Jamal v. Shearing (or let's hear it for Crosby & Fournier)

The piano is one instrument where comparisons between musicians are easier to make. There are no two identical pianos in the world, but the common mechanics, the inability to bend notes (Monk notwithstanding) and the generally untouched, acoustic sound are a better yardstick than any other instrument (the triangle, perhaps) to tell musicians apart—case in point: in 1958-1959, Dave Brubeck and Bill Evans were recorded  at the same studio, Columbia's "church" at 30th St.,  and it's likely that at some point they used the same piano, and yet they're easily identifiable.

Pianos at Columbia's 30th St. studio (source)

Taking comparisons one step further, and given the popularity of the trio with bass and drums, how about two different pianists playing with the same rhythm team? Unusual, but he have at least one case worth listening to: Ahmad Jamal (b. 1930) and George Shearing (1919-2011) are two very different pianists, with a common trait: both have been put down for their commercial success; in Jamal's case, it didn't help that Miles Davis shouted out his boundless enthusiasm for the very young and relatively unknown pianist. In Shearing's case, it has been recognized by all parties involved that he copied Bud Powell—no mean feat—and it is well known that Powell despised him for it.

Between 1956 and 1962, Jamal led a unit comprising him on piano, Israel Crosby (1919-1962) on bass and Vernel Fournier (1928-2000) on drums. They recorded frequently, and had some popularity with their best-selling live recording at the Pershing Club, made in 1958, particularly their arrangement for "Poinciana", whose rhythm is now known as the "Poinciana beat".

Shearing led a very succesful quintet himself, with vibes, guitar, bass, and drums playing the idiosyncratic "Shearing sound", a sort of adaptation of Glenn Miller's reed section to the piano, bookended by guitar and vibes doubling the lower and upper notes, respectively. In a break from the quintet, in June 1962, Shearing played a a gig at Basin Street East in NYC as a trio, with Crosby and Fournier, some of which was recorded and published as Jazz Moments (Capitol). Sadly, it was Crosby's last recording.

I've put together a short playlist with the five titles both bands played, Shearing in June 1962, Jamal at different moments either in 1958 or 1961, close enough in time. As expected, the interaction with Jamal is looser and more fluid. The listener will reach their own conclusions, I hope, but it is interesting to see that Shearing applies the "Poinciana beat" to "What is this thing called love?" (where Jamal unsurprisingly quotes Tadd Dameron's "Hot House"), whereas Jamal doesn't in any of these tunes. The more radical difference happens on "It Could Happen to You", where Jamal plays emphatically (and Fournier at one point plays triplets with the brushes), whereas Shearing's long, arpeggiated intro is overtly sweet, a bit like Jamal's long quote of "The Sound of Music" on "Like Someone in Love". 

Vernel Fournier and Israel Crosby, at Newport Jazz Festival
(possibly on July 2, 1959)

So, here they are Ahmad Jamal and George Shearing with Israel Crosby and Vernel Fournier. And if the pianists don't whet your apetite, forget about them and listen to Fournier and, especially, Crosby, one of the truly great bassists in the history of jazz.

Listen on YouTube or Spotify.