Artie: 'Should Be Greatest Dance Combo Ever Assembled'

by DownBeat Archives — 9/1/1941

New York--Artie Shaw isn't kidding. The band he has been rehearsing here since August 15 is made up of a million dollars worth of talent and once it gets under way, playing theaters and jazz concerts throughout the eastern section of the nation, it should shape up as the greatest dance combination ever assembled.
When Artie sent out a call to his old sidekicks, asking them to return and be cogs in his latest orchestral venture, not a single man brushed off his invitation. Les Robinson quit Willy Bradley. George Auld refused to accept big-money offers from others, and went without work six weeks until Shaw's rehearsals got under way. Lee Castaldo quit Bradley, too. And, Eddie McKinney toted his big bull-fiddle right off Tony Pastor's bandstand and into Artie's room. "Lips" Page, abandoned hopes to get his own jazz band clicking and made a beeline to Shaw's initial rehearsal. Mike Bryan fluffed Bob Chester to strum a guitar, even taking lessons to brush up on the electric box which Shaw frequently likes to feature.

Musicians never before heeded a leader's call as these men heeded Shaw's. Trombonist Ray Conniff junked his own band in preference to holding down a chair in the Shaw unit.

Artie Works All Day!

Artie appears eager to get back in the game with a great band. During his recent rehearsals it has been a common sight to find him busy with the string section as early as 10 a.m. Along about 6 p.m., some eight hours later, he's still up there at Nola's working with the saxes, or brass.

"We hope it will be the finest outfit yet," Shaw told Down Beat. "The job ahead of us is tough and is going to take a hell of a lot of work on the part of every man. But I think we'll have something a little out of the ordinary to offer.

"The band is shaping up wonderfully so far," he said. "We'll be better able to tell exactly what goes, and which men will be permanently set, a little later, after the kinks are ironed out."

Shoots No Death Rays

When Artie asks for something, he gets it. The guys who blow the horns like his way of doing things, his musicianship, and his ideas. Watching him rehearse is a revelation. Shaw gets discipline without ever asking for it; without flashing a "death ray" at the sidemen.

Artie will be in action with his new crew very soon, playing theaters (at a reported price of $10,000 cash a week) and later, going on tour for his concerts. For the latter engagements he will augment his band about 20 pieces, bringing the full personnel up to about the 50 mark.

Victor Record Date, Too

Lips" Page was set for a trumpet chair with Shaw although there was talk, which no one could verify, that Henry (Red) Allen, Jr., also would be hired. Allen's band has had no work since leaving a Greenwich Village nitery Aug. 6.

Shaw will soon record six sides for Victor with his all-star group.

Dave Tough quit his drum-pounding assignment with Joe Marsala and joined Shaw. One of the best-liked rhythm masters in the business, Tough is making his debut as a tub-beater with Artie, most of his other big-band experience coming from Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.
To Stress U.S. Music
Artie will put much "new American music" in his books, including jazz arrangements of the blues and compositions by known and unknown American songwriters. It is his greatest ambition to make the public aware and appreciative of native music rather than European and Asiatic art which for years has been crammed down its throat. Music by Ellington, Handy, William Grant Still and other colored composers as well as the better music from the pens of Kern, Gershwin, Vernon Duke, Rodgers and Hart, De Rose and other top-notch writers will be emphasized by Artie as he swings around the nation on his first tour since he junked his other dance crew in November, 1939.
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