Amongst the musical Titans, Artie Shaw holds one of the strongest grounds and this is why he became one of the most well-known jazz clarinetists and composers of all time. His musical notes strike a chord in our ears, even today.

1. Artie Shaw One Of The Finest Jazz Clarinetists
To make it big in life, you need to start with baby steps. Such is the story of any renowned artist and
Art Shaw is no expectation. Born as Arthur Jacob Arshawsky on May 23, 1910, this famous and one of
the century’s finest clarinetists, earned fame under his popular name Artie Shaw. He was born American
and grew up to become one of the 20th century’s most eminent clarinetists, composers, bandleaders and
actors. He even penned down books, both in the fiction and non-fiction genres.
Early life
Artie Shaw first opened his eyes to this beautiful world on May 23, 1910, in one of the poshest and
most happening cities of the United States, New York City. He was born of humble Jewish parents
where his father Harold Arshawsky was a dressmaker and photographer but not much is known about
his mother, Sarah Arshawsky. His mother was from Austria whereas his father hailed from Russia.
Artie spent the initial years of his life growing up in New Haven, Connecticut. He came to possess his
first saxophone by putting each penny together that he earned from working in a grocery store, and
began learning the instrument at the tender age of 13. When he turned 16, his interest shifted from
saxophone to clarinet following which, he left his abode to tour with a band.
Career
The early 1930s saw Artie Shaw returning to New York and becoming a session musician and from
1925 to 1036, he performed swing music in USA with several orchestras and bands. In between, in
1926 and 1929, he pursued his career as a music director in Cleveland and also earned the reputation of

2. being a fine music arranger for an orchestra. This orchestra was led by the violinist Austin Wylie. In
1929 and 1930, he got exposure to symphonic music when he played with Irving Aaronson’s
Commanders. As a bandleader, he gained fame in 1935 when his ‘Interlude in B-flat’ at a swing concert,
held in the Imperial Theater in New York, gained the attention of many. His big bands came with
massive hits like ‘Begin the Beguine’, ‘Stardust’, ‘Moonglow’, ‘Rosalie’, ‘Back Bay Shuffle’ and
‘Frenesi’. Shaw was an ardent lover and believer in experimental and innovative music.
Shaw enlisted in the US Navy during the Second World War and shortly after, he formed a band that
served in the Pacific Theatre. He even played around four concerts per day in the battle zones which
kind of unnerved and exhausted him. After his return to the US, he received medical attention. After
living a critical and famous career, Artie Shaw lived up to the age of 94 and breathed his last on
December 30, 2004, in Thousand Oaks, California, USA.
Conclusion:
Besides Artie Shaw, there have been his contemporaries who were not only distinguished but also
talented. Perhaps they came to the limelight because of their love for music, undaunted dream to do
their best and the desire to procure the finest quality music. You can surely listen to all of the swing
masterpieces when you stay tuned to Swing Street Radio, America’s most loved and preferred swing
jazz music station. Endless swing music is now a click away only on Swing Street Radio.
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