Begin the Beguine

Let me assure you, Artie Shaw earned his Lothario tag! While attending UCLA during the 1970s, I lived across the hall from Artie in an apartment complex on Kelton just off campus in Westwood. Amazingly, even though he was in his mid 60s at the time, he maintained a steady stream of stunningly beautiful, young women running in and out of his place at all hours.

UCLA enjoyed a well deserved national reputation for its ravishingly lovely female population. So it seemed only natural for the Casanova of his generation to set up shop within steps of the dormitories and sorority houses. A veritable stable for the old stud retired to pasture. And, he was in great company. Hugh Hefner had already reached the same conclusion a few years earlier when he ditched Chicago's dreary winters for balmier climes at his Playboy Mansion West in Holmby Hills just a few blocks away. It was little wonder I never heard Artie practice his clarinet. Not once! When could he possibly manage to find the time in his hyperactive social schedule with all of the demands?

I share these reminiscences on the occasion of Artie's newly remastered compilation release, which is an absolute must have for aficionados and neophytes alike. Shaw was the "it" guy of the Big Band era. Known as the "King of the Clarinet", Shaw's creativity and virtuosity of playing made him stand out from many of his contemporaries, including fellow clarinetist and "King of Swing" Benny Goodman. Shaw: "Benny Goodman played clarinet. I played music."

Throw in Ava Gardner, Lana Turner and Evelyn Keyes as three of his eight uber trophy wives and you begin to understand the dynamic charisma of Artie Shaw's megastar celebrity during his hey day. Five Stars says it all. Go check it out. *****