Shearing's "Latin" LPs

[Larry Kart]

Semi-guilty pleasure, but lately I've been enjoying the Shearing quintet in general and the group's series of '50s Capitol "Latin" LPs in particular as they show up from time to time for $1 at my local Half-Price Books store in playable shape. Yesterday it was "Latin Escapade" and "Latin Affair," the former with a "classic" version of the group (Emil Richards, Toots Thielemans, Al McKibbon, Percy Brice, Armando Peraza), the latter with new members Warren Chaisson, Carl Pruitt and Roy Haynes(!!). The formula remains consistent, but I find enough subtle variation in the charts and their execution to be satisfied, and Peraza is a gas. Also, without being IMO at all soporific, the band is SO relaxed and "in there." So-called "light music" usually is something I don't much like, but either this music isn't that, or merely, light or I'm getting soft in the head.

[Teasing the Korean]

I LOVE these albums! There are five on Capitol - Latin Escapade, Mood Latino, Latin Affair, Latin Lace, and Latin Rendezvous. Plus, he made two MPS albums in the 70s in a similar bag.

Yes, they are predictable, with few if any surprises, but the percussion grooves are irresistible, and the combination of the signature Shearing sound with all of those interesting harmonies makes for a nice cocktail, if a tad light on the rum.

What's interesting is that most of his schmaltzy pop Capitol albums contain one or two tracks with this instrumentation. Years ago during a vinyl purge I burned all of these Latin one-offs onto a CD before unloading the LPs, and then the CD went bad. Now I'm having to re-buy all of these Shearing albums (for no more than a dollar) to get these tracks back in my life.

[mikeweil]

Shearing was very good at Latin grooves, chose the right sidemen who knew how to play them and had a thorough knowledge of the subject. He did that alreday in 1953 when Cal Tjader and Al McKibbon were in the Quintet - there is a 4 CD box out now with all the MGM sides - a copy is on its way to me. I have them on LP and wonder what they will sound like. There is one two-sided track, Tempo di Cencerro, on which he sounds like a Cuban Sonero.

[Teasing the Korean]

Some of that MGM stuff was transferred from 78 masters at unbelievably slow speeds for the original LPs. The album that starts with "Mambo Inn" is the worst.

[JSngry]

Good players playing well is always a treat, even if it is light. Light is just a relative value, not a tarpit of absoluteness.

[Cali]

Shearing was very good at Latin grooves, chose the right sidemen who knew how to play them and had a thorough knowledge of the subject. He did that alreday in 1953 when Cal Tjader and Al McKibbon were in the Quintet - there is a 4 CD box out now with all the MGM sides - a copy is on its way to me. I have them on LP and wonder what they will sound like. There is one two-sided track, Tempo di Cencerro, on which he sounds like a Cuban Sonero.

Al McKibbon was the key to these Shearing groups. Shearing learned latin jazz from McKibbon. Al had played in the Dizzy Gillespie big band that featured the first great Cuban conguero, Chano Pozo. Al became Chano's best friend up until Chano was killed in New York.

McKibbon brought Armando Peraza into Shearings band. Subsequently, Cal Tjader joined Shearings group so that he could, as he said, study Afro-Cuban music with Al McKibbon. Al McKibbon was the link. He had the most thorough understanding of Afro-Cuban rhythms in a jazz context.

The year before he passed away in 2005 (he was 86), Al traveled to Cuba where he was honored and given a parade in Havana.

Excerpted from Wikipedia, "He also wrote the Afterword to Raul Fernandez' book, Latin Jazz, part of the Smithsonian Institution's series of exhibitions on jazz."

[mikeweil]

Al McKibbon was one of the greatest jazz bassists ever - people tend to overlook him because he resided in California and made a living of studio work, but he was fantastic. As great as the other modern jazz bass pioneers, Pettiford, Ray Brown, or Israel Crosby.

You're right, no other jazz bassist had a better understanding of Cuban bass.

[Larry Kart]

Al McKibbon was one of the greatest jazz bassists ever - people tend to overlook him because he resided in California and made a living of studio work, but he was fantastic. As great as the other modern jazz bass pioneers, Pettiford, Ray Brown, or Israel Crosby.

You're right, no other jazz bassist had a better understanding of Cuban bass.

I heard McKibbon in-person once, in a Billy Taylor-led trio with Freddie Waits. McKibbon was a revelation, put "one" in a unique place, balanced right on top of the beat IIRC but placed there with much suppleness. The resulting lift this gave to things -- wow. Actually, quite similar to Israel Crosby. Also, McKibbon's sound was as big as he was.

[DMP]

I have one of those UK EMI 2-fers (you know the series - lots of Peggy Lee and Julie London) of Latin Lace & Latin Affair. Very enjoyable, at different levels.

[Ted O'Reilly]

This past weekend I heard a lovely concert by four former members of George's groups (Canadians all) from over the years, and it was a lot more than any "Tribute To..." sort of gig, which I normally eschew.

Don Thompson played vibes (and he played bass and piano with George) and wrote the charts from memory. Reg Schwager was on guitar; Neil Swainson on bass, as he was for more than a dozen years; Terry Clarke was the drummer. At the piano was Bernie Senensky, who played just like George on the arrangements, then played piano solos in his own way, but with respect to George's approach. It was truly lovely, done in just the right way with love and affection for Sir George.

Given that I heard it the night after a very so-so Cannonball Adderley tribute with Louis Hayes (and swore therefore NEVER to attend another Tribute Concert -- can no-one create with respect to the history any longer?) I delighted in the sounds of Shearing, which truly stand the test of time.