The Most Important Question Of The Day

[ericcoleman]

[Poll #1283244]

Comments

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Shaw got his start with Red Nichols.

[powersalad.livejournal.com]

Hrm - once again we seem to have artistic innovation against commercial breakthrough...Shaw's approach and arrangements were often daring and individual, had he not up n quit perhaps he would have garnered the huge success that Goodman had. Of course he is still revered as a classic musician but he may well have shortchanged himself in that regard...didn't he get into writing novels or something? He certainly came back later with some tasty small group stuff. Goodman broke through in many areas, not least of which was the Carnegie Hall concert, which like Ellington in 56 (see previous post), broke swing out big time into the mainstream, coupled with his "Let's Dance" radio program....Plus, as in yet another post, he had Krupa...

Also he was able to survive in the post-war big band end-of-the-era with his most excellent sextet, including my hero Slam Stewart on bass! (I also met Slam, in 1984 when the Newport All Stars played in Akron...Talked with him, held & played his bass, quite a gentleman.)

So I'll give it to Goodman.

I think we talked about this

[ericcoleman]

I saw Goodman with Slam Stewart at the Royal Albert Hall when I lived in in 74/75. The show started with the Sextet, and toward what we thought was going to be the end of the show Goodman starting adding a piece or two every song over about 5 songs. By the end of this he had a full 21 piece band up there, and played for another hour. Still the best live show I have ever seen, jazz or rock.

[ericcoleman]

Shaw once said that Goodman "played the clarinet, I played music".

[freeimprov.livejournal.com]

I can believe that. Being one of the few to vote Shaw over Goodman here...