Artie Shaw: Jazz Greats – RCA Victor Collection

Artie Shaw: Jazz Greats – RCA Victor Collection

Few figures in the history of American music burned as brightly — or as briefly — as Artie Shaw. A virtuoso clarinettist of extraordinary fluency, Shaw led one of the most celebrated big bands of the Swing Era, producing a string of recordings between 1938 and 1941 that remain benchmarks of the genre. This RCA Victor Jazz Greats compilation distils the finest moments from that golden period into a single, essential disc.

The opening track, Begin the Beguine, was the record that made Shaw a household name overnight in 1938 — outselling even Benny Goodman at the height of the Swing craze. Stardust and I Cover the Waterfront showcase his lyrical, almost vocal approach to the instrument, while Deep Purple, Temptation, and St. Louis Blues demonstrate the full dramatic range of his orchestra. Of particular note is Any Old Time, featuring the incomparable Billie Holiday on vocal — a pairing that produced one of jazz's most treasured recordings.

Track Listing

Begin the Beguine · Stardust · I Cover the Waterfront · Carioca Love · Deep Purple · Moonshine · Any Old Time (feat. Billie Holiday) · Franmol · Lover Come Back to Me · In a Broadway Bass · Indian Love Call · Temptation · Old Lady Be Good · St. Louis Blues. Recorded 1938–1941.

Format & Dimensions

Standard jewel-case CD. Dimensions: 142 × 125 × 10 mm (5.6 × 4.9 × 0.4 in). Weight: approximately 100 g (3.5 oz).