Artie Shaw: Icon of Swing

A remarkable bandleader, composer and clarinetist, Artie Shaw's popularity defined the American music scene from 1938 to 1945, the Swing Era. Shaw led a fascinating, tumultuous personal life, including a difficult childhood and marriages to starlets such as Lana Turner and Ava Gardner. This biography covers Shaw's life and career, and is based in part on interviews with Shaw conducted by the author during the 1970s and 1980s. Chapters cover the Swing Era, his time in the Navy during World War II and the Shaw Orchestra. Some analytic chapters dig deeper into the meaning behind his recordings, highlighting the growth within his music.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction One. Reaching the Top in the Swing Era Two. Shaw at His Apex: 1939 Three. The Second Great Shaw Orchestra: 1940-41 Four. More (and Less) of the Same: 1941-42 Five. Bringing Music to the Troops Six. Swing Sunset and a Last Great Shaw Band Seven. Toward Musical Retirement Eight. The Long Coda Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Barnett Singer is professor emeritus of history, Brock University. He has published a number of other books in the fields of French history and biography. Jesse Read is professor emeritus and the former director of the School of Music, University of British Columbia. He also taught at the University of Delaware, has played concerts around the world, and was a studio musician for feature films in Hollywood.

Review :
"As I began reading this book, I was quite impressed by and drawn to the authors' extensive and well-researched bibliography and index. ...much of the focus is on his musical artistry, focusing on the expansive catalog of his recordings. These are chronicled and neatly organized into an easy-to-follow timeline, including personal commentary from the authors about many of the recordings. ... The book also provides an ample scope of American jazz history, spanning across the pre- and post-World War II periods. Singer, one of the authors, developed a rapport with Shaw between the late 1970s and 1984, speaking with him regularly about his music. ... I have yet to read a book on Shaw that provides such a complete aural chronology of his music. I enthusiastically recommend adding this book to one's collection of materials about Artie Shaw to serve as one of the most thorough listening guides to Shaw's seemingly limitless canon of recordings."--The Clarinet "Sheds new light on Shaw's prolonged retirement, and his literary and other aspirations."--Jazzwise "Singer has, in an easily readable style, analysed in depth the classic recordings Shaw made from 1938 onwards as well as taking more than a mere perfunctory glance at both his earlier and later work. ... Such are the descriptive powers of the author(s) I could almost hear the music without physically 'spinning the platter'... Without doubt--very much the definitive work. Highly recommended"--Bebop Spoken Here "Thorough research... Although focusing on Artie Shaw's music, Singer and Read do trace his incredible personal life. ... [Singer and Read aim] to convey to readers Shaw's passion for 'making a great number of polished, beautiful, and unique records'... The authors succeed in their aim."--The Historian "Valuable insights ... A lot of new information is included. ... should be of strong interest to anyone wanting to get into the recordings of Artie Shaw. ...the sincerity of Barnett Singer's love for Artie Shaw's music shines through."--The Syncopated Times