Search - Artie Shaw :: Summit Ridge Drive

Creme de la creme

Dion Wright | Flagstaff, AZ | 10/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Artie Shaw was argaubly the most intelligent band leader this side of Paul Weston. He is best known for his big swing band work of the 40's. Shaw played a meaner clarinet than Benny Goodman, in this writer's opinion, which got good airing while fronting a large group of musicians. But Shaw's most intimate and creative recordings came during these chamber music-like outings with five or six musicians. Some of these recordings feature a harpsichord, of all things, which bold insertion into a jazz group works just great. Shaw was like Arturo Toscanini, in that he could hear the smallest deviation from a true note within the living context of the music, and he never let one get into the final product. If you ever wondered what "swing" means, listen to these wonderful cuts."

Excellent Small-Group Jazz From a Clarinet Master

Thomas M. Croft | Fort Collins, CO USA | 08/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoy big-band swing (especially Ellington and Basie), but my favorite swing-era music is "chamber jazz" recorded by small groups like Benny Goodman's trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet; Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five; and The Quintet of the Hot Club of France (with Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli). This 2-CD set from ASV/Living Era is a wonderful 36-track collection of Artie Shaw's recordings from 1940 to 1954 with his "Gramercy Five," a group named after a telephone exchange of all things. This exciting small-group jazz ranges from intelligent, interesting arrangements of well-known swing standards to some more modern-sounding, bop-influenced tunes with some enjoyable surprises. Artie plays beautifully throughout, of course. The remastering of this material is also very good to my ears. Highly recommended for Artie Shaw fans and fans of small-group swing generally."