Jazz legend Shearing in hospital

London-born pianist George Shearing pictured in 1972

Jazz pianist George Shearing was admitted to hospital on Monday after falling in his Manhattan home.

The 84-year-old was placed under observation, a spokesman for his record label, Concord Records, said. There were no details of his injuries.

Shearing was also forced to cancel forthcoming appearances in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The British-born pianist, who has been blind since birth, enjoyed huge commercial success from the 1940s-60s.

Hit records

He is known for his unusual "locked hands" style of playing and was traditionally accompanied by guitar, bass, drums and vibraphone.

Shearing, who settled in the USA in 1947, had a succession of hit records with his quintet before the advent of rock and roll including September in the Rain and his own composition Lullaby Of Birdland.

He has collaborated with singers such as Peggy Lee, Ernestine Anderson and Carmen McRae, and an album made with singer Mel Torme won a Grammy Award in 1982.

He was made an OBE in 1997 and received the lifetime achievement honour at the BBC Jazz Awards in 2003.