Arvell Shaw – Arvell Shaw & The Swing Legacy All-Stars

A remarkable rediscovery from jazz’s golden age, Arvell Shaw and the Swing Legacy All-Stars brings together an extraordinary gathering of swing-era masters in a historic 1956 New York studio session.

Best known as the longtime bassist with Louis Armstrong’s All-Stars, Arvell Shaw assembled and led this exceptional ensemble featuring tenor saxophone legend Budd Johnson, trumpeter Taft Jordan, trombonist Vic Dickenson, baritone saxophonist George Berg, French pianist Andre Persiany, and drummer Gus Johnson.

Recorded at Capitol Recording Studios in New York on October 15, 17, and 19, 1956, the sessions were originally credited to Andre Persiany’s International Jazz Group, despite having been organized and led by Shaw. Intended as the foundation for a proposed European tour that never materialized, the recordings eventually appeared on European releases that became highly sought-after collectors’ items.

Featuring compositions by Budd Johnson, Taft Jordan, Vic Dickenson, Arvell Shaw, Billy Strayhorn, and others, the album moves effortlessly between driving big-band-inspired swing, intimate blues, and beautifully interpreted jazz standards.
Highlights include “Moten’s Swing,” “Arvell’s Tune,” “Blue Lou,” “Lush Life,” “Concerto du Blues,” and “Skin Tight and Cymbal Wise.”

This CD reissue, produced by Joey “G-Clef” Cavaseno originally, for Victoria Records and Yalloppin Entertainment, preserves a historically significant recording by musicians who helped define the sound of American jazz.

A rewarding discovery for collectors and enthusiasts of classic swing, mainstream jazz, and the great small-group recordings of the 1950s.

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01. Moten’s Swing (6:16)
02. If It Weren’t for You (4:07)
03. Taft’s Blues (3:16)
04. What Have You Done with the Keys to Your Heart (2:56)
05. Arvell’s Tune (4:28)
06. Every Day Blues (2:48)
07. Lush Life (3:00)
08. Blue Lou (4:45)
09. Concerto du Blues (5:34)
10. Did I Remember? (4:30)
11. Budd’s Idea (2:52)
12. The Man with a Horn (2:31)
13. Skin Tight and Cymbal Wise (4:35)