Clarinet giant and big band leader Artie Shaw was eulogized Sunday after passing away from complications of diabetes at the age of 94 on New Year's Eve:
- Shaw's music filled Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park chapel Sunday, inducing a few tapping toes, and the entertainer's friends delivered tributes before orchestra director Dick Johnson stood at Shaw's casket and played "I'll Be Seeing You" on a clarinet.
"I believe he was the best jazz clarinetist of all time and one of the very few geniuses I've rubbed elbows with," Johnson said.
....Comic actor Red Buttons recalled Shaw was married eight times, including actresses Lana Turner and Ava Gardner (news).
"I asked him why did he marry so many times," Buttons said. "He said, `Why not?'"
The mourners roared with laughter and Buttons continued.
"I met Artie during World War II. We were both in uniform. He was in the Navy and I was a bellhop at the Astoria Hotel," he said to more laughter before glancing up and saying, "Is God going to punish me for getting laughs at a memorial?"
...."Artie, all his days, told it like it was, how he saw it, not how you saw it," he said. Then Buttons looked at the coffin. "In a way I'm shocked to see this public service for this most private man." [AP]
E! had a nice bio immediately after Shaw's death, which largely passed under the radar around here due to the holidays:
- A self-confessed perfectionist, both professionally and personally, Shaw's band's recording of Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" topped the charts for six weeks in 1938. His liquid sound made him a rival to the day's other clarinet virtuoso, Benny Goodman, for the title "King of Swing," and his group one of the most popular of the Big Band era.
At the height of his fame Shaw was earning at least $30,000 a week, a huge amount for the Depression years. At a time when white bandleaders refused to work with black performers, he hired vocalist Billie Holiday. Other jazz greats who performed with him over the years included drummer Buddy Rich and singer Mel Torme.
His other hits, some with his band and some with his quartet, the Gramercy Five, included "Lady Be Good," "Dancing in the Dark," "Back Bay Shuffle," "Accent-tchu-ate the Positive," "Traffic Jam," "They Say," "Moonglow," "Stardust," "Thanks for Ev'rything," "Summit Ridge Drive" and "My Little Nest of Heavenly Blue." His jazz was influenced by his admiration for avant-garde classical composers. His own compositions included "Interlude in B Flat", a combo of clarinet and strings.
Article comments
1 - godoggo
The excellent Clarinet in Jazz Since 1945 website has a good page about him. Here's the url, just in case: http://users.bestweb.net/~msnyder/clarinet/clar1945.htm
Don't have anything particularly insightful to say. The only albums I've listened to are those final quasi-modern sessions, which are quite lovely, although frankly I'll take the good old Benny Goodman Sextet. Some nifty Raymond Scott-ish samples from the anthology on Amazon make me want to check out more, though.
I remember seeing an interview with Artie one time where he said he thought Bird really didn't do anything he hadn't already done, having been influenced by Stravinsky and so on. Which I thought was a bit much.
It occurs to me that Goodman, whom Artie "couldn't abide" according to the obits, was quite the misanthrope as well, although his venom was more likely to be aimed at his sidemen than his fans.
2 - Steve
It's surprising that an artist of such magnitude can pass so quietly. As you said, the holidays can be an awkward time for news.
I'm fascinated by his 1954 comment regarding jazz (the last sentence of your article). Despite this, many of the works he popularized are favourites of young jazz artists to this day; one of Brad Mehldau's most famous recordings is of Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.
3 - Eric Olsen
Thanks for the input guys - I think Shaw's reticence and lack of involvement with music over the last 50 years suppressed his news value quite a bit. I honestly didn't know that much about him myself until I started digging around for this post.
I should also have added that my pal Bob Keene, owner of Del-Fi Records and producer of Ritchie Valens and the Bobby Fuller Four, was a clarinet prodigy who replaced Artie in the Artie Shaw orchestra when he retired in '54.
4 - Angela Chen Shui
Another free spirit who followed his own drum!
Thank you.
5 - Eric Olsen
or inner demons, as the case may be
6 - Angela Chen Shui
ROFL!!!
