Artie Shaw and His Orchestra

American big band led by Artie Shaw in the swing and bebop era.
Artie Shaw’s first public appearance leading his own band was in his native New York City on May 24th, 1936. The band recorded its first session on June 11, 1936 in New York. From 1937-38, Shaw renamed the band "Art Shaw and His New Music," and in 1938, it was changed back to "Artie Shaw and His Orchestra." Shaw became one of the biggest names in jazz during the heyday of swing in the 1930’s and 1940’s. He broke the racial divide by becoming the first white bandleader to hire a featured African-American vocalist when he brought Billie Holiday on board in 1938. Shaw also played with vocalist Lena Horne and trumpeter Roy Eldridge, as well as many other musicians of color.
In 1939, the orchestra became the house band at the Cafe Rouge Hotel Pennsylvania, N.Y.C. The band also made several musical short films in 1939 for Vitaphone and Paramount Pictures. In 1940 Shaw formed a new jazz band in Hollywood, resulting in the hit ‘Frenesi.’ The following year, Shaw formed a big band with seven brass, five saxes, four rhythm, and fifteen strings. In 1942, Shaw joined the US Navy, served in the Pacific, formed a band that played for Navy personnel. After returning from the Navy, Shaw formed a new band in Hollywood with eight brass, five saxes, and no strings, recording for RCA Victor. In 1945, Shaw signed with independent label Musicraft after RCA Victor contract expired (some of these recordings featured the young singer Mel Tormé). Shaw made several recordings for Columbia in 1949, as well as making transcription recordings for Thesaurus in December 1949. The band recorded for Decca from December 1949 to July 1953. The last recording featuring Shaw on clarinet was Capitol album ST-2992 "Re-creates His Great '38 Band."
Opinions are divided but many consider Artie Shaw to be the best clarinetist ever, even better than Benny Goodman. In 1954, Artie Shaw made his last public appearance as an instrumentalist, and his last recording on clarinet in November 1955 when he put together a new Gramercy 5 (opens in a new tab). Shaw spent much of the second half of his life devoted to writing and other pursuits. In 1983 Shaw formed a new band and selected clarinetist Dick Johnson as bandleader and soloist. Dick Johnson fronted the orchestra for 25 years until his retirement in 2008. The band now features clarinetist Matt Koza.