Artie Shaw, clarinetist and bandleader of the swing era, passed away today at his home in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 94. He had been ill for some time, but sources close to Shaw had no comment on the actual cause of death.

Shaw, best-known for his cover of "Begin the Beguine," a now-standard song penned by cole Porter, was instrumental in the development of modern music through his breaking of musical laws, integrating elements of classical music, utilizing unusual combinations of instruments, and tearing down of social boundaries as well, being one of the few bandleaders of the Swing Era to play with black musicians, most notably singer Billie Holiday, with whom he spent eight months blending their wildy differing approaches to produce five recordings. Despite chastisement for this collaboration from some others in the industry, Shaw was reportedly one of the highest paid bandleaders of the 1930's and 40's.

He enjoyed a career that spanned several decades, bursting into fame at age 28 with "Begin the Beguine," which topped the music charts for six weeks in 1938. He followed with a string of hits (eg "Stardust") and live performances with numerous orchestral lineups, often featuring other major names in Swing. He went into semi-retirement from the industry in the middle 1950's, apparently trying to top Elizabeth Taylor's marriage record (Shaw boasted 8 wives, among them Ava Garnder and Lana Turner).

Recommended listening: Interlude in B Flat. This piece was released in 1935, 3 years prior to Shaw's sudden stardom, but demonstrates his noncomformist approach to arrangement and melodic themes.

More on his death:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aElhoZmnuC8g&refer=us
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7210508
More on his life:
http://www.artieshaw.com/