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“Many swing big-band leaders featured small groups out of their orchestra as added attractions, particularly Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey with his Clambake Seven, and Bob Crosby’s Bobcats. In contrast, Artie Shaw recorded relatively few sides with his Gramercy Five. His original unit from 1940 found the great pianist Johnny Guarnieri playing harpsichord exclusively and matched Shaw’s clarinet with trumpeter Billy Butterfield. Their eight recordings include “My Blue Heaven,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” and a million-seller, “Summit Ridge Drive.” The remainder of this CD is from 1945 and features Shaw, trumpeter Roy Eldridge, and the two young modernists, pianist Dodo Marmarosa (on piano) and guitarist Barney Kessel. Shaw would lead a few other Gramercy Fives in the future, but these are his two most famous. The music is consistently brilliant with every note counting.” – Scott Yanow/AllMusic.

Track listing:
1 Special Delivery Stomp
Written By – Artie Shaw
2:42
2 Summit Ridge Drive
Written By – Artie Shaw
3:18
3 Keepin’ Myself For You
Written By – Sidney Clare, Vincent Youmans
3:13
4 Cross Your Heart
Written By – DeSylva, Gensler
2:37
5 Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?
Written By – Artie Shaw
3:22
6 When The Quail Come Back To San Quentin
Written By – Artie Shaw
3:18
7 My Blue Heaven
Written By – Walter Donaldson
2:50
8 Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Written By – Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach
3:13
9 The Grabtown Grapple
Written By – Artie Shaw, Buster Harding
2:57
10 The Sad Sack
Written By – Artie Shaw, Buster Harding
3:07
11 Scuttlebutt
Written By – Artie Shaw, John Carleton
3:11
12 The Gentle Grifter
Written By – Artie Shaw, John Carleton
2:47
13 Mysterioso (Take 1)
Written By – Artie Shaw, John Carleton
2:59
14 Mysterioso (Take 2)
Written By – Artie Shaw, John Carleton
2:58
15 Hop, Skip And Jump
Written By – Artie Shaw, John Carleton
2:56

Personnel:
Bass – Jud DeNaut* (tracks: 1 to 8), Morris Rayman (tracks: 9 to 15)
Clarinet – Artie Shaw
Drums – Lou Fromm (tracks: 9 to 15), Nick Fatool (tracks: 1 to 8)
Ensemble – Artie Shaw And His Gramercy Five
Guitar – Al Hendrickson (tracks: 1 to 8), Barney Kessel (tracks: 9 to 15)
Harpsichord – Johnny Guarnieri (tracks: 1 to 8)
Piano – Dodo Marmarosa (tracks: 9 to 15)
Trumpet – Billy Butterfield (tracks: 1 to 8), Roy Eldridge (tracks: 9 to 15)

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Label: Bluebird
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1989

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