Klarinet Archive - Posting 000710.txt from 1997/06

From: "R Tennenbaum" <rtenn@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Artie Shaw
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 00:27:04 -0400

Frankly I've never been sure why I started playing clarinet, except
that the demonstration I heard when I was in third grade or so
impressed me. But in the past couple of years, I've enjoyed
listening to early Shaw recordings as much as anyone's, legit or
otherwise -- as much as Kell's. He is a fascinating character, and
to me, Marty's remarks about his being "harmonically ahead of his
time" are, uh, borne out by e.g., the fact that Vladimir Simosko
(author of a fine biography of Eric Dolphy) is currently working on a
book about Shaw.

>Frank Garcia mentioned Artie Shaw as being an inspiration for him. About four
>or five years ago a group of Cd's were released entitled "The Last Recordings,
>Artie Shaw, Rare and Unreleased". These were recorded in N.Y. and L.A. with
>a quintet and sextet. They were recorded in 1954 just before he quit for good.
>It's amazing how harmonically ahead of his time he was. His intonation was
>impeccable right up to altissimo C. His Concerto for Clarinet is being
>performed
>quite freguently lately. The only other recording of the concerto I've heard is
>performed well but it doesn't swing like Shaw and I've never heard anyone nail
>those ending altlissimos like Shaw. His glissandos were unbeleivable. The main
>reason he quit playing in his prime was that the public only wanted to hear
>Begin the Beguin and Frenisi. What a loss!,
>Marty Marks
>
>---

   
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