Artie Shaw: The Complete Gramercy Five Sessions
Many of the big-band leaders of the swing era featured a small group from within the band, a throwback to their own origins in "hot" jazz. Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five, though, was an exceptional combo, as distinctive in its way asBenny Goodman's trio, quartet, and sextet. While the purpose of such bands was blowing, something Shaw did brilliantly, the clarinetist also used the opportunity for striking instrumentation.The first eight tracks come from 1940 and the first version of the group. TrumpeterBilly Butterfieldadds assorted mutes to vary his glorious open trumpet sound, while pianistJohnny Guarnieriturns exclusively to harpsichord. As with Shaw's unusual use of a string quartet in 1936, the inclusion of harpsichord is genuine innovation, not just novelty, and it becomes even more striking when Shaw adds electric guitarist Al Hendrickson. The result is classic small-band swing that can't be readily placed in time.The final seven tracks come from 1945, including two takes of "Mysterioso" --a harmonically advanced Shaw composition, not theMonktune. Shaw was always a kind of proto-modernist, and here the band includes the explosive swing trumpeterRoy Eldridgeand two young boppers, pianistDodo Marmarosaand guitaristBarney Kessel.--Stuart Broomer