Latin Affair
''Latin Affair'' is a 1959 album by pianist George Shearing. Reception The initial ''Billboard'' magazine review from November 30, 1959 chose the album as one of its "Special Merit Spotlights" and commented that "Shearing serves up his usual, lightly swingy, delicately phrased instrumental treatments of a group of Latin themes and standards...all dressed up in an infectious Latin beat". Scott Yanow reviewed the album for Allmusic and awarded it three stars, commenting that "Although the personnel in his popular Quintet had changed a bit...Shearing and his guest Armando Peraza on congas remain the main soloists. The music on their melodic set includes South American melodies and swing standards; in both cases the easy-listening music is Latinized yet still influenced by bop. This enjoyable LP will be difficult to find". ''Latin Affair'' and Shearing's 1958 album ''Latin Lace'' were featured in Tom Moon's 2008 book ''1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die''. Track listing # "Al ...
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George Shearing
Sir George Albert Shearing, (13 August 1919 14 February 2011) was a British jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for Discovery Records, MGM Records and Capitol Records. Shearing was the composer of over 300 titles, including the jazz standards " Lullaby of Birdland" and " Conception", and had multiple albums on the ''Billboard'' charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s. He died of heart failure in New York City, at the age of 91. Biography Early life Born in Battersea, London, Shearing was the youngest of nine children. He was born blind to working-class parents: his father delivered coal and his mother cleaned trains in the evening. He started to learn piano at the age of three and began formal training at Linden Lodge School for the Blind, where he spent four years. Though he was offered several scholarships, Shearing opted to perform at a local pub, the Mason's Arms in Lambeth, for "25 bob a week" playing piano and accordion. He ...
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