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Claude Bampton
Claude Bampton Orchestra. George Shearing is the pianist on the right. (Click for larger image.)
Claude Bampton
- BIOGRAPHY
- PHOTO
Though fully sighted himself, Claude Bampton led an all-blind orchestra in Britain during the late 1930s. Among the 15 bandmembers was pianist George Shearing, who joined the outfit at age 17. The group was put together for a special tour by bandleader Jack Hylton and played major theaters in England and Scotland. For their final number they used six grand pianos. Bampton waved an oversized baton that made swishing sounds to tell the musicians what to do. All the orchestra's music was transcribed into Braille.