Topless and Two Lovers Dream.
Jim Shearer, tuba. Summit Records.
summitrecords.com 7995 and 7994 2023
Jim Shearer teaches tuba and euphonium at New Mexico State University and has been an active soloist throughout the United States. He recorded two new exciting downloadable tracks on the Summit Records label: Topless, a work for tuba and piano by New York native composer Alvin Singleton, and Two Lovers Dream, a trio for tuba, horn and, piano written by composer Tom Clary.
Topless is a feature for tuba and piano performed by Shearer and pianist Laura Spitzer. Written by Alvin Singleton, the title of the work is a reference to the sounding range of the tuba. The piece is thoughtfully composed, features the tuba in all registers, and accentuates the flexibilitv of the instrument in solo plaving.
Shearer performs the enigmatic work with grace, precision, and depth. Shearer is a storyteller, and this work lends itself to a fascinating conversation between the tuba and piano. Alvin Singleton is a highly touted composer with numerous positions to his name including former composer-in-residence with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Ritz Chamber Plavers of Jacksonville, Florida. He has also been a visiting professor of composition at the Yale University School of Music.
Two Lovers Dream was recorded by Shearer, Celeste Shearer, horn, and Dena Kay Jones, piano. The work was written by Tom Clary, a freelance trumpet-player, composer, and arranger. Two Lovers Dream is a programmatic work giving voice to two lovers as they communicate with each other through moments in time including a slow conversation, excitement for the future, joy, and the sound of restful closeness. The recording is well balanced, and the musicians give a superb, crisp performance with musical energy ranging from intensity to tenderness.
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Dr Steven Maxwell
Kansas State University