Artie Shaw

Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American jazz musician, clarinetist, composer and band leader, and was also an author of both fiction and non-fiction writings.

My job is to play music, not politics, and my only obligation is to the people who pay to listen to me.

Quotes

• It became such a hit that it superseded anything that any band had ever had. It was the first time that a so-called swing band played something melodic and still gave it a beat.
  • On "Begin the Beguine", as quoted in Artie Shaw, the Reluctant 'King of Swing' (2002-03-08). Archived from the original on 2002-08-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.

• You run into a party and [a] woman comes up to you. She's the most beautiful creature you ever saw — Ava Gardner — and says, "I like you and why don't we get together?" What are you going to say, "No"? You'd have to be an idiot. She was an incredible creature.
  • As quoted in Artie Shaw, the Reluctant 'King of Swing' (2002-03-08). Archived from the original on 2002-08-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.

1930s

• My job is to play music, not politics, and my only obligation is to the people who pay to listen to me. I don't attempt to ram hackneyed, insipid tunes down the public's throat just because they've been artificially hypoed to the so-called 'hit' class. This policy of trying to maintain some vestige of musical integrity has, naturally, earned me enemies, people who think I'm a longhair, impressed with my own ability. Nothing could be farther from the truth. My faith in dance music — I refuse to call it swing — borders on the fanatic. I have the utmost respect for the many real musicians who are creating a new music as important as the classics, but I have no respect for musical clowns who lead an orchestra with a baton and a quip. However, more power to them if they can make it pay.
  • As quoted in "The Hard Life of a Jazz Man" (19 April 2016), by Andy Hollandbeck, The Saturday Evening Post and "Music Is a Business" (2 December 1939), by Bob Maxwell, The Saturday Evening Post

External links

• Encyclopedic article on Artie Shaw on Wikipedia