Tribute To a Jazz Knight

Ellie Shearing (center) and members of Berkshire Gateway Jazz
during a May 2014 interview regarding her husband, Sir George
Shearing. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

This weekend marks the third annual Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend, to be held in my former town of Lee, Massachusetts. This year's festival, which runs from Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, June 7, will include a tribute to the late jazz pianist, Sir George Shearing.

Last March I was hired by Berkshire Gateway Preservation Inc. to travel to New York City, and film an interview with Shearing's widow, Ellie Shearing, in the beautiful apartment the couple shared near the City's Central Park/Museum Mile. The completed video, with Ms. Shearing recalling her famous husband's life and career (in front of his grand, Bösendorfer piano), will kick off this weekend's festival, with a free screening at the Lee Library, starting at 6 p.m. (the video will also be airing on CTSB-TV).

"The sounds of Shearing": behind the scenes.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights
reserved.

I enjoyed putting this latest music documentary together. It was interesting to learn about Shearing, who triumphed over the odds (and blindness) to become one of the most influential piano players in the world of jazz, with a distinct style that became known as the "Shearing Sound." I had a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the Shearings' home/ recording studio, and heard stories of the many jazz greats who connected with the pianist over the years. It turned out that he and Ellie used to live part-time in Lee, Massachusetts, so this weekend's events seem especially fitting. 

Friday's concert, to be held at the newly restored First Congregational Church in Lee, will feature The Sounds of Shearing, a tribute band to the jazz legend, with members of George Shearing's original Quintet. Proceeds from the concert will help benefit the efforts of the Berkshire Gateway Preservation. For more information about the festival and how to purchase tickets, visit the Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend website.

Related Links (updated June 6):

"Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend: Shearing ensemble honors a master," Berkshire Eagle, June 6, 2014

"Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend tribute to George Shearing to open summer music scene," Berkshire Eagle, May 27, 2014

www.georgeshearing.net

solid sounds

You could probably tell from my last blog that I was a little excited by the Coachella Festival live streaming. At the moment, I'm listening to the Buzzcocks and getting ready to check out Kaiser Chiefs, Squeeze, and Noel Gallagher. I admit it, I get a little giddy when it comes to music--especially all this great stuff that is so ME!

On the way home tonight I heard the singer Jamie Lidell on the radio, which reminded me of another top music festival that I attended last year. Wilco's Solid Sound Festival was held at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) June 24 through 26, 2011, and featured its own Coachella-worthy assortment of music acts, including Wilco (who curated this eclectic arts and music fest for the second year in a row); Lidell; Neil Finn and his new band, Pajama Club; and The Band's Levon Helm. I should mention that I was actually invited to document the three-day festival for my TV music show, and even had a chance to interview Pajama Club, which was a real thrill since Neil Finn has long been one of my favorite songwriters (especially with Crowded House)! 

As I listen to Coachella, I thought I would take time to share some photos from that other great festival... a little wetter than it is sure to be in Indio, CA, but certainly SOLID. Talk about desert mirage... apparently Coachella is repeating this year's entire festival next weekend to meet public demand--yup, same acts playing both weekends--crazy! So maybe next week I'll have  a do-over as well, and finally post some of my Solid Sound videos --not a bad goal for this would be concert-goer.

Photos top to bottom: Wilco at the press conference;  Liam Finn performing in Mass MoCA galleries; Thurston Moore and Nels Cline guitar jam; JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound; singing in the rain. Photos ©2011 Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Related links:

Wilco Benefit, Mass MoCA, July 31, 2012

www.coachella.com

www.youtube.com/coachella