New Page  

**
Donald Shirley
Tonal Expressions
[1955]  Cadence  CLP1001  Reissue Collection COL2755
Richard Davis (Bassist)

1. I Cover The Waterfront
2. No Two People
3. Secret Love
4. The Man I Love
5. Love Is Here To Stay
6. Dancing On The Ceiling
7. They Can't Take That Away From Me
8. Answer Me My Love
9. Medley From "New Faces": Love Is A Simple Thing / I'm In Love With Miss Logan / Monotonous / Bal Petit Bal / The Boston Beguine.
10. My Funny Valentine

**
Don Shirley
Piano Perspectives
[1955]  Cadence  CLP1004  Reissue Collection COL2755 

1. Someone To Watch Over Me
2. Love For Sale
3. Blue Moon
4. How High The Moon
5. I Can't Get Started With You
6. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
7. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
8. Makin' Whoopee
9. Lullaby Of Birdland

Piano Perspectives
Original UK - London Label  # HAA 2002


**
Don Shirley
Orpheus in the Underworld
[1956]   Cadence CLP1009 1st Reissue CLP3037 Reissue Collection COL2756

Genesis
Misfortune
Litany
The Journey
Pleading
Retrospect
(Dies Irae) Expectation
The Condition
Susser Tod (Sweet Death): Warum? (Why?)-Reconciliation

**
Don Shirley
Duo Improvisations 
[1956]  Cadence CLP1015   Reissue Collection COL2756

1. Sometimes I'm Happy - Don Shirley, Youmans, Vincent 
2. But Not for Me - Don Shirley, Gershwin, Ira 
3. Tenderly - Don Shirley, Gross, Walter 
4. What Is There to Say? - Don Shirley, Harburg, E.Y. 
5. Autumn Leaves - Don Shirley, Kosma, Joseph
6. Atonal Ostinato Blues in B 
7. When I Fall in Love - Don Shirley, Young, Victor 
8. Over the Rainbow - Don Shirley, Arlen, Harold 
9. Let's Fall in Love - Don Shirley, Arlen, Harold 
10. Walkin' by the River - Don Shirley, Carlisle, Una Mae
Don Shirley
Solos
[1958] Cadence CLP3007  Reissue Collection COL2757

1. It Could Happen To You 
2. Laura 
3. I'll Be Around 
4. Bewitched 
5. Something To Remember You By 
6. Ill Wind 
7. Little Girl Blue 
8. I'm In The Mood For Love 
9. And This Is My Beloved 
10. April In Paris 
11. It Never Entered My Mind
12. Don't Worry 'Bout Me

**
Don Shirley
With Two Basses
 [1958]  Cadence CLP3008  Reissue Collection COL2757

1. Porgy & Bess Suite
2. Polka Dots & Moonbeams
3. Walkin My baby Back Home
4. These Foolish Things
5. Honeysuckle Rose
6. September Song
7. Body & Soul
8. I'll Be Seeing You

 


**

Don Shirley
Plays Birdland Lullabies
[1960]  Cadence CLP3035  Reissue Collection COL2790

1. Lullaby Of Birdland
Recorded at Webster Hall, New York, December 20, 1955 Bass:  Richard Davis
2. Makin' Whoopee
Recorded at Webster Hall, New York, December 20, 1955 Bass:  Richard Davis
3. Blues In B Flat
Recorded at Webster Hall, New York, December 20, 1955 Bass:  Richard Davis
4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Recorded at Webster Hall, New York, December 20, 1955 Bass:  Richard Davis

5. How High The Moon
Recorded at Webster Hall, New York, December 20, 1955 Bass:  Richard Davis
6. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York, December 21, 1957 Basses: Jim Bond and Kenneth Fricker
7. Body And Soul
Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York, December 21, 1957 Basses: Jim Bond and Kenneth Fricker
8. Honeysuckle Rose
Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York, December 21, 1957 Basses: Jim Bond and Kenneth Fricker


**
Don Shirley
Show Tunes
[1960]  Cadence CLP3036    Reissue Collection COL2790

1. My Funny Valentine 
2. Love For Sale 
3. Bewitched 
4. September Song 
5. Dancing On The Ceiling 
6. Medley From "New Faces": Love Is A Simple Thing I'm In Love With Miss Logan Monotonous Bal Petit Bal Boston Beguine & This Is My Beloved Blue Moon

  Don Shirley
Plays Gershwin 
[1960] Cadence CLP3032  Collection   Reissue Collection

