Yeah... I like his music, some of it. I do understand his desire to evolve. One can see this in just about any type of creative individual, especially one that is working along side of other creative souls. Your break throughs & small discoveries feed the energy in you & those around you. They return that energy of ideas back to you that allows you to stretch beyond your previous boundaries. And then like Mr. Shaw you have other goals and desires in life. It's only as individuals that we can honestly admit to ourselves when we have successfully reached the goals we set. Just because the groupies and fans want more, its not their life... it was his and he seemed to have no trouble changing when he was ready for change. That included wives, I understand the appearance of morality and marrying the girl. But after a couple of miss matched unions you'd think maybe a short test drive was in order, or maybe forget about marriage and just take the bus.
Years ago... after I found the physical John Bartee, I began the long frustrating search for who John was. The man that was estranged from his extended Southern family. A family that for the most part had lost track of him or maybe had just given up on him living his life in their world. I put together a letter and some information about John and I sent it to Mr. Shaw. I received notice back that his assistant & caretaker, Larry Rose (a man that should get sainthood) had signed for it. I hoped he might know something of John, Artie Shaw could have been the local bum it really didn't matter, if I had a clue that someone had crossed paths with John I tried to contact them. I knew he was old and having health problems, but he was still alive and so many of those I tried to contact always seemed to have just died before I was able to question them.
I was shocked that he answered the phone himself that Sunday afternoon. It really did set me back, not like an awestruck fan but more like a case of nerves before you give a speech and you drop your notes. Your mind just gets mixed up with what you had planned to ask. The day of the phone conversation I wrote a short script of the brief conversation we had and posted on a big band forum where I had been posting for information. A few fans were upset, claiming I had no right to bother the man and it was low of me to tape the call, I didn't tape the call. Once the phone was down I wrote out the short conversation. If I had just posted that I had reached him by phone the old farts would have ask me , "What did he say?". For a while after the call ended I couldn't believe I actually got him on the phone, easy as if I had called a friend. I think many of the long-time hard core fans were jealous that for a few minutes I had spoke with the MAN himself. I know I got a couple of emails from guys on the forum that wanted the phone number, saying they were so and so, they could get him to open up. Right... I wouldn't send them the number, I just told them how I went about getting it; not where it was, let them do their own homework. You know all those years they dreamed of his music they could have picked up the phone themselves to tell him of their favorite song.. They didn't do it because they knew he HATED the groupies & the fans. He played the music for himself, the cash & the women... who wouldn't given the chance & ability. I do know I must have pulled myself together quick after the initial shock, I introduced myself asking if he had received my package. He didn't seem as mad, as he was irritated that I might be a star struck fan going to drool over him, he actually gave me a little of his time in retrospect. The more time that has past I think he was quite like many short tempered men of his generation that had even bigger old cusses as role models. Add to that a hearing aid which is an unknown frustration but to those that depend on them. He just has always had a reputation for a short fuse regarding what he saw as meaningless people; to him, in his life.
Fact is... maybe if we had a few Artie Shaw's walking around today we wouldn't have so many little boys with their head up their ass running the country. Grumpy old men of the past didn't allow a younger generation of men to sit still and relax, because something was always wrong. If something was wrong then it was your fault and you better make it right to suit them. I believe his son, Jonathan might refer to it as The Puckered Asshole Effect, you stay wide awake... able to think & react swiftly around these type guys, you don't let down your guard. If you do... they will get you right where you think... in some creative way. Mr. Shaw let me know his health was not good and he was dealing with all the crap that goes along with that. He said he didn't know anything about John but, it was more like how one responds when you can't remember the simplest thing and a crowd is watching your every move. You are more pissed at yourself that you can't remember anything than you are at those that are watching & questioning you. I don't think I liked him that day, but he began to grow on me.
I was shocked that he answered the phone himself that Sunday afternoon. It really did set me back, not like an awestruck fan but more like a case of nerves before you give a speech and you drop your notes. Your mind just gets mixed up with what you had planned to ask. The day of the phone conversation I wrote a short script of the brief conversation we had and posted on a big band forum where I had been posting for information. A few fans were upset, claiming I had no right to bother the man and it was low of me to tape the call, I didn't tape the call. Once the phone was down I wrote out the short conversation. If I had just posted that I had reached him by phone the old farts would have ask me , "What did he say?". For a while after the call ended I couldn't believe I actually got him on the phone, easy as if I had called a friend. I think many of the long-time hard core fans were jealous that for a few minutes I had spoke with the MAN himself. I know I got a couple of emails from guys on the forum that wanted the phone number, saying they were so and so, they could get him to open up. Right... I wouldn't send them the number, I just told them how I went about getting it; not where it was, let them do their own homework. You know all those years they dreamed of his music they could have picked up the phone themselves to tell him of their favorite song.. They didn't do it because they knew he HATED the groupies & the fans. He played the music for himself, the cash & the women... who wouldn't given the chance & ability. I do know I must have pulled myself together quick after the initial shock, I introduced myself asking if he had received my package. He didn't seem as mad, as he was irritated that I might be a star struck fan going to drool over him, he actually gave me a little of his time in retrospect. The more time that has past I think he was quite like many short tempered men of his generation that had even bigger old cusses as role models. Add to that a hearing aid which is an unknown frustration but to those that depend on them. He just has always had a reputation for a short fuse regarding what he saw as meaningless people; to him, in his life.
