Artie Shaw - by Barnett Singer & Jesse Read (Paperback)

About the Book

"A remarkable bandleader, composer and clarinetist, Artie Shaw's popularity defined the American music scene between the years of 1938-1945. Apart from his work during 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 such topics as the Swing Era, his time performing in the Navy during WWII and the Shaw Orchestra. Some analytic chapters dig deeper into the meaning behind his recordings, highlighting the growth within his music."--

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"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

"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

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.