Artie Shaw-Summit Ridge Drive

[mr jazz]

after reading the excellent Nolan bio of Shaw, this looks interesting but probably hard to find. anyone have this release?

[Big Beat Steve]

after reading the excellent Nolan bio of Shaw, this looks interesting but probably hard to find. anyone have this release?

What do you mean? The Gramercy Five recording? It must have been reissued a zillion times.

http://www.amazon.com/Artie-Shaw-Complete-Gramercy-Sessions/dp/B000002WBD

Never mind the sick prices charged THERE. Even disregarding the dopwnload alternative, this is potential special offer bin fare.

[AllenLowe]

I am not crazy about the later, 1950s Shaw, the playing sounds self-consciously "modern," unlilke the earlier stuff where he was modern - a lot of Bb playing. (though you may be talking about the earlier Gramcery stuff) -

[mr jazz]

after reading the excellent Nolan bio of Shaw, this looks interesting but probably hard to find. anyone have this release?

What do you mean? The Gramercy Five recording? It must have been reissued a zillion times.

http://www.amazon.com/Artie-Shaw-Complete-Gramercy-Sessions/dp/B000002WBD

Never mind the sick prices charged THERE. Even disregarding the dopwnload alternative, this is potential special offer bin fare.

the Summit Ridge set appears to be a collection of his gramercy work in the 40s and 50s

[Big Beat Steve]

Must be this one on the Living Era label

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6882395/a/Summit+Ridge+Drive.htm

But somehow I doubt the (1949 and 50s?) tracks that go beyond the classic 1940 and 1945 Gramercy Five tracks (which should be available on countless reissues) really elevate things to unheard-of heights. One for completists, maybe.

BTW, upon checking my records I found I do have some of the February 1954 session by the revamped Gramercy Five on an older LP (from the "The Later Artie Shaw" series on the Ajazz label) and am giving this a spin right now. The music is OK but nowhere near as special as the "real" Gramercy Five sessions of 1940 and 45. Describing the interplay, you might almost call it "Artie Shaw Goes George Shearing Quintet". So there you are ...

Edited July 8, 2010 by Big Beat Steve

[MartyJazz]

Must be this one on the Living Era label

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6882395/a/Summit+Ridge+Drive.htm

But somehow I doubt the (1949 and 50s?) tracks that go beyond the classic 1940 and 1945 Gramercy Five tracks (which should be available on countless reissues) really elevate things to unheard-of heights. One for completists, maybe.

BTW, upon checking my records I found I do have some of the February 1954 session by the revamped Gramercy Five on an older LP (from the "The Later Artie Shaw" series on the Ajazz label) and am giving this a spin right now. The music is OK but nowhere near as special as the "real" Gramercy Five sessions of 1940 and 45. Describing the interplay, you might almost call it "Artie Shaw Goes George Shearing Quintet". So there you are ...

Can't justifiably compare the '54 G5 sessions with the earlier Victors, the latter being made for 3 minute 78 RPM sides, while the last recordings stretch out for LP release. Being a devout Shaw idolator for over half a century, I enjoy 'em all as he was the greatest jazz clarinest ever IMO. But one shouldn't simply dismiss the last recordings with a glib Shearing epithet (at least, that's how I interpret it), for the group included such greats as Hank Jones and Tal Farlow (replaced by Joe Puma for the very last session). Among many gems recorded before he put down the clarinet for good, Shaw's last version of "Star Dust" is fabulous and ranks with his more famous big band with strings '40 version, AFAIAC. Shaw was a very inventive as well as a great technical virtuoso and his last recordings are mostly very rewarding.

Edited July 8, 2010 by MartyJazz

[AllenLowe]

I haven't listened in a long time but I remember thinking those last things were too studied, as though Shaw was saying, "see, I can play bebop." He had to work at it, and it sounded stiff to me.

[AllenLowe]

just listened to Dancing on the Ceiling from 1954 and it confirms my recollection - too many minor seventh runs and some gestures that sound like he's been listening to Tony Scott - just doesn't do it for me, he still has some wonderful moments, but it sounds like one hand is tied behind his back.

[Big Beat Steve]

Can't justifiably compare the '54 G5 sessions with the earlier Victors, the latter being made for 3 minute 78 RPM sides, while the last recordings stretch out for LP release. Being a devout Shaw idolator for over half a century, I enjoy 'em all as he was the greatest jazz clarinest ever IMO. But one shouldn't simply dismiss the last recordings with a glib Shearing epithet (at least, that's how I interpret it), for the group included such greats as Hank Jones and Tal Farlow (replaced by Joe Puma for the very last session). Among many gems recorded before he put down the clarinet for good, Shaw's last version of "Star Dust" is fabulous and ranks with his more famous big band with strings '40 version, AFAIAC. Shaw was a very inventive as well as a great technical virtuoso and his last recordings are mostly very rewarding.

I see what you mean, and no, I would not want to dismiss his 50s small-group recordings (haven't heard all of them so I can only talk about what I am familar with). And in fact I do like the George Shearing quintet a lot (and I am talking about the MGM era of course, not about the "Capitol George Shearing"!). But essentially I stand by what I said: Enjoyable though this latter group was, by the standards of 1954 the Gramercy Five did not stand out as much from the mainstream of jazz as the 40s Gramercy Fives did when compared to (white, in this case) small band swing of their days. In short, the 1954 Gramery Five was much more part of the "mainstream" jazz sounds than the earlier groups were.

[AllenLowe]

though I've tried for years to think otherwise, to my ears Benny Goodman is all down hill after 1935 - Shaw, on the other hand, in that era, was simply incredible.

however, I never liked his post-career lectures; and The Trouble with Cinderella, in spite of its rep, is just awful, full of middle brow, sagging pronouncements.

Edited July 8, 2010 by AllenLowe

[MartyJazz]

though I've tried for years to think otherwise, to my ears Benny Goodman is all down hill after 1935 - Shaw, on the other hand, in that era, was simply incredible.

however, I never liked his post-career lectures; and The Trouble with Cinderella, in spite of its rep, is just awful, full of middle brow, sagging pronouncements.

Lover of Shaw the clarinetist as I am, I am loathe to discuss his personal pronouncements because he undoubtedly could be, and was often, quite the pedantic turnoff. Also, one should read the section on Shaw that Gunther Schuller wrote in his SWING ERA book, wherein he quite rightly, IMO, criticizes Shaw for his tendency to protest too much about the requirements that fame imposes on a successful musician while nevertheless, acceding to them all too often. As for Shaw's autobiographical "..Cincerella", it's been much too long since I read it to comment.

Edited July 9, 2010 by MartyJazz

[mr jazz]

I bought the "Essential Artie Shaw" as it was $13 and will give me an idea on where to go. I guess the boxset Shaw oversaw might be good bit it's OOP and thus quite expensive.

[lipi]

I bought the "Essential Artie Shaw" as it was $13 and will give me an idea on where to go. I guess the boxset Shaw oversaw might be good bit it's OOP and thus quite expensive.

"Self Portrait" you mean? It's $50 used on amazon right now (worth it, in my opinion), and $40 in mp3 format. You can pick tracks a few at a time, if $40 is too much all at once.

[Harold_Z]

I think Billy Butterfield was in a Muggsy Spanier state of mind on Summit Ridge Drive.