1. Porgy & Bess Suite - Don Shirley, Gershwin, G.
2. Love Is Here to Stay - Don Shirley, Gershwin, G.
3. But Not for Me - Don Shirley, Gershwin, G.
4. The Man I Love - Don Shirley, Gershwin, G.
5. Someone to Watch Over Me - Don Shirley, Gershwin, George
6. They Can't Take That Away from Me - Don Shirley, Gershwin, George 

??? The Porgy And Bess Suite includes the melodies from the following:
1) My Man's Gone, 2) I Got Plenty Of Nuttin', 3) It Ain't Necessarily So, 4) Strawberry Song, 5) Summertime, 6) That Can't Take That Away From Me, 7)I Love You Porgy, 8) Someone To Watch Over Me, 9) Bess You Is My Woman, 10) The Man I Love, 11) Love Is Here To Stay, 12) But Not For Me

 don_shirley_standards.jpg (124927 bytes)
**
Don Shirley
Standards
[1960] Cadence CLP3033  Reissue on CD Collection
1. April in Paris - Don Shirley, Harburg, E.Y. 
2. I Cover the Waterfront - Don Shirley, Heyman, E. 
3. Let's Fall in Love - Don Shirley, Arlen, H. 
4. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart - Don Shirley, Ellington, D. 
5. When I Fall in Love - Don Shirley, Young, V. 
6. Little Girl Blue - Don Shirley, Rodgers, R. 
7. Over the Rainbow - Don Shirley, Arlen, H. 
8. No Two People - Don Shirley, Loesser, F. 
9. Walkin' by the River - Don Shirley, Carlisle, U. 
10. Polka Dots and Moonbeams - Don Shirley, VanHeusen, J.
 
**
Don Shirley
Plays Shirley
 
[1960]  Cadence CLP3037     Reissue of the earlier Cadence CLP1009.

An Improvisation Based on the Story of Orpheus in the Underworld
 

  Don Shirley
Love Songs 
[1960] Cadence CLP3034   Reissue on CD Collection  
1. Tenderly - Don Shirley, Gross, Walter 
2. Something to Remember You By - Don Shirley, Schwartz, Arthur 
3. What Is There to Say? - Don Shirley, Duke, Vernon 
4. Answer Me, My Love - Don Shirley, Winkler, Gerhard 
5. I'm in the Mood for Love - Don Shirley, McHugh, Jimmy 
6. These Foolish Things - Don Shirley, Link, Harry 
7. I'll Be Around - Don Shirley, Wilder, Alec 
8. I Can't Get Started - Don Shirley, Duke, Vernon 
9. Secret Love - Don Shirley, Webster, Paul Franc 
10. It Could Happen to You - Don Shirley, Burke, Johnny

** Poor cover
Don Shirley Trio
[1961]  Cadence CLP3046  
Stereo CLP25046    Reissue on CD Collection

Includes Don Shirley, piano, Ken Fricker, bass, and Juri Taht, cello.
The version of "Water Boy" here is longer than the 45rpm hit version. The 45 was a shorter, complex edit of this LP track.

1. Water Boy - Avery Robinson
2. Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess? - George Gershwin
3. In a Moorish Market Place - Don Shirley
4. The Man I Love - George Gershwin 
5. This Nearly Was Mine -  Richard Rodgers
6. Blue Skies - Irving Berlin
7. Adieu Madraz - Don Shirley
8. Tribute to Billy Holiday/Traveling Light/Don't Explain/Easy Living/God - Mercer 
9. By Myself/I Know Where I'm Going - Howard Dietz
10. Freedom/I'm on My Way - Don Shirley
11. When Your Lover Has Gone - Einar A. Swan
Don Shirley
Pianist Extraordinary
[1962]   Cadence CLP3048    Stereo CLP 25048         Reissue on CD Collection

How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)
I Understand My Ship
Time After Time
Love Walked In
It's The Talk Of The Town
Lady Be Good
I Cried For You
Russian Folk Song
Mack The Knife
Trust In Me/In Other Words

Don Shirley
Piano Spirituals
[1962]   Cadence CLP3049    Stereo CLP 25049   
Reissue on CD Collection

Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child 
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen/Heaven
Were You There
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
My Lord It's So High
Take My Hand Precious Lord
In-A-My Soul
Go Down Moses
Even Me
God Be With You
Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho
When The Saints Go Marching In
It's Me
Standing In The Need Of Prayer
Let Us Break Bread Together
Every Time I Feel The Spirit


