Where Swing is King!
“The Grabtown Grapple” Composed by Artie Shaw and Buster Harding; head arrangement worked out by Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five for Victor on January 9-10, 1945 [..]
“I Surrender, Dear” Music by Harry Barris; arrangement by Jerry Gray and Artie Shaw. Recorded on August 27, 1939 by Artie Shaw and his Orchestra for RCA/Bluebird in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Bernie [..]
“My Funny Valentine” Composed by Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyric). Privately recorded by the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five in Hollywood in June of 1954. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Hank Jones, piano; Joe Puma, [..]
“Just Kiddin’ Around” Composed and arranged by Ray Conniff. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra on October 30, 1941 in Chicago for Victor Records. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet; Aniello “Lee” [..]
“The Chant” Composed and arranged by Artie Shaw. Recorded from a CBS Melody and Madness radio broadcast on March 12, 1939. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, first trumpet; Chuck Peterson and Bernie Privin, trumpets; George [..]
“Jeepers Creepers” Composed by Harry Warren (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyric); arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded from an NBC network radio broadcast by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra emanating from the Blue Room of Hotel [..]
“Blues in the Night” Composed by Harold Arlen (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyric); arranged by Lennie Hayton. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on September 2, 1941 in New York. Artie Shaw, [..]
“Stairway to the Stars” Composed by Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli (music), and Mitchell Parish (lyric). Arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded by the New York All-Star Big Band on August 8-9, 2016 in New York. [..]
“These Foolish Things” Composed by Eric Maschwitz (Holt Marvel), lyric; Jack Strachey and Harry Link, music. Arranged by Ray Conniff. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra on June 8, 1945 for RCA Victor in [..]
“Don’t Take Your Love From Me” Composed by Henry Nemo; arranged by Artie Shaw. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra on June 26, 1941 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Henry “Red” Allen, [..]
The story: It is always challenging to write objectively and accurately about Artie Shaw’s music and personality. On the one hand, much of the music Shaw made during the swing era was wonderful, indeed great. [..]
Very recently, swingandbeyond.com has hosted its 10,000th viewer! That is very good news for me and for everyone who likes this thing called swing. This blog has been up and running since March of 2016. [..]
NOTE: With this post, swingandbeyond.com inaugurates a small celebration of the music of Rodgers and Hart. Subsequent posts will continue this joyous presentation of the music of one of the greatest song writing teams in [..]
“Vilia” Composed by Franz Lehar; arranged by Artie Shaw. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra on January 17, 1939 for RCA-Bluebird in New York City. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, first trumpet; Chuck [..]
The story: The summer and fall of 1945 were challenging times for Artie Shaw, the bandleader. After an extensive cross-country tour with his band that lasted from late 1944 until March 15, 1945, he and [..]
“Begin the Beguine” composed by Cole Porter; arranged by Jerry Gray Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on July 24, 1938 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, [..]
“Prelude in C Sharp Major” Composed and Arranged by Ray Conniff and Artie Shaw Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor Records December 4, 1940 in Hollywood. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Billy [..]