George Shearing's Bright Quintet on the Strip
A live recording that catches Shearing's quintet in straightforward, swinging form—no studio polish, just good players enjoying the room.
On the Sunny Side of the Strip arrived as one of five live albums the George Shearing quintet recorded during this period, part of a steady touring schedule that kept the group visible and working. AllMusic reviewer gave it four stars, recognizing it as a solid entry in Shearing's catalog—the kind of record that didn't demand critical reassessment but simply proved the quintet could deliver in front of an audience. It was a commercial release in a working musician's body of work, neither a breakthrough nor a curiosity, but evidence that Shearing remained a reliable draw.
What makes this live set worth hearing is its no-nonsense character. With Toots Thielemans on guitar, Armando Peraza on congas, Emil Richards on vibraphone, Al McKibbon on bass, and Percy Brice on drums, Shearing had a capable small group capable of the kind of warm, accessible swing that played well in nightclubs. There's nothing pretentious here—just a piano player at the top of his form leading a tight band through material that lands exactly where it's meant to. The recording captures the room without pretending it's anything other than what it is.
This isn't the album to start with if you're new to Shearing; that would be better served by his studio records. But if you already appreciate his approach to the piano and want to hear him in the space he actually worked, this delivers.
Who's playing
Al McKibbonbass
George Shearingpiano
Toots Thielemansguitar
Percy Bricedrums
Armando Perazacongas
Emil Richardsvibraphone
Where next?
More by George Shearing
Beauty and the Beat! 1959
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George Shearing and the Montgomery Brothers 1966
Bossa Nova 1963
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Top Drawer 1983
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