**
Don Shirley
Presents Martha Flowers  
[1962]   Cadence CLP3055     Stereo CLP 25055

Side A
1. Anytime Any Day Anywhere, L. Wiley - V. Yong - W. Washington 
2. Dancing On The Ceiling, R-Rodgers - L. Hart
3. I Had Myself A True Love, H. Arlen - J.H. Mercer
4. Fools Rush In, R.Bloom - J.H. Mercer
5. Love Walked InG. Gershwin - I. Gershwin
Side B
6. Porgy And Bess Suite


**
Don Shirley
Drown In My Own Tears
[1962] Cadence CLP3057  Stereo CLP 25057
Reissue on CD with 5 additional Songs

Side A
1. Drown In My Own Tears (Hnery Glover)
2. Margie (B. Davis -- C. Conrad -- J.R. Robinson)
3. Stand By Me  (B.E. King -- E. Glick)
4. Willow Weep For Me  (Ann Ronell)
5. I Got Rhythm (G. Gershwin -- I. Gershwin)
6. Georgia On My Mind (H. Carmichael -- S. Gorrel)
Side B
1. The Lonesome Road (G. Austin -- N Shilkret)
2. At Last (M. Gordon -- H. Warren)
3. Amen (Don Shirley)
4. Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe (H. Arlen -- E. Y. Harburg)
5. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) (J. Mercer - H. Arlen)
6. Just For A Thrill  (L. Armstrong - D. Raye)

  Don Shirley
TONAL EXPRESSIONS Vol. 1
45 RPM RECORD  Cadence CEP 501

 

** Don Shirley
TONAL EXPRESSIONS Vol. 2
45 RPM RECORD Cadence CEP 502

Side 1: The Man I Love, (G.Gershwin - I. Gershwin)
Side 2: The Man I Love (Concluded), (G.Gershwin - I. Gershwin)
Side 3: Love is Here to Stay, (G.Gershwin - I. Gershwin)
Side 4: They Can't Take That Away From Me, (G.Gershwin - I. Gershwin)
 

  Don Shirley
PIANO PERSPECTIVES Vol. 1
45 RPM RECORD Cadence CEP 503
** Don Shirley
PIANO PERSPECTIVES Vol. 2
45 RPM RECORD   Cadence CEP 504

Side 1:
Side 2: I Can't Give you Anything But Love, (J. McHugh - D. Fields) Makin' Whoopee, (W. Donaldson - G. Kahn Bregman, Vocco & Conn)
Side 3: I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart, (D. Ellington - J. Redmond - I. Mills - H Nemo Mills) Side 4:

** Don Shirley
45 RPM RECORD Red Label Cadence Records 1420
Recorded April 21, 1964

Record Side A: Stand by Me, (B.E. King - E. Glick)
Record Side B: Amen, (Don Shirely)

45 RPM RECORD Red Label Cadence Records 1445
Recorded April 21, 1964
Record Side A: If I Had A Hammer, Lee Hays - Pete Seeger Record
Side B: Ol' Man River (from the production "Show Boat)


**
Don Shirley (1959)
Audio Fidelity  AFSD5897  /  CLP1897

Side 1
1. One More for the Road (Arlen)
2. Satin Doll (Ellington)
3. Somebody Loves Me (Gershwin)
4. Nearness of You (Carmichael)
5. Easy Living (Robin)
6. The Way You Look Tonight (Kern)
Side 2
7. Blues for Basses (Fricker, Shirley, Frey)
8. Happy Talk (Rogers, Hammerstein)
9. The Nearly Was Mine (Rodgers)
10. Dites Moi (Rogers)
11. I Remember April (Raye, dePaul, Johnston)
12. Black is the Color (Shirley, Frey)

**
Don Shirley
Point of View
Atlantic SD1605
Don Shirley on piano & organ, with Kenneth Fricker on bass, and James Boyd and Juri Taht on cello.

