Anybody seen the Artie Shaw Orchestra recently?

[Nutty]

Hello everyone! My wife suprised me with tickets to the Highlands Jazz Festival in Abingdon, VA April 29-30th. The headliner is the Artie Shaw Orchestra. I've had the Self Portrait box for a long time and had started listening to it a lot again after Artie Shaw passed away. From what I've read, when the band was reformed by Artie Shaw in the early 80's and he chose clarinetist Dick Johnson to take his place he said, "Dick's clarinet playing, as of this time, is the best I've heard, bar nobody, and you can quote me on that anywhere, anytime!"

I was just wondering if anyone has seen the band recently and if they care to opine about the experience. I've never heard a jazz big band live before. Actually, the only live jazz show I've ever attended was a night of the Charlie Parker Festival featuring Greg Osby at Birdland a couple of years ago. That show left me with a grin on my face for days. I guess that brings me to my most important question. Does this "new" Artie Shaw Orchestra swing? Thanks!

Edited April 16, 2005 by Nutty

[Free For All]

I haven't heard them recently, but I know many very good players (often Boston/New York guys) who do gigs with the band. I think they try to maintain a high standard and select good players, so I expect it won't be a "burned-out nostalgia band" experience. All you need beyond good players is a good book, and the Artie Shaw book is a good one. There are always unforseen variables, so there is always a chance I could be wrong, but I think it would be worth checking out.

It could be a "NUTTY" night! I predict you'll thoroughly enjoy yourself. At the very least your wife should earn some "hipness" credits!

Let us know how it turns out!