Jazz Giant Artie Shaw Dies at Age 94

YAHOO NEWS/REUTERS ^ | 12-30-2004 | Reuters

[HungarianGypsy]

Wow! Artie Shaw was still alive? I thought he died years ago. Learn something new every day. Love his music, though.

[utahagen]

Thanks for sharing that.

[Chi-townChief]

And he was honest enough to say that he was duped by the commies and went on to reject them.

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

I may be confusing Artie Shaw with someone else, but I think he may have put down his clarinet and picked up a rifle...became a benchrest shooter.

Semper Fi,

[sushiman]

Martin Denny is still alive at 94 !

[UnklGene]

Artie and Ava; 1945 newlyweds

[kellynla]

Man! Ava Gardner AND Lana Turner!!!
Ya gotta give the guy a lot of credit.
He sure had fabulous taste in WOMEN!!!

[Mike Darancette]

How many of you thought he was already gone?

I did, Shaw's rendition of Moonglow is the best.

[buccaneer81]

How many of you thought he was already gone? Show of hands?

Moi. I plead guilty. I thought he was long gone.

[Bonaparte]

Oh, I knew he was still around. A few months ago, I toyed with the idea of paying him an unexpected visit, just to watch him slam the door in my face. :-)

[Bonaparte]

Shaw wrote a number of books. He's very amusing. Try "The Trouble With Cinderella."

[Corin Stormhands]

We're still workin' on Jerry Orbach...

[Bonaparte]

If you want to hear a real tour de force, check out his "Concerto for Clarinet." His rendition of "Sugar Foot Stomp" is my favorite.

[bd476]

Bonaparte, unless I'm mistaken a local talk radio host interviewed him around New Years last year.

The talk show host and engineer went to Shaw's house for the interview and taped it.

[bd476]

The rest of the story is that Artie Shaw was a bona fide character during the interview. He was frank about his life, his many marriages, blaming no one, and as I recall, said he'd do it all over again. It was a compelling interview.

[F16Fighter]

"How many of you thought he was already gone? Show of hands?"

Only about 60 years ago!

[vetvetdoug]

I was invited to go to a Jr. High "dance" in 1964 and we were to bring a 45 rpm or a 33 rpm album with which to dance. I took an album by Artie Shaw. Needless to say, I lost out to the Beatles and Kinks.

[Bonaparte]

Well, at least you tried. There's just no accounting for taste, is there?

Have you heard Helen Forrest's "Moonray"? She recorded that one in 1938 when she got her first big break, singing with Shaw's band. Billie Holliday was also in his band that year and you can hear her influence on the younger singer.

[Bonaparte]

Thanks, bd. I'll see if I can track that interview down. Shaw was a complex and temperamental guy. One of my music teachers played trumpet with one of his bands and told great stories about him.

[bd476]

Hi Bonaparte,

Artie Shaw was interviewed by Doug McIntyre of 790 KABC Radio. I went to Doug's site, and to KABC and couldn't find a link even referencing the interview.

I will try to find out if McIntyre will play the interview again on air. McIntyre recently made the move from overnights to mornings (very unusual in Radio). Things may still be in flux.

KABC has a live web-stream so that would be a great way for you to hear it, that is if and when they play it again.