S'Wonderful - Artie Shaw Orchestra with Dick Johnson Clarinet

[rmayer821]

A few notes. The arrangement was not til late 1944, as AS hadn't organized the band until Oct-Nov 1944. The Victor tune was recorded in 1945. He fails to mention Ray Conniff as the arranger. The bass is really terrible here, failing to make the decrescendo before the key change. The Victor is a bit flawed as there is a significant brass clam just before the clarinet solo (though Shaw is impeccable). Shaw also used 4 bones then too. Jon Walton played the original tenor solo, and its quite nice.

[kopy567]

Wow..what a perfect timig inside this band..especially i the rhythm section.

The conductor gives a sign and the drummer stops at the right moment later..together with all the other musicians...wow what a timing...great..I want to learn the drums like this.

Greetings Mike / Germany

[chkjns]

@kopy567 Shame, shame, SHAME on this director for not NAMING the great arranger who MADE this song what it was.

RAY CONNIFF was the arranger - I've got a CD with the 1945 Artie Shaw recording! Ray reprised this as the title song on his first album in 1956 !!! It was a top 20 album for 9 months !!! Just search Ray Conniff s'Wonderful on ytube, & you'll hear a FAR better rendition than this - those step down notes at 2:20 were NEVER meant for electric guitar!

The sound of Ray Conniff is forever!