Artie Shaw - Self Portrait
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:33 pm
So I'm cataloguing Artie Shaw's Self Portrait this week; I'm sure a lot of you have it, a 5 CD set hand picked by Artie himself, presented in chronological order.
I'm having a good time listening to the different versions of his band and noticing how the sideman change the sound.
I always wondered why the 1938 radio transription CD I have is so awesome; come to find out the drummer is George Wettling, who is on the "Condon Mob" Mosaic CD collection, and who's music on that CD is fantastic. Late 1938 - 1939 Buddy Rich joins the band, and I find those tracks a little heavy handed compared to Wettling.
And I always wanted to know who the harpischordist was on the G5 CD - Johnny Guarnieri who is a well known stride pianist: http://stridepiano.com/bios/gen2/johnny.html Always thought he was a violinist myself because of the name!
After the 1938 band I think I like the 1945 band with Roy Eldridge next best. Very polished, but swinging hard. Also has Barney Kessel on the guitar.
Ok, only 2.5 CDs more to go.....
I'm having a good time listening to the different versions of his band and noticing how the sideman change the sound.
I always wondered why the 1938 radio transription CD I have is so awesome; come to find out the drummer is George Wettling, who is on the "Condon Mob" Mosaic CD collection, and who's music on that CD is fantastic. Late 1938 - 1939 Buddy Rich joins the band, and I find those tracks a little heavy handed compared to Wettling.
And I always wanted to know who the harpischordist was on the G5 CD - Johnny Guarnieri who is a well known stride pianist: http://stridepiano.com/bios/gen2/johnny.html Always thought he was a violinist myself because of the name!
After the 1938 band I think I like the 1945 band with Roy Eldridge next best. Very polished, but swinging hard. Also has Barney Kessel on the guitar.
Ok, only 2.5 CDs more to go.....