Artie Shaw was an American clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. Also an author, Shaw wrote both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists," Shaw led one of the United States' most popular big bands in the late 1930s through the early 1940s. Though he had numerous hit records, he was perhaps best known for his 1938 recording of Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine". Prior to the release of "Beguine" Shaw and his fledgeling band had languished in relative obscurity for over two years and after its release he became a major pop artist within short order. The record eventually became one of the era's defining recordings. Musically restless, Shaw was also an early proponent of what became known much later as Third Stream music, which blended elements of classical and jazz forms and traditions. He also recorded with small jazz groups drawn from within the ranks of the various big bands he led. He served in the US Navy from 1942-44, and following his discharge in 1944 he returned to lead a band through 1945. [More at Wikipedia]

May 23rd, 1910 in New York City  /  Died:   Dec 30th, 2004 - natural causes