7 - Eric Olsen
you are too kind Angela
8 - Al Gray
I really apreciated this article. My Father, Jerry Gray, was his arranger for Begin the Beguine. Iit was great to see him mentioned. The difficulty of the man Artie Shaw was something my Father always discussed. Jery Gray described the difference between Shaw and Miller for whom he both worked as "I was happier musically with Artie but happier personally with Glenn".
9 - ClubhouseCancer
Mr. Gray, your father's talents were impressive and well-remembered. I believe he arranged some of Artie Shaw's huge hits before he even turned 21!
Big band fans know how important Jerry Gray was to the Glenn Miller sound.
10 - Eric Olsen
very nice to hear from you Al and facinating information!
CC, you hae clearly studied the history of popular music in some depth.
11 - pat
...so, my question is: Are Jonathan Shaw in Rio and Jonathan Shaw who is currently running the tattoo joint at St Marks place father and son, or one and the same (if so, that's one helluva commute!)
12 - Eric Olsen
looks like same guy - NYC and Rio appear to have been sequential, not simultaneous - they all appear to be very dysfunctional
13 - Jerry Rubin
Artie Shaw's music will live forever.I personally have collected most of his recorded material, however it is the Broadcasts that have been perserved that show the true genius of the man. Live shows from the Blue Room of the Hotel Lincoln or the Cafe Rouge are magnificent. Also there are some great radio broadcasts from the Burns and Allen Radio show from around 1940.
14 - Eric Olsen
it seems best that he will be remembered for the genius of his music
15 - Al Gray
Jerry Rubin - Where can these recordings be found? Jerry Gray arranger and viloinist for Shaw was my father and I am interested in finding anything with him involved. Thanks Al Gray
16 - Jerry Rubin
Al Gray please drop me a line with your emai address at [address deleted]. I have some special material I can share with you. Regards, Jerry.
17 - JeffK
Just found this site ... yes, I share everyone's sense of loss. Shaw may have been a very, um, uh, "difficult" person but he lived life large and made music larger. Maybe the idea of intellectual jazz is an oxymoron but if anyone could create such a thing, it was Artie. I hope he has found peace.
P.S. I do hope that the E! bio meant to say he read "voraciously", not vociferously ... LOL.
18 - Nigel Hinson
Al Gray
I have recently seen this website and wish to say I am
currently doing a book on Artie Shaw and Vladimir Simosko
is writing a chapter for me - look up his own book on Shaw.
I own Artie Shaw's Buffet clarinet and I aquired Al Avola's
scrapbook from the 1930's which include many photo's
of your father that you should know about.
Please contact me.
Nigel Hinson
19 - John W. Lanza
Dear Eric,
I am looking for Jerry Gray's son, Al Gray. My father was his best friend growing up. I was noticing your email exchange with him back in January 2005 and wondered if you may be able to help me locate him.
John
20 - zoot1a
I you want to hear the voice ofthe true God just listen to Artie Shaws solo on Stardust
21 - Alan Glasscock
Mr. Gray, I am well-versed in your father's career. When He was at the Dallas Fairmont's Venetian Room, he was very gracious to me, then 10 yrs. old. I phoned him at the hotel during one of the band intermissions. He inspired me to continue with music as my career choice, and I, too, am now an arranger and big bandleader. I would be most interested in talking and/or corresponding with you. [Personal contact info deleted]
22 - John W. Lanza
Dear Al Gray,
Your father and my father went to music lessons together as kids, played together in his jazz band during their teens, and played together with Jimmie McHale's band on radio as young men. They lived in the same house in East Boston. My father accompanied him to his interview with Artie Shaw and before that they went on trips together to NYC to see good musicians. Your great grandfather and my grandfather used to jam together at the house in East Boston which was filled with music. My father, a life-long musician, couldn't believe how easy music came to Jerry, and thought he was a genius when it came to music. My uncle remembers him fondly. My father is with your father in the sky, two saints who came marching in.
Best,
John