1959. Shearing on Stage !
Toots…you’re the guy.
January 1959 : LP Shearing On Stage ! Capitol T1187. Rarity Index: *
George Shearing with sunglasses (piano), Armando Peraza (percussion), Percy Brice (drums), Al McKibbon (bass), Emil Richards (vibraphone), Jean ‘Toots’ Thielemans (guitar and harmonica). The concert was recorded live at thet Claremont College, Claremont, Californie (USA) 8 march 1958. The Belgian guitarist Toots Thielemans plays a Rickenbaker – series 400, which inspires John Lennon to buy a similar guitar in 1960.
De Belgische gitarist en harmonicaspeler Jean ‘Toots’ staat met zijn Rickenbacker gitaar type 400, zowel op de voorzijde als op de achterzijde van deze essentiële LP. John Lennon zag deze LP in Hamburg in 1960. Dit is dé directe aanleiding dat John Lennon in oktober of november 1960 een beigekleurige Rickenbacker gitaar ‘type 325’ koopt in Hamburg. Toots bevestigt dit verhaal en nog veel meer. Begin 1964 werd door Francis Hall, de baas van Rickenbacker USA, een ontmoeting geregeld met The Beatles. Toots ontmoet The Beatles op 8 februari 1964, na de repetities voor de Ed Sullivan show in New York. Hij moet in het Savoy hotel, op vraag van Francis Hall, Rickenbacker gitaren presenteren aan The Beatles. Volgens Thielemans, zei John Lennon toen in een zwaar Liverpools accent : ‘You’re the guy!‘ Daarmee bedoelde John dat hij Toots herkende van op de cover van de LP SHEARING ON STAGE !. En dat hij daardoor een Rickenbacker 325 gekocht heeft. John zei: “If it’s good enough for George Shearing, it’s bloody good enough for me!”.
The Belgian harmonica player and guitarist Jean ‘Toots’ Thielemans (1922-2016) is pictured on the front and the rear of this essential LP. This is the LP that John Lennon saw in Germany in 1960 and the reason that he bought a Rickenbacker 325 guitar in Hamburg in oktober/november 1960.
Toots confirms this story. Early 1964, Francis Hall, CEO of Rickenbacker USA, called Beatles manager Brian Epstein and arranged a meeting with the Beatles. On february 8th, 1964, Toots was asked by his boss Francis Hall, to demonstrate the new Rickenbacker guitars to the Beatles in New York. After the rehearsels for the Ed Sullivan Show they went to the Savoy Hotel, where Rickenbacker USA had set up a display. When John Lennon saw Jean ‘Toots’ Thielemans at the hotel he said: “You’re the guy!” John said that he recognised Toots from the cover on the LP SHEARING ON STAGE! And that this was the reason why he bought a Rickenbacker 325 guitar. John said: “If it’s good enough for George Shearing, it’s bloody good enough for me!”.
Drie CD’s waarop de muziekinstrumenten te zien zijn van de jonge Beatles.
Three CD’s where you can see the music instruments used the early Beatles
CD The Early Tapes of The Beatles – Universal 543 913-2 (2002) with picture sleeve: 3 guitarists on stage at The Top-Ten Club in Hamburg in 1961 (between 1 april and 1 july). John with his Rickenbacker 325 guitar, Paul McCartney (Rosetti Solid 7) and George Harrison (Futurama Resonet guitar)
CD Beatles Bop- Hamburg Days – Bear Family records BCD16447-1&2 (2001) with picture sleeve: Top Ten Club in Hamburg in 1961 (between 1 april and 1 july) . Complete line-up of the early Beatles. McCartney (piano), Pete Best (drums), Stu Sutcliffe (Hofner 333 bass), George Harrison (Futurama Resonet guitar) and John ( Rickenbacker 325 guitar)
In october 1962 the Rickenbacker 325 guitarbody was painted in black. John Lennon will play with his Rickenbacker 325 until february 1964!
