1978 · Album
The Reunion
Recorded 1976 · Concord Jazz · Produced by Carl E. Jefferson
When Violin Sparks Piano Into Fire
Grappelli's exuberance pulled some of Shearing's hottest playing out in years.
George Shearing and Stéphane Grappelli had each built long careers on opposite temperaments — Shearing favoring restraint and introspection, Grappelli thriving on extroversion and heat. By 1976, both were seasoned artists well into their later years, yet The Reunion (1976) catches them at a moment when Grappelli's soaring, exuberant violin solos seem to unlock something in Shearing that had grown quieter over time. He responds with genuine fire, abandoning his usual cool sophistication to match Grappelli's energy. The album works because neither player compromises his nature; instead, they amplify each other across these sessions.
This is not a meeting of equals searching for common ground. Grappelli pushes, Shearing follows and rises to meet him. The violin's brightness and insistence bring out a decisiveness in the piano that had softened in Shearing's more introspective work. Listeners accustomed to Shearing's polished, understated touch will notice the difference immediately — there is urgency here, velocity, a willingness to leave safety behind.
For Shearing admirers, this ranks among his strongest late-period work precisely because it forced him out of established patterns. It is not his album; it is theirs, and that partnership matters. AllMusic reviewer Ron Wynn recognized this spark, awarding it 4.5 stars.
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More by Stéphane Grappelli
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The musicians on this record
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