Arville Shaw

H.S.!
Nice. A sound as big as a House!

OT - It's nice to see another bassist annoyed by the left sleeve of his suitcoat (@0:47!).
Can we get the fashionistas to design sleeveless suitcoats for us? (I'm sick of just chopping them off, myself...).
Thanks for posting, Mr. Goldsby.
don kasper

 

My favorite part - "Show Business"
I have a live Teddy Wilson record that he's on, he plays several bowed solos that are very nice. And Mr. Wilson is just incredible

 

Dayum.

 

My favorite Bechet album (and the first I ever bought) is his 1958 live recording at the Brussels Fair. I remember being impressed as to how "modern" it sounds. At the time I had expected the band to sound more dated, more like Louis Armstrong's groups.
A funny incident re Arvell that I remember: I was playing with Bobby Cole at The Embers which was (I believe? ) just a short way across town from Eddie Condon's. It was a popular joint, and we had lots of celebrity patrons and musicians popping in. One night as I was leaving the stand for a break, I heard a loud, hearty laugh from a group of "undertakers" (black suits, white shirts, black neckties--the generic band uniform at the time) who were standing at the front bar. I walked right up to the big guy that laughed and asked him : "Are you Arvell Shaw? He answered, "Yes, I am," and asked me how I knew him? I said, "I recognized your laugh from a Sidney Bechet album." Again came the big laugh, and a handshake. He, too, was on a band break from Condon's. It was a memorable band break--for me at least. I never saw him again.

 

Nice find!

IIRC, Arvell may be the only bassist interviewed in the Ken Burns Jazz documentary. He's also interviewed in some Louis Armstrong documentaries. Its cool to see a video of him playing.

 

another great Arvell Shaw feature, with Armstrong: