When I first heard this Acker Bilk play Stranger On The Shore in 1962 I rushed straight out and bought the 45pm record. I loved the sound Acker Bilk made with the 'fast vibrato' on his clarinet, the way he 'hesitated' as he played the tune, and the backing that just seemed to 'flow' as he played.
Wikipedia has this to say about him:
Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk, MBE (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was an English clarinettist and vocalist known for his appearance – goatee, bowler hat and striped waistcoat – and breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register clarinet style. He was born in Pensford, Somerset, in 1929. He earned the nickname "Acker" from the Somerset slang for "friend" or "mate". His parents tried to teach him the piano but, as a boy, Bilk found it restricted his love of outdoor activities, including football. He lost two front teeth in a school fight and half a finger in a sledging accident, both of which he claimed affected his eventual clarinet style.
This piece lends itself to being played on a keyboard, so I plan to put up as many good, interesting arrangements as I can find of this piece. But first, the original by Acker Bilk himself.
Hugh