The music begins to swing-but not the way a pendulum swings a pendulum is always a victim of entropy, the tendency of all things in the universe to slow down. You suddenly don't think about the music. The tempo takes on an identity of its own and becomes in effect another member of the group. Now here, the whole thing gets so comfortable that you forget all about tempo. The entire booklet is worth reading, but here are some sample quotes: Look at the glory, look at the marvel, look at the wonder of life.The simple miracle of existence is the thing I just can't get past. I believe that living is the only crap game in town. Let's ask ourselves a question about 'romantic.' If 'romantic' is to believe-in spite of everything and in spite of the fact that we die at the end of it all-that there is some good to be got out of this experience called living, then, yes, I suppose I'm a romantic. For example, at one point in their discussion Lees accused Shaw of being a hopeless romantic, to which Artie replied:Īll right. Lees was able to draw reflections of particular precision and depth. The program notes, written by Gene Lees and based upon discussion with Shaw, provide a unique window for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the man and his music. There are important omissions from this list, to be sure (especially Shaw's other originals, such as "Lyric" and "Lugubrious" ), but those aside, it would be difficult to come up with a better set list drawn from the final sessions. When the Quail Come Back to San Quentin (*) Included are arguably the definitive versions of the following tunes, most of them Shaw compositions (marked with * below): That this obscure release didn't garner much attention made it possible to re-release an expanded version of the sessions in the following decade, with few noticing.įor those who prefer vinyl, this set might be the best place to get many tracks of that final Gramcery 5. Здесь находится полный бокс-сет "Artie Shaw - Self Portrait".While it is generally assumed that the first release of materials from the final Gramercy 5 sessions was delayed until the early 1990s, Shaw actually released fifteen tunes from those 1954 sessions as part of a four LP set entitled Artie Shaw: A Legacythrough Book-of-the-Month Club Records in 1984. With quality like this, it's only a matter of time before Shaw newbies will want to head back to pick up all five discs. The bulk of the sampler includes tracks from Shaw's 1938-1945 big band prime, including "Nightmare," "Free Wheeling," "Frenesi," and a stunning strings-augmented version of his first big hit, "Begin the Beguine." The disc also features Billie Holiday's one-off vocal with him, "Any Old Time," and such later highlights from the '50s as a sumptuous reading of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" (Shaw is featured with a small combo) and the Gramercy Five cut "Scuttlebutt." Along with Hank Jones and Tal Farlow, who are heard on the Gramercy Five side, the collection features such swing royalty as Buddy Rich, George Auld, and Roy Eldridge. The set benefits greatly from sparkling sound and the artist's shrewd hand in picking out all the songs included for the box set. And while 14 tracks is somewhat on the skimpy side, the collection will work well for Shaw newcomers in search of a well-balanced introduction. TITLE "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"Ĭulled from a five-disc retrospective of Shaw's career, this tidy roundup features material from across the popular and critically acclaimed clarinetist and bandleader. FILE "Artie Shaw - Highlights from Self Portrait.wav" WAVE
0 kommentar(er)
