The Very Best of Artie Shaw

The Very Best of Artie Shaw Artist: Artie Shaw
Label: RCA
Category: Music



Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Format: Original recording remastered
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 090266375325
EAN: 0090266375325
ASIN: B000056CAM


Release Date: 2001-01-09

Related Categories:

General General
Related | Jazz | Styles | Music
Swing General Swing General
Related | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
General General
Related | Pop | Styles | Music
Classic Big Band Classic Big Band
Related | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Contemporary Big Band Contemporary Big Band
Related | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Listmania:

  1. Artists In The Downbeat Jazz Hall Of Fame That I Dig Part 3
  2. Music That Means Something To Me Pt.2
  3. THE SWINGIN' YEARS : THRILLING ARTISTS OF THE GREAT BAND ERA
  4. The Big Band Era

Tracks:

  1. Any Old Time
  2. Rosalie
  3. Deep Purple
  4. Everything Is Jumpin'
  5. Summertime
  6. Star Dust
  7. Chantez-les Bas
  8. My Blue Heaven
  9. Two In One Blues
  10. Nocturne
  11. 'S Wonderful
  12. Concerto For Clarinet (Parts 1 & 2)
  13. Begin The Beguine
  14. I Cover The Waterfront
  15. To A Broadway Rose
  16. Nightmare
  17. The Maid With The Flaccid Air
  18. Diga Diga Doo

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  3. Begin the Beguine
  4. Glenn Miller - Greatest Hits
  5. I've Heard That Song Before: Hits of Harry James

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Artie Shaw.......2005-09-27


Pleased with service. Arrived in few dats and product was satisfactory

5 out of 5 stars One of the best single-CD albums of Artie Shaw -- genius!.......2004-03-28

This is one of the best single CDs available of music by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra. Shaw was one of the great innovators of swing jazz of the 1930s and 1940s, always seeking artistic ways to express himself as a clarinet player and a bandlear, despite the heavy commercial pressures he faced (he frequently broke apart his bands when he could no longer tolerate the `business' side of the music business). This CD contains a wide variety of selections that Shaw picked himself. They contain music from his three major bands: the 1938-39 band that was the most popular musical group in the country for those two years, the enormous 1940-42 band (with a large string section), and the little-appreciated 1944-45 band.

I personally think that the Artie Shaw collection "Begin the Beguine" (available on the RCA Bluebird label) is a bit stronger than this one, with a focus on more of his hits from the 1938-39 band -- as an album, it swings much harder -- but the variety here is greater, and the sound quality somewhat better. Since the two CDs share only five tracks in common, I advise buying both. They're both inexpensive, so it's a good deal.

Here's what you'll find on this CD, broken down by the different bands:

The 1938-39 Orchestra: "Any Old Time" (vocal by Billie Holliday, her only recording with the band), "Rosalie" (vocal by Tony Pastor), "Deep Purple" (vocal by Helen Forrest), "Everything Is Jumpin'" (live), "My Blue Heaven" (live), "Begin the Beguine," "Nightmare" (Shaw's opening theme), "Diga Doo" (live)

The 1940-42 Orchestra: "Star Dust," "Chantez-Les Bas," "Two in One Blues," "Nocturne," "Concerto for Clarinet (Parts 1 & 2)," "I Cover the Waterfront," "To a Broadway Rose."

The 1944-45 Orchestra: "Summertime," "`S Wonderful," "The Maid with the Flaccid Air"

The 1938-39 tracks are the strongest, with "Begin the Beguine" still a towering classic of smooth, beautiful swing. The three live tracks are fabulous and show the band getting loose and extreemly jazzy in front of a crowd of crazed dancers. It's also wonderful to hear the band's two primary vocalists, Tony Pastor (also a sax player) and Helen Forrest, sing two of the band's signature numbers.

Of the other numbers, "Summertime" is a real stunner. Taken from the Gershwin opera "Porgy and Bess," it has an incredible Shaw solo and a heavy, soulful power. The lengthy "Concerto for Clarinet" may have a dull title, but it's a fast jumpin' number with awesome solos. The same goes for "Two in One Blues." Another classic solo on clarinet from Artie Shaw appears on "Star Dust," a song he recorded often.

Artie Shaw is really an American treasure, showing a rare blending of popular music with jazz genius, and this CD offers up the genius in an affordable package (and grab the collection "Begin the Beguine" and you'll have a full Artie Shaw experience -- and probably still be begging for more!)

4 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to one of jazz's finest clarinetists.......2001-05-07

Artie Shaw is one of the best jazz artists of his era, leading one of the best and most popular big bands. Though he may not be as well-known or lauded as the late, great Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw is certainly one of the greatest clarinetists in jazz history. This compilation, part of a fine series of vintage jazz CD's being issued by RCA Victor (see Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman), makes an excellent introduction as well as a great sampler of Artie Shaw's best work. Every track is a gem, including a few compositions by Shaw himself. While he cut most of his hits with a big band (some of which he actually despised, feeling they were too pedestrian and commercial), his best work is really with the chamber jazz he helped pioneer. It's unfortunate that Shaw retired so early, having become sick of the business (he's still alive and well).

Long time jazz enthusiasts will probably be better served by the "Last Recordings" CD's, which contain Shaw's best work and can still be found in used CD stores, but for anyone who isn't too familiar with Shaw, this is a great place to start.

Music CD:

  1. Deep Blue Bruise ~ The Deep Blue Organ Trio, Bobby Broom, Chris Foreman
  2. Tales From the Acoustic Planet ~ B%C3%A9la Fleck
  3. Between Nothingness and Eternity ~ Mahavishnu Orchestra
  4. Michael Bublé: It's His Time (Big Band Karaoke) ~ Karaoke
  5. Night on the Town ~ Eric Darius
  6. Timeagain ~ David Sanborn
  7. Guitarra Portuguesa ~ Carlos Paredes
  8. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go ~ Madeleine Peyroux
  9. The Only Big Band CD You'll Ever Need ~ Various Artists
  10. Ritualism ~ David Gilmore

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