. Love Is Just Around The Corner
13. Mambo Inn
14. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
15. If I Should Lose You
16. Stella By Starlight
17. If
18. Serenata
19. Sand In My Shoes
20. Mambo No.2
21. Moonlight Becomes You
22. Do I Love You, Do I? (With Peggy Lee)
23. Isn’t It Romantic?
24. Always True To You In My Fashion (With Peggy Lee)
25. Satin Doll
26. The Nearness Of You (With Nancy Wilson)