Side 1
1. The Warning, by Don Shirely
2. Carry me Back to Old Verginny, by James A. Bland
3. Bridge over Troubled Water, by Paul Simon
4. The Shadow of your Smile, by Paul Francis Webster & Johnny Mandel
Side 2
5. Alfie, by Burt Bacharach & Hal David
6. Gershwin Medley, by George Gershwin 
7. By the Time I get to Phoenix, by Jim Webb

The Gershwin Medley includes the melodies from the following: 1) May Man's Gone No, 2) I Got Plenty O' Nuttin', 3) It Ain't Necessarily So, 4) Strawberry Women, 5) Summertime, 6) Oh Bess Where's my Bess, 7) I Loves you Porgy, 8) Bess you is my Woman Now, 9) Clara, Clara, 10) Bess you is my Woman Now

**
Don Shirley Trio in
Concert
(1968) 
Columbia CS9684
with Gilberto Munguia, Cellist & Henry Gonzalez, Bassist

Side 1
1. I Can't Get Started
2. I Feel Pretty (from "West Side Story")
3.My Funny Valentine
4. Yesterday
5. I Cover the Waterfront
Side 2
6. Georgia on my Mind
7. Lullaby
8. Water Boy
9. One Man's Hand
10. By Myself
11. Happy Talk (from "South Pacific")

Don Shirley Trio
Water Boy (Mono CL9196)
Columbia  CS9196

**
Gospel According to Don Shirley
[1969]   Columbia CS9723
with Gilberto Munguia, Cellist & Henry Gonzalez, Bassist

Side 1
1. I'll Drown In My Tears 
2. Climb Ev'ry Mountain 
3. Trilogy 
4. Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross, arranged by Don Shirley 
5. Glory Burdens Down Lord, arranged by Don Shirley 
6. When the Saints Go Marching In, arranged by Don Shirley
Side 2
7.I 've Been 'Buked, arranged by Don Shirley 
8. He's Got the Whole World In His Hands, arranged by Margaret Bonds 
9. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free 
10. Blowin' In the Wind 11. Dream Of a Time

Don Shirley
Concert Series, Vol. 1
PiccADilly  3428
  Don Shirley
Concert Series, Vol. 2
PiccADilly  3320
  Don Shirley
Concert Series, Vol. 3
PiccADilly  3363
  Don Shirley
Concert Series, Vol. 4
PiccADilly  3393

**
Don Shirley
Concert Series, Vol. 5
PiccADilly  3427  1980 First American Records

Side 1
1. Tenderly
2. Something to Remember You By
3. What is there to Say
4. I'm in the Mood for Love
Side 2
5. These Foolish Things
6. I'll be Around
7. I Can't Get Started with You
8. Secret Love
9. It Could Happen to You

A Renaissance Man is one who is artistically gifted and able to express his gifts in abundant manners.  The type of man is rare; our age, the age of specialization, hasn't produced many of note, but Don Shirley is definitely a contender for the title.  In addition to his Doctorate in Music, he hold Doctorates in Psychology and Liturgical Arts, speaks eight languages fluently and paints expertly.

In is impossible to categorize Don Shirley's music.  It is possible to say that as an arranger-composer he treats each price of music as a new composition, not just an arrangement.  Don plays Standards in a non-standard way.  He is a virtuoso, playing everything from Show tunes to ballads to his personal arrangements of Negro spirituals to jazz, and always with the overtone of classically trained musician who has utmost respect for the music he is playing.

His rendition of Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" is the most sensitive production of that poignant song, as well as the most exciting that I have ever heard.  The key to the reason why Don is such an exciting player is that he plays to a sense of truth about each song he does; he goes right to the heart of the song and the listener immediately reacts, saying to himself, "Yes, that is the way that song should be played!"  His sense of shading, phrasing, and balance with his piano is equal to the sense that Billie Holiday is renowned for with her voice.  Igor Stravinsky has said of him, "His virtuosity is worthy of the Gods."

Don's piano style is basically attributed to his using the piano as a stringed instrument rather than a percussion instrument which enables him to have a flexible, subtle voice.  He has said, "There are three ways to enjoy or to interpret music, from a listening point of view: emotionally, intellectually, and a combination of the two."  I think the latter of the three would make for the most satisfying listening pleasure, and Don's work has consistently made me appreciate the music in an emotional and intellectual way.

Don is a a native of Kingston, Jamaica.  He has referred to the key of "B Major" as being the lovely blue of Turquoise Bay.  he began playing piano at the age of 2 1/2 and made his first public performance at the age of 3.  By the time he was 9 he had been invited to study at the Leningrad Conservatory, where he spent a great part of his youth.  However, he abandoned the piano when he was still quite young even though he had a great deal of success both in Europe and the United States.

