Jazz Articles about Artie Shaw

The Cinderella So Few Got to Hear: Late Artie Shaw is the Best Artie Shaw

by Richard J Salvucci
March 7, 2025

Artie Shaw will always be a bit of a puzzle to his fans--"morons, “ as he once characterized some of us. The best band he ever fronted, and said so more than once, was his 1949-50 “bop" band. Benny Goodman had a similar outfit around the same time, which, like Shaw's, featured excellent young musicians who were comfortable with the bop idiom. But as for the clarinet playing, Goodman's remained more swing than bop, while Shaw's was arguably the other ...

The Swing Era Big Bands (1936 - 1941)

by Russell Perry
March 26, 2019

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the very dance-oriented swinging music of the Big Bands was the most popular music around. Never had jazz been more central to mass culture. Just over the horizon were the draft of 1940 that eventually conscripted 10 million men, making it increasingly difficult to field top notch bands; war shortages of gasoline and shellac limiting both touring and recording; the economic infeasibility of touring with 16-member orchestras; the musicians strike and recording ban ...

100 Years of Artie Shaw

by George Kanzler
May 15, 2010

Artie ShawThe Last Recordings Vol. 1MusicMaster-Nimbus2009 Artie ShawThe Last Recordings Vol. 2MusicMaster-Nimbus2009 Artie ShawThe Last Recordings Vol. 3MusicMaster-Nimbus2009 Artie ShawThe Complete Spotlight Band 1945 BroadcastsHep Jazz2009 Artie ShawComplete Thesaurus Transcriptions 1949Hep Jazz2010

Artie Shaw: Classic Bluebird and Victor Sessions

by Samuel Chell
January 26, 2010

Artie ShawClassic Bluebird and Victor SessionsMosaic Records2009Shortly after its critically acclaimed box set comprising clarinetist Benny Goodman's essential recordings-- The Columbia and Okeh Benny Goodman Orchestra Sessions (2009), which was released to coincide with the centenary of the “King of Swing"--Mosaic Records has done it again. The Classic Artie Shaw Bluebird and Victor Sessions arrives in time for the 100th birthday (May 23, 2010) of the clarinetist who was the instrumental bobby-soxer ...

Obituary: Artie Shaw

by AAJ Staff
June 4, 2005

Artie Shaw died December 30th at the age of 94. It seems almost befitting that Shaw, the musician that despised fame, would pass on after all the magazines and newspapers went to press with their year-end tributes to the entertainers who died in 2004. “The public and I have nothing to do with each other," Shaw said in a 2002 interview. “I have succeeded in spite of the public." Well, the public may not have always accepted Shaw's music, but ...

Artie Shaw: "Begin the Beguine"

by David Rickert
May 12, 2005

Dueling Clarinetists

During the Swing Era Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw were the clarinetists that reigned supreme and serious fans divided themselves into factions that loved one or the other. Goodman was the peddler of popular tunes who got the crowd on their feet, while Shaw was the musician's musician who preferred to make artistic statement that people listened to.

While both left their mark on the time period, nobody felt the tension between art and entertainment like ...

Artie Shaw: Clarinetist and Bandleader, 1910-2004

by Mark Sabbatini
January 1, 2005

“His use of strings and arrangements blending commercialism with interesting musical values was almost unique of its kind. But Shaw was a contrary soul, critical of any pandering to audiences." - “The Penguin Guide To Jazz On CD," referring to Artie Shaw

For someone hoping to pitch swing-era big band music to today's counterculture, Artie Shaw might be the perfect choice.

The famous clarinetist died Dec. 29, 2003, at the age of 94 from ...