Employing the rather unusual configuration of cello and bass combined with his piano for
Waterboy, one of three albums
Don Shirley recorded for Columbia Records during the 1960s. This trio setup is consistent with
Shirley's training as a classical pianist as well as his compositional record with that genre of music.
Shirley is the composer of three symphonies, two piano concerti, and three string quartets, among other pieces. He holds a Ph.D. in music (and one in psychology). In sum, his playing can be characterized as a cross between
Art Tatum and Artur Rubenstein.