Released in brand new, slimline rack-friendly packaging, which keeps all of the detail and production values of the original Properbox sets, but with each CD packaged in mini LP sleeves.

Artie Shaw led some of the classic big bands of the Swing Era and maintained a consistently innovative approach to making music throughout his career. A virtuoso clarinettist whose technique surpassed that of the "King of Swing", Benny Goodman, Shaw was self taught in the arts of playing and also arranging. His first big band contained a string quartet, but this line up did not find commercial success so it was jettisoned in favour of a more conventional setup. Hits such as "Frenesi" and "Begin The Beguine" followed along with sides cut by Shaw's band-within-a-band, the Gramercy 5.

At the height of the success, Shaw split the band, but was to return with new line-ups in subsequent years, which included a stellar array of soloists including Roy Eldridge, Hot Lips Page, Zoot Sims and many others.

This 4 CD set presents the best across all of Shaw's varied output and contains a booklet telling his colourful story - the story of a musician who never seemed quite satisfied with the uses his vast talent was put to.

Track Listing:
CD 1: Free Wheeling
1. THE JAPANESE SANDMAN: Egan, Whiting (1936)
2. ONE TWO, BUTTON YOUR SHOE: Johnston, Burke (1936)
3. THERE’S FROST ON THE MOON: Ahlert, Young (1936)
4. LOVE AND LEARN: Schwartz, Heyman (1936)
5. SOBBIN’ BLUES: Kassel, Berton (1937)
6. COPENHAGEN: Davis (1937)
7. CREAM PUFF: Marks (1937)
8. MY BLUE HEAVEN: Whiting, Donaldson (1937)
9. STREAMLINE: Shaw (1937)
10. SWEET LORRAINE: Parish, Burwell (1937)
11. ALL GOD’S CHILLUN GOT RHYTHM: Jurmann, Kahn, Kaper (1937)
12. IT GOES TO YOUR FEET: Fain, Brown (1937)
13. NIGHT AND DAY: Porter (1937)
14. BLUE SKIES: Berlin (1937)
15. SOMEDAY, SWEETHEART: Spikes, Spikes (1937)
16. HOW DRY I AM : Unknown (1937)
17. FEE FI FO FUM: Shaw (1937)
18. THE BLUES, PT. 1: Trad (1937)
19. THE BLUES, PT. 2: Trad (1937)
20. IT’S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY: Judge, Williams (1937)
21. I’VE A STRANGE NEW RHYTHM IN MY HEART: Porter (1937)
22. SHOOT THE LIKKER TO ME, JOHN BOY: Shaw (1937)
23. FREE WHEELING: Shaw (1937)
24. LET’ER GO: Clinton, Kay (1937)
25. FREE FOR ALL: Shaw (1937)
26. NON-STOP FLIGHT: Shaw (1937)

CD 2: Begin the Bequine
1. BEGIN THE BEGUINE: Porter (1938)
2. INDIAN LOVE CALL : Friml, Harbach, Hammerstein II (1938)
3. COMIN’ ON: Shaw (1938)
4. BACK BAY SHUFFLE: McRae, Shaw (1938)
5. ANY OLD TIME: Shaw (1938)
6. NIGHTMARE: Shaw (1938)
7. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE?: Porter (1938)
8. I HAVE EYES: Robin, Rainger (1938)
9. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING: Gordon, Revel (1938)
10. DEEP IN A DREAM: De Lange, Van Heusen (1938)
11. SOFTLY AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE: Romberg, Hammerstein (1938)
12. COPENHAGEN: Davis (1938)
13. A ROOM WITH A VIEW: Stillman, Swan (1939)
14. THEY SAY: Mann, Weiss, Heyman (1939)
15. JUNGLE DRUMS: Lombardo, O’Flynn, Lecuona (1939)
16. LOVER COME BACK TO ME: Hammerstein II, Romberg (1939)
17. ROSALIE: Porter (1939)
18. THE DONKEY SERENADE: Friml, Stothart, Forrest, Wright (1939)
19. ZIGEUNER: Coward (1939)
20. CARIOCA: Youmans, Elison, Kahn (1939)
21. DEEP PURPLE: De Rose (1939)
22. I’M COMING VIRGINIA: Cook, Heywood (1939)
23. PASTEL BLUE: Shavers, Shaw (1939)
24. COMES LOVE: Stept, Brown, Tobias (1939)
25. TRAFFIC JAM: McRae, Shaw (1939)
26. SERENADE TO A SAVAGE: Garland (1939)

CD 3: Frenesi
1. ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE : Kern, Hammerstein II (1939)
2. MOONRAY: Quenzer, Madison, Shaw (1939)
3. FRENESI: Dominquez (1940)
4. SPECIAL DELIVERY STOMP: Shaw (1940)
5. SUMMIT RIDGE DRIVE: Shaw (1940)
6. KEEPIN’ MYSELF FOR YOU: Youmans, Clare (1940)
7. CROSS YOUR HEART: De Sylva, Gensler (1940)
8. STARDUST: Carmichael, Parish (1940)
9. DR. LIVINGSTONE, I PRESUME?: Shaw (1941)
10. WHEN THE QUAIL COME BACK TO SAN QUENTIN: Shaw (1941)
11. MY BLUE HEAVEN: Donaldson (1941)
12. SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES: Harbach, Kern (1941)
13. CONCERTO FOR CLARINET, PT. 1 & 2: Shaw (1941)
14. DANCING IN THE DARK: Dietz, Schwartz (1941)
15. MOONGLOW: De Lange, Mills (1941)
16. IT HAD TO BE YOU: Kahn, Jones (1941)
17. DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE FROM ME: Nemo (1941)
18. BLUES IN THE NIGHT: Mercer, Arlen (1941)
19. JUST KIDDIN’ AROUND: Conniff (1941)
20. ST. JAMES INFIRMARY, PTS 1 & 2: Primrose (1941)
21. SUITE NO.8 : Jordan (1942)
 
CD 4: Little Jazz
1. LADY DAY: Mundy (1944)
2. JUMPIN’ ON THE MERRY-GO-ROUND: Conniff (1944)
3. ‘S WONDERFUL: Gershwin Gershwin (1945)
4. BEDFORD DRIVE: Harding (1945)
5. THE GRABTOWN GRAPPLE: Shaw, Harding (1945)
6. THE SAD SACK: Shaw, Harding (1945)
7. SEPTEMBER SONG: Anderson, Weill (1945)
8. LITTLE JAZZ : Harding, Eldridge (1945)
9. SUMMERTIME: Gershwin, Gershwin (1945)
10. LUCKY NUMBER: Conniff (1945)
11. SCUTTLEBUTT: Shaw, Carleton (1945)
12. THE GENTLE GRIFTER: Shaw, Carleton (1945)
13. MYSTERIOSO: Shaw, Carleton (1945)
14. HOP, SKIP AND JUMP: Shaw, Carleton (1945)
15. THE GLIDER: Harding (1946)
16. THE HORNET: Harding (1946)
17. I GOT THE SUN IN THE MORNING : Berlin (1946)
18. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE?: Porter (1946)
19. LOVE IS THE SWEETEST THING: Noble (1950)
20. I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU: Porter (1950)
21. I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU: Gershwin, Gershwin (1954)
22. TENDERLY: Lawrence, Gross (1954)
23. I CAN’T GET STARTED: Gershwin, Duke (1954)
24. IMAGINATION: Burke, Van Heusen (1954)