As a clarinetist, he was one of the best, but as a bandleader and jazz innovator, Artie Shaw was peerless. In the various ensembles he led from 1936 to 1954, Shaw pushed swing jazz into new territory. He incorporated classical instrumentation into his arrangements and pretty much invented the genre of "third stream jazz"; he ignored the color barrier by recording with Hot Lips Page in the late '20s and by touring with Billie Holiday; he created volumes of timeless, beautiful, and swinging jazz. But mostly, Shaw kept everyone on their toes, wondering what new, gorgeous sounds he'd create next.
The five-CD Self Portrait is the most complete collection assembled of his vast output, and Shaw himself, 91 years young, selected the tracks. It's a fascinating snapshot: the maverick clarinetist's career-long restlessness led to musical innovation and an odd assortment of inventive lineups. Listen to "Streamline" and hear the reckless sounds of Raymond Scott combined with a classical string quartet; hear his pure and pretty clarinet tones on "Begin the Beguine" and instantly understand how it became a hit in the late '30s. The highlights abound and every band--especially the mid-'50s Gramercy Five featuring Tal Farlow on guitar and Hank Jones on piano--is consistently great.
CD1
1 Nightmare 2:50
2 My Heart Belongs To Daddy 3:03
3 Star Dust 5:54
4 Summit Ridge Drive 6:05
5 The Blues - B 2:57
6 Gloomy Sunday 3:39
7 Yesterdays 6:03
8 Star Dust 3:35
9 Minnesota (as Aesop's Foibles) 3:40
10 Blues - Part 2 3:10
11 Yesterdays (Remastered - 2001) 5:17
12 Scuttlebutt 6:14
13 Dr. Livingstone, I Presume 3:21
14 Shine On, Harvest Moon 2:28
15 Back Bay Shuffle 3:36
16 Lucky Number 2:39
17 Afro-Cubana 3:45
18 Nocturne 3:32
19 The Maid with the Flaccid Air 3:49
20 Someone To Watch Over Me 4:46
21 Rose Room 2:42
22 I Surrender Dear 3:40
23 Everything is Jumpin' 5:07
CD2
1 At Sundown (Remastered - 2001) 5:58
2 Sweet Sue (Just You) (Remastered - 2001) 5:33
3 Man From Mars (Remastered - 2001) 5:39
4 Diga Diga Doo (Remastered - 2000) 4:01
5 Frenesi (2001 Remastered) 5:02
6 Gloomy Sunday (2001 Remastered) 5:39
7 Temptation (Remastered - 2001) 4:19
8 Star Dust (2000 Remastered) 5:29
9 Blues - Part 1 (Remastered - 2001) 5:15
10 Blues - Part 2 (Remastered - 2001) 5:10
11 Prelude In C Major (Remastered 2001) 4:11
12 Summit Ridge Drive (Remastered 2001) 5:19
13 Dr. Livingstone, I Presume (Remastered - 2001) 5:21
14 Concerto for Clarinet, Parts 1 and 2 (Remastered - 2000) 15:13
15 Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen (Remastered - 2001) 5:33
16 Dancing In The Dark (Remastered - 2001) 5:02
17 I Cover the Waterfront (From "I Cover the Waterfront") (Remastered - 2000) 5:27
18 Nocturne (2000 Remastered) 5:32
19 Blues In The Night (2001 Remastered) 5:13
CD3
1 Is It Taboo (2001 Remastered) 5:17
2 There'll Be Some Changes Made (Remastered - 2001) 6:57
3 Take Your Shoes Off, Baby (Remastered 2001) 5:24
4 Just Kiddin' Around (Remastered 2001) 5:24
5 To a Broadway Rose (Remastered - 2000) 5:24
6 Evensong (2001 Remastered) 6:54
7 Suite #8 (Remastered - 2001) 7:17
8 Two In One Blues (Remastered 2001) 5:30
9 Lady Day (2001 Remastered) 5:01
10 'S Wonderful (Remastered 2000) 5:05
11 Bedford Drive (Remastered - 2001) 5:18
12 The Grabtown Grapple (Remastered - 2001) 4:15
13 The Sad Sack (Remastered - 2001) 5:05
14 Porgy And Bess, Summertime (Remastered - 2000) 7:39
15 Tabu (Remastered - 2001) 5:07
16 Lucky Number (2001 Remastered) 3:59
17 The Man I Love (2001 Remastered) 5:07
18 The Hornet (Remastered - 2001) 5:04
19 The Maid with the Flaccid Air (Remastered - 2000) 5:49
20 The Glider (Remastered - 2001) 4:08
CD4
1 Begin The Beguine (Remastered - 2001) 5:15
2 My Heart Belongs To Daddy (Remastered - 2001) 5:03
3 What Is This Thing Called Love? (Remastered - 2001) 4:18
4 Get Out Of Town (Remastered - 2001) 5:15
5 Love For Sale (Remastered - 2001) 5:04
6 Anniversary Song (Remastered - 2001) 3:29
7 Smooth 'N' Easy (Remastered - 2001) 5:18
8 Star Dust (Remastered 2001) 5:35
9 Minnesota (as Aesop's Foibles) (Remastered - 2001) 5:40
10 I Get A Kick Out Of You (Remastered - 2001) 5:25
11 'S Wonderful (Remastered - 2001) 5:01
12 So Easy (Remastered - 2001) 5:21
13 Krazy Kat (Remastered - 2001) 5:18
14 Orinoco (Remastered - 2001) 3:58
15 Fred's Delight (Remastered - 2001) 6:46
16 Similau (Remastered - 2001) 5:26
17 Afro-Cubana (Remastered - 2001) 5:45
18 These Foolish Things (Remastered - 2001) 5:09
19 I've Got A Crush On You (Remastered - 2001) 5:52
20 Someone To Watch Over Me (Remastered - 2001) 7:26
21 Autumn Leaves (Remastered - 2001)
CD5
1 Don't Take Your Love From Me (Remastered - 2001) 8:20
2 The Chaser (Remastered - 2001) 14:01
3 Star Dust (Remastered 2001) 9:14
4 Summit Ridge Drive (Remastered 2001) 10:05
5 I Can't Get Started (Remastered - 2001) 8:32
6 Too Marvelous For Words (Remastered - 2001) 9:04
7 Yesterdays (Remastered - 2001) 10:03
8 Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered (Remastered - 2001) 6:50
9 S'posin' (Remastered - 2001) 8:52
10 My Funny Valentine (Remastered - 2001) 8:49
11 Dancing On The Ceiling (Remastered - 2001) 11:50
12 Scuttlebutt (Remastered - 2001) 10:14