It was be serendipity that Don got back into music.  He was given a grant while teaching Psychology at the University of Chicago in the early 50's to study the relationship, if any, between music and the juvenile crime wave that had recently erupted in new York.  he proved that certain tonal combinations affected the audience's reactions.  No one in the audience, except some of his students who were planted to help with the project, knew of the experiment, but the small club became known for employing an excellent pianist.  The "pianist" started making appearances in New York, most notably at the Basin Street, where he played with Duke Ellington.  They cultivated a warm friendship, the pinnacle of which was Don's performance of Duke's Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall with the NBC Symphony of the Air.

This Renaissance Man has composed three symphonies, two piano concerti, a cello concerto, three string quartets, a one-act opera, and works for organ, piano, and violin.  A piece of work that most people can't even read captured Don's imagination and inspired him to write a tone poem: the work, James Joyce's "Finnegan's Wake." Don has also written a set of "Variations" on the legend of Orpheus in the Underworld.  You'll remember that Orpheus was the god of music, though he was half mortal, and he journeyed to the Underworld to rescue his love.

Don Shirley, the man and the musician, has reached the heights of immortality through his music, while, like Orpheus, he is most decidedly "human." The work enclosed in this sleeve will certainly attest to that fusion and lift the listener up to ecstatic heights.

Rebecca Celebreeze

 

  Don Shirley
Concert Series, Vol. 6
PiccADilly  3435
  Don Shirley
Concert Series, Vol. 7
PiccADilly  3396
** Home With Donald Shirley
Released December 2001  
Walbridge Music Company

1. This Little Light of Mine*
2. The Flight of the Bumblebee 
3. 'Round Midnight 
4. Divertimento for Duke by Don 5. Lotus Blossom* 
6. Feelings 
7. Where or When* 
8. Jesus Keep Me near the Cross
9. Good-bye John* 
10. Liberation Day 
11. O'Freedom 
12. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye* 
13. Blue Skies 
14. Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult

(The titles with an asterisk (*) are piano solos. The others feature the Donald Shirley chamber trio of piano, cello, and double bass.)

RE-ISSUES
In December 1999 COLLECTABLES JAZZ CLASSICS issued 10 new CDs. These ten CDs are the full length original versions from 10 DON SHIRLEY Cadence LPs. Packaged 2 CDs per Set. In January 2000 they will reissue two more of the Cadence LPs on a single CD. These plus one CD issued earlier now make a total of twelve CDs

**
COL2755
Collectable Jazz Classics 
   Don Shirley: Tonal Expressions   CLP1001
   Don Shirley: Piano Perspectives  CLP1004

**
COL2756
Collectable Jazz Classics 
  Don Shirley: Orpheus In Underworld  CLP1009
  Don Shirley: Improvisations  CLP1015

**
COL2757
Collectable Jazz Classics 
  Don Shirley: Solos CLP3007
  Don Shirley: With Two Basses CLP3008

**
COL2758
Collectable Jazz Classics 
  Don Shirley: Plays Love Songs  CLP3034
  Don Shirley: Trio CLP3046
(CLP25046)

**
COL2759
Collectable Jazz Classics 
  Don Shirley: Pianist Extraordinary  CLP3048 
(CLP25048)
  Don Shirley: Famous Spirituals  CLP3049
(CLP25049)

**
COL2790
Collectable Jazz Classics 
  Don Shirley: Birdland Lullabies  CLP3035
  Don Shirley: Plays Show Tunes  CLP3036

**
COL5746
Collectable Jazz Classics
GOLDEN CLASSICS
This is a reissue of Cadence CLP3057  Stereo CLP 25057 Drown In My Own Tears Plus 6 additional Songs**

1. Water Boy**
2. Freedom**
3. Drown in My Own Tears
4. Margie
5. Stand by Me
6. Willow Weep For Me
7. I Got Rhythm
8. Georgia on My Mind
9. Lonesome Road, The
10. At Last
11. Amen
12. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe
13. One For My Baby (And One More For the Road)
14. Just For a Thrill
15. Dancing on the Ceiling **
16. Hammer Song, The**
17. Old Man River**
18. My Funny Valentine**


Don Shirley Trio in Concert (1968)
Columbia CS9684

Gospel According to Don Shirley (1969)  ]
Columbia CS9723

I'll Drown In My Tears/Climb Ev'ry Mountain/Trilogy/Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross/Glory Burdens Down Lord/When the Saints Go Marching In/I've Been Buked/He's Got the Whole World In His Hands/I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free/Blowin' In the Wind/Dream Of a Time

Don Shirley Plays Gershwin  [1960]
Cadence CLP3032  
Don Shirley (Pianist) Standards  [1960] Cadence CLP3033      http://www.oldies.com/product-view/27892.html