Jazz legend George Shearing. An early publicity photo by Paramount.
George with my mother, his niece, at his flat in New York. (Family photo.)
George at home in Battersea, 1940s. His father, back right, my mother front. (Family photo.)
Shear Brass recording their acclaimed first album, 'Celebrating Sir George Shearing.' (Photo by Monika S. Jakubowska.)
Shear Brass at Ronnie's, Soho, London. (Photo by Monika S. Jakubowska.)
My brother, drummer Carl Gorham. (Photo by Monika S. Jakubowska.)
Shear Brass
Shear Brass is my brother Carl's band, dedicated to playing new arrangements of the music of Sir George Shearing, my great uncle, and one of Britain's greatest ever jazz musicians and composers.
The band features an array of outstanding musicians such as James Pearson, Pete Long, Alec Dankworth, Jason McDermid and Alistair White. Their credits include Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, The Ronnie Scott All Stars, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Dizzy Gillespie, Tom Jones, Joss Stone, Sir Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Quincy Jones and many, many more.
Their debut album 'Celebrating Sir George Shearing' encompasses Swing, Be-Bop, Cool and Latin influences as well as some of the most celebrated vocal numbers of the 20th Century and was released on Ubuntu Music on September 1st 2023. A series of live gigs accompanied the launch. A second album is being recorded.