[78-L] Total Recall: Artie Shaw

[Jeff Sultanof]

My friend, the late Dick Sudhalter, knew Shaw very well, and told me that he
was one of the brightest, most frustrating human beings he'd ever met. The
man had a mind like a steel trap. His memory was excellent, and in an
argument, he'd spin the facts so that he would one-up you. Still, Sudhalter
came away from each meeting exhausted. When I told him that I was going to
California to produce an album for someone, he told me that I should look
Artie up. I passed for a variety of reasons, and now I regret it.

Speaking of Shaw and autographs, I have to laugh at Geoffrey's story. One of
Shaw's last public appearances was at an International Association of Jazz
Educator's convention in Long Beach, and after being interviewed by Peter
Levinson, Shaw offered to sign copies of the CD set "Retrospective." There
was a long line, and there were more young people than older fans. Ironic.

Jeff Sultanof

On Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 8:00 PM, Michael Biel <mbiel at mbiel.com> wrote:

> From: Geoffrey Wheeler <dialjazz at verizon.net>
> > Finally, he blurted out angrily: “What are you—a bunch
> > of savages? Do you also collect toenails?” To a guy
> > standing next to me I said: “Well if he won’t give
> > autographs, ask for his toenails.”  Geoffrey Wheeler
>
> Gee, then we could have cloned him -- if we dared!
>
> Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com
>
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