Artie Shaw

Artie Shaw was one of the most technically brilliant clarinettists in jazz. He was also an improviser, composer and bandleader of the first order, until he ended his career at the age of 44, believing that he had said all he had to say as a musician. Alan Barnes, who has specialised in playing Shaw's music, joins Alyn Shipton to pick the key examples from Shaw's varied catalogue. The music includes tracks by his various big bands, by singers Billie Holiday and Hot Lips Page and by Shaw's small group the Gramercy Five.