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1. George Shearing KBE

   • Alex Webb
   • 11 Jan 07, 12:58 PM

   George Shearing’s knighthood in the New Year Honours brings to mind his rare double of achieving popular success as an instrumentalist while maintaining the respect of his jazz peers. In 1949 the Shearing Quintet recording of September in the Rain sold nearly a million copies in the US, the first of many hits. Though this was certainly thanks to its unchallenging and rather easy-listening combination of piano, vibes and guitar, Shearing’s own technique and imagination as a pianist was never in doubt.

   Which is a reminder, too, of how little instrumental music now reaches the popular mainstream. Shearing came out of a tradition where instrumental records by musicians like Harry James and Tommy Dorsey could be major hits – as were, later on, recordings by Dave Brubeck and Cannonball Adderley.

   Instrumental hits were not confined to jazz – in the 60s and 70s the likes of Herb Alpert and Richard Clayderman achieved giant sales with instrumental records. Why does this matter to jazz? Because it meant that the public was ready to listen – at least some of the time – to non-vocal music. A public which isn’t prepared to do this is effectively closed to 90% of jazz – however easy on the ear or commercial jazz might try to be.

   There are still some artists who have reached out beyond the usual jazz circles with their music - Pat Metheny, Brad Mehldau and EST come to mind straight away, as do – in a different way – Acoustic Ladyland. But might it be that what would give jazz a boost in the long term would be a new wave of pop instrumentals, and a wider revival in the habit of listening to instrumental music?

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