Fact is... maybe if we had a few Artie Shaw's walking around today we wouldn't have so many little boys with their head up their ass running the country. Grumpy old men of the past didn't allow a younger generation of men to sit still and relax, because something was always wrong. If something was wrong then it was your fault and you better make it right to suit them. I believe his son, Jonathan might refer to it as The Puckered Asshole Effect, you stay wide awake... able to think & react swiftly around these type guys, you don't let down your guard. If you do... they will get you right where you think... in some creative way. Mr. Shaw let me know his health was not good and he was dealing with all the crap that goes along with that. He said he didn't know anything about John but, it was more like how one responds when you can't remember the simplest thing and a crowd is watching your every move. You are more pissed at yourself that you can't remember anything than you are at those that are watching & questioning you. I don't think I liked him that day, but he began to grow on me.
Through people like Keith Pawlak, curator of the Artie Shaw Archives, along with Kevin Ritter who has done hands on research with the Archive I have gained some iinformation on John's work for the Shaw bands. Then there are the many faithful followers of the Big Band sound, through their work to keep its memory alive I have found assistance in my search for John Bartee, along with a growing appreciation for the Music, the era and its participants.
Tom Nolan has also shed new light on the life of Artie Shaw through his newly released book, Three Chords for Beauty's Sake. It is a very good and balanced account of many of the details, along with many first hand accounts of Mr. Shaw's life. I had to reference the book for an ongoing difference of opinion with a big band librarian on the tune, Back Bay Shuffle composed by Teddy McRae with the liner notes of Mosaic Records giving credit to John Bartee for the original arrangement that was done about 1937/38. Christopher Popa states Mosaic did a bad job at researching for the notes they included. He is partially right, they give no real credit to people like Keith Pawlak & the University of Arizona for doing all the work. They took most of the information straight from the online inventory we all can access. But in the past few weeks, Mr. Pawlak has confirmed to me that the original arrangement is indeed by & in John Bartee's hand, he had some working relationship with the 37/38 band. This is further supported by his "known" arrangements for Shaw of Hold your Hats recorded on April 28, 1937 & I Fall in Love with you Everyday 1937 unrecorded ArtieShaw #206/104. All of this was made very clear with the research material Kevin Ritter posted on the Big Band Forum back in the Summer of 2003 regarding many facts about the Shaw Music based on actual documents.
Tom Nolan has also shed new light on the life of Artie Shaw through his newly released book, Three Chords for Beauty's Sake. It is a very good and balanced account of many of the details, along with many first hand accounts of Mr. Shaw's life. I had to reference the book for an ongoing difference of opinion with a big band librarian on the tune, Back Bay Shuffle composed by Teddy McRae with the liner notes of Mosaic Records giving credit to John Bartee for the original arrangement that was done about 1937/38. Christopher Popa states Mosaic did a bad job at researching for the notes they included. He is partially right, they give no real credit to people like Keith Pawlak & the University of Arizona for doing all the work. They took most of the information straight from the online inventory we all can access. But in the past few weeks, Mr. Pawlak has confirmed to me that the original arrangement is indeed by & in John Bartee's hand, he had some working relationship with the 37/38 band. This is further supported by his "known" arrangements for Shaw of Hold your Hats recorded on April 28, 1937 & I Fall in Love with you Everyday 1937 unrecorded ArtieShaw #206/104. All of this was made very clear with the research material Kevin Ritter posted on the Big Band Forum back in the Summer of 2003 regarding many facts about the Shaw Music based on actual documents.
In regards to the account I was asked to review as proof that John couldn't have arranged "Back Bay Shuffle". Its a nice story from Teddy McRae about how the Webb & Shaw Bands were in Boston at the same time & spent time observing each other perform. I am not sure if it was told first hand to Mr. Nolan or if it was taken from McRae's interview which is part of the Jazz Oral History Project, now cared for by The Institute for Jazz Studies at Rutgers University. McRae jokes with Shaw how he is going to write a Hit tune for him. The idea is said to have come from how after the bands finished playing in Boston on Saturday night they had to make a mad dash for Back Bay Station to get the 1:05 AM train back to New York City. If they missed that train they were stuck in Boston all day Sunday because nothing moved on Sunday in those good old days. Part of the sound McRae was trying to create was the sound that came off the wheels of the train on the tracks as it rounded the last bend into the station, as the musicians were racing / shuffling to get to the platform in time. I am sure that is a true piece of the puzzle in some form, the story will be better each time you repeat it yourself. The story doesn't prove John didn't do the arrangement for the band's recording.
