Artie Shaw: His Life and Music / Edition 2

by John White

Overview

Artie Shaw led one of America's most accomplished big bands during the 1930s and 1940s, and has sold over 100 million records. An enigmatic figure, Shaw frequently tired of the music business, often forsaking it for extended periods. This study offers a narrative account and analytical assessment of the achievements and concerns of this hugely important musician.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826469151
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/12/2004
Series:	Bayou Jazz Lives Series
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.06(w) x 7.81(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

John White is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Education in the Department of Educational Foundations and Policy Studies at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK.

Editorial Reviews

"Refreshingly free of the psychobabble so common in celebrity bios, White offers a readable narrative account and assessment of Shaw's achievemnts and concerns." --All About Jazz, August 2005

""...[T]here are surprisingly few books on Shaw, so this study is welcome. Obviously well versed in his subject, White (Billie Holliday: Her Life and Time) focuses on the music, eschewing the juicier details of Shaw's life ...[W]ell documented and organized. Recommended for jazz collections in public and academic libraries." -Library Journal, 5/1/504" --Blurb from reviewer

From the Publisher

Sonny Rollins and Artie Shaw are both standout figures in the jazz pantheon, and these two entries in Continuum's "Bayou Jazz Lives" series attempt to appraise their recorded output. A staff writer for Jazz Journal since the 1970s, Palmer takes a critical look at Rollins's jazz standards, like "Doxy," "Oleo," and "Airegin." Basically, he starts with the larger cultural backdrop and what was happening in jazz at the time and then focuses more on Rollins, using commentary from musicians, record producers, and critics to back up his claims. He suggests that, ironically, Rollins lacked confidence in his work, which may have led to problems in the studio. Since the focus here is on recorded output, this well-documented study complements some other recent titles, such as Eric Nisenson's Open Sky: Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation, which are more concerned with Rollins's personal life. Recommended for jazz collections in public and academic libraries. Artie Shaw was at the top of the jazz world in the 1940s and a major rival of Benny Goodman on clarinet, yet by 1954 he had stopped playing and did not perform in public again as an instrumentalist. Besides Vladimir Simosko's Artie Shaw: A Musical Biography and Discography, there are surprisingly few books on Shaw, so this study is welcome. Obviously well versed in his subject, White (Billie Holiday: Her Life and Time) focuses on the music, eschewing the juicier details of Shaw's life-he got married eight times, to no less than Lana Turner and Ava Gardner. Citing interviews with Shaw and other musicians, White shows that Shaw was an important member of the jazz pantheon who influenced other musicians, experimented with different contexts, and was willing to have an integrated band in the late 1930s. Like Palmer's book, this is well documented and organized. Recommended for jazz collections in public and academic libraries.-Ronald S. Russ, Arkansas State Univ. Lib., Beebe Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal