Additional information
Personnel includes: Artie Shaw (clarinet); Lena Horne (vocals); Benny Carter (alto saxophone); Henry Allen, Billy Butterfield (trumpet); Ray Conniff (trombone); Johnny Guarnieri (piano, harpsichord); Sonny White (piano); J.C. Higginbotham, Nick Fatool (drums). Recorded in New York, New York and Los Angels, California in 1940 and 1941. Includes liner notes by Anatol Schenker. Personnel: Artie Shaw (clarinet); Lena Horne, Anita Boyer (vocals); Jimmy Shirley, Al Hendrickson (guitar); Laura Newell (harp); T. Klages, Truman Boardman, B. Bower, Bob Morrow, E. Lamas, Alex Beller (violin); K. Collins, Allan Harshman (viola); Bus Bassey, Neely Plumb (alto saxophone); Jerry Jerome, Les Robinson (tenor saxophone); George Wendt, J. Cathcart, Billy Butterfield (trumpet); J.C. Higginbotham, Jack Jenney, Ray Conniff, Vernon Brown (trombone); Johnny Guarnieri (piano, harpsichord); Sonny White (piano); Berisford "Shep" Shepherd, Nick Fatool (drums). Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (12/04/1940-06/26/1941); New York, NY (12/04/1940-06/26/1941). Artie Shaw kept his third jazz orchestra (his Stardust band) together into early 1941 before he decided to break it up. Included on this CD are the big band's last recordings (including "Prelude in C Major," "Dancing in the Dark," and the exciting two-part "Concerto for Clarinet") plus the second session by Shaw's Gramercy Five, featuring trumpeter Billy Butterfield and Johnny Guarnieri on harpsichord. Concluding this CD are four songs with a studio orchestra and four others with a very interesting interracial group that includes trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen, trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, altoist Benny Carter, Lena Horne (taking two vocals), and a string section. There are lots of stimulating and surprising performances heard throughout this pleasing program by the great clarinetist. ~ Scott Yanow