I believe Mr. Popa had only seen John's name associated with the 1949 band so he drew the conclusion that John could have only reworked Back Bay Shuffle in 49. What would have been the point? John was brought in for the 5 Latin Compositions, 3 which were recorded. Why John.... because since 1941 he was the lead arranger for Machito the top Latin Dance band and Artie Shaw like other band leaders wanted the Afro-Cuban or Latin scores for their books. It was, what was Hot at the time. Prior to Machito, John was an arranger for Cab Calloway while Mario Bauza & Dizzy Gillespie were part of the band. I wrote Mr. Popa that I had no problem with anything he writes. I can't it is his opinion, but I believe you need to know some facts about an individual before you state whether they could or couldn't have done something.
My search is not just seeking opinions based on 70 year old stories. Sometimes you need a little physical proof at times to pull the story together. Memories change... just as the story of why the Shaw Band started playing "Begin the Beguine" in Tom Nolan's book, a dozen different versions of the story. So, Mr. Popa can write what ever he likes... he can state there is no way that John had a hand in that original BBS score but it will be a lot harder to show that he didn't given the documents created over 70 years ago. Kevin Ritter stated years ago that John Bartee was an unexpected piece to the puzzle, so because of unknown events he was not well documented at the time, do we ignore he existed? If I stated that one of John's brothers told me John had worked on arrangements for some band leader that died in a plane crash during WWII. Would you say it could have never happen or would you look into the connection that John may have developed with Jerry Gray who moved on from Shaw to be the arranger for Glenn Miller. Then its not too far to Eddie Sauter's door and creative individuals inspire each other. John existed and was an overlooked participant in the music industry. History does not always allow for a complete understanding of the original event & players. But when one speaks of History they must put forth all the pieces they can find even if it involves re-writing the History they previous wrote. If not... there is no true History or at least a true presentation of the know facts, we are left with an illusion.
I believe Mr. Popa had only seen John's name associated with the 1949 band so he drew the conclusion that John could have only reworked Back Bay Shuffle in 49. What would have been the point? John was brought in for the 5 Latin Compositions, 3 which were recorded. Why John.... because since 1941 he was the lead arranger for Machito the top Latin Dance band and Artie Shaw like other band leaders wanted the Afro-Cuban or Latin scores for their books. It was, what was Hot at the time. Prior to Machito, John was an arranger for Cab Calloway while Mario Bauza & Dizzy Gillespie were part of the band. I wrote Mr. Popa that I had no problem with anything he writes. I can't it is his opinion, but I believe you need to know some facts about an individual before you state whether they could or couldn't have done something.
My search is not just seeking opinions based on 70 year old stories. Sometimes you need a little physical proof at times to pull the story together. Memories change... just as the story of why the Shaw Band started playing "Begin the Beguine" in Tom Nolan's book, a dozen different versions of the story. So, Mr. Popa can write what ever he likes... he can state there is no way that John had a hand in that original BBS score but it will be a lot harder to show that he didn't given the documents created over 70 years ago. Kevin Ritter stated years ago that John Bartee was an unexpected piece to the puzzle, so because of unknown events he was not well documented at the time, do we ignore he existed? If I stated that one of John's brothers told me John had worked on arrangements for some band leader that died in a plane crash during WWII. Would you say it could have never happen or would you look into the connection that John may have developed with Jerry Gray who moved on from Shaw to be the arranger for Glenn Miller. Then its not too far to Eddie Sauter's door and creative individuals inspire each other. John existed and was an overlooked participant in the music industry. History does not always allow for a complete understanding of the original event & players. But when one speaks of History they must put forth all the pieces they can find even if it involves re-writing the History they previous wrote. If not... there is no true History or at least a true presentation of the know facts, we are left with an illusion.
I want to add one last thing to this post. Artie had two sons and like John neither man for what ever reasons had long term relationships with their sons. Artie's son Jonathan has grown into a very colorful individual but, unlike his father... I believe you are more likely to be smiling when you walk away from a conversation with him. Jonathan shares some very insightful revelations of his father in Tom Nolan's book which I think most Sons will understand. A few years back he was working with Johnny Depp to do a film based on Shaw's life, well Artie was still around and seems he might have drained all the excitement out of what could be a great film project . A film that... if at least co-scripted by Jonathan who has a gift for painting a very honest and vivid picture of life. Added, to a creative director that can tell a story that would have the old fans to the young who have no clue who Artie Shaw was lining up at the theaters. If the complete Shaw is presented.with Mr. Depp as the unpredictable Artie Shaw, where he is allowed to show his true ability to become the character. Shaw would be re-born to a completely new generation. And you older fans that are getting up there in years you are going to want to find a new generation to take care of those great record collections you have in the den.
Here is a look into the mind of Jonathan Shaw, you may be shocked... but if you can't smile at the picture he paints you need to start watching more Lawerence Welk. "Dinner with Artie Shaw"
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