Artie Shaw was an American clarinettist and bandleader from New York City who began his professional career in the 1920s and led prominent swing-era big bands from the mid-1930s. His musical style combined virtuosic jazz clarinet with arranged orchestral textures and elements drawn from classical music, and his career—marked by frequent hiatuses and returns—saw him alternate between large dance bands, smaller ensembles and studio and film work, placing him within the commercial and artistic developments of the American swing era.
