Kluger: Big-band man Shaw put on a great show

Friday, Jan. 7, 2005 | 8:26 a.m.

Irv Kluger remembers Artie Shaw.

Shaw (born Arthur Arshawsky in Brooklyn, N.Y.) was a legendary jazz clarinetist and big-band leader who made his indelible mark on the music world beginning in the '20s and continuing until he retired in 1954 at age 43.

Shaw died Dec. 30 at his home in Newbury Park, Calif. He was 94.

Among Shaw's most well-known works were "Frenesi," "Begin the Beguine," "Lady Be Good" and "Star Dust."

"The last time I saw Artie was, I believe, around 1996," recalled Kluger, the 83-year-old drummer who performed with Shaw, Benny Goodman and every other major bandleader of the 20th century. "He came to UNLV to give a lecture on music and life.

"He was a very bright man, very astute. When I came to see him he recognized me right away and hugged me -- he was a very warm person, very logical, very generous, one of best players in the world."

Kluger, who has led a jazz band Friday nights at Pogo's (2103 N. Decatur Blvd.) for 20 years, said Shaw's only flaw was a weakness for beautiful women.

Shaw, charismatic and handsome, was married eight times -- among his wives were Lana Turner and Ava Gardner.

"He didn't do any dumb things except marry the most beautiful girls in the world," Kluger said. "His only mistake was trying to turn them into sophisticated thinkers."

Kluger last spoke with Shaw on July 19, 2001 -- Kluger's 80th birthday.

"I had always had his number, but I never called him. I never called any of the bandleaders I worked for," Kluger said. "But I called him and his secretary answered.

"I told her who I was and five seconds later Artie was on the phone. He says, 'Irv, how old are you?' and I say, 'I'm 80 today,' and he says, 'You know how old I am?' and I say, 'No.' He says, 'I'm 91, and do you know my foot hurts?' "

The conversation was brief.

"He said he was writing a book -- it was over 1,000 pages at the time," Kluger said. "He loved to write."

Kluger is a musical genius who began earning his living with bands in his early teens.

"From the age of 13, I never called anyone for a job," he said. "They always called me."

Shaw's manager called him for the first time in 1949 and invited Kluger to join the band. They were together for a year.

"Artie paid great. Benny Goodman was terrible," Kluger said. "I never made less than $500 a week with Artie, but Goodman paid $125 -- and when he gave me the check I had the feeling he didn't want me to cash it, that he thought I should frame it."

Kluger said Shaw was serious about his music, and once when some of the guys in the band were cutting up and joking he brought the group together for a meeting.

"These are his exact words: 'Look, guys, people come to see me and hear my music. If you make fun of it they'll stop coming and I won't be able to pay these good salaries I'm paying you,' " Kluger said.

In 1950, Kluger left Shaw and joined the orchestra of a new show at the 46th Street Theatre in New York -- "Guys and Dolls."

Kluger was with the show for almost the entire three-year run at 46th Street, and then Shaw called him again. It was 1953.

In 1951, Shaw had quit music, as he did periodically, but then decided to give it one last shot.

"Artie calls me and says he needs me," Kluger recalled. "But I'm in 'Guys and Dolls' and when you were with a successful show your contract said they couldn't fire you and you couldn't quit.

"I say, 'Artie I can't quit, but they love you. You can get me out of the show, and I'll come with you.' "

So two months before the show ended, Kluger joined Shaw's memorable Gramercy 5 band.

"There were actually six of us," Kluger said.

Kluger performed with Shaw all over the country, including a 12-week gig at the Sahara's Casbar Lounge, in which the group performed from midnight until 6 a.m.

"My wife and I had breakfast with him almost every morning for 12 weeks," Kluger said. "He attracted a lot of people to our table -- like stars from Hollywood, dancers. A lot of people visited Artie."

In March 1954, after an engagement with Gramercy 5 at the Embers in New York, Shaw announced his retirement.

Kluger is proud of a quote Shaw once made: "I loved Irv's playing. He added something important to the band. He made contributions to the music while staying out of the way and allowing things to naturally unfold.

"Irv was always an up guy, with a lot of spark as a player and as a person."

The same might be said of Shaw.