Artie Shaw Jazz Musician
23rd May, 1910 - 30th December, 2004.
Artie Shaw is known as one of the most talented jazz musicians of his time. He began his career in music as a clarinetist but also filled the role of composer and bandleader during his lifetime.
Shaw was born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky in New York City on May 23, 1910. He grew up in New Haven, Connecticut where he began learning the saxophone at the age of 14. Just a few months later he began playing the clarinet, the instrument for which he is best known.
As a teenager he moved to Cleveland and began playing with Austin Wylie – the top bandleader in the area. While living in Cleveland, he had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles where he ran into some musicians he knew. Eventually he made the move to Hollywood and joined the Aaronson Band.
The Aaronson band traveled to Chicago and to New York. In 1930, Artie decided he’d stay in New York and became the top studio musician for the saxophone and the clarinet. At the young age of 21, he was at the top of his craft.
In 1936 he made an important career move. He worked as the bandleader on a show in New York called "Swing Concert" where he used unorthodox arrangements and wowed the crowd. This became a turning point for the entire genre of big band music.
He recorded “Begin the Beguine” by Cole Porter and the recording launched him to success in popular culture. This recording is still known as one of the top sellers in history. His recordings were radio favorites and flew off the shelves as thousands of fans discovered his amazing talent.
After a year of major popularity, Shaw retreated from the public. The pressures of stardom were not a good match for his disposition. He reemerged during World War II when he enlisted in the US Navy and formed a band that served the Pacific Theater.
In the 1950s he stopped playing the clarinet saying that his perfectionism made it difficult for him to play. He retreated to Europe where he lived for the rest of the decade. In 1981, he reemerged forming The New Artie Shaw Band, which was conducted by Dick Johnson. Occasionally Shaw would perform as a guest leader for the band.
An eccentric man, but gifted musician Shaw was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. Shortly after receiving the award he passed away in December 2004.
We have five recordings of Artie Shaw to add to RUSC over the next few days and these will be listed under the Music Miscellaneous heading. I hope you enjoy them as much as Joy and I have.
Happy listening my friends,
