A Swing Set Played in Tribute to a Jazz Legend : Big band: Bill Elliott will honor Artie Shaw as he leads his orchestra Sunday at the Irvine Marriott.

Pianist-bandleader Bill Elliott, whose Swing Orchestra headlines “A Salute to Artie Shaw” at the Irvine Marriott on Sunday, has never met the dapper giant of swing, who will celebrate his 85th birthday next month.

But Elliott, 43, seems to know Shaw pretty well, if only through his music.

Shaw retired from the music world in 1954, leaving his fans with only recordings and memories (“I’ve always been fascinated that he just walked away from the music,” Elliott says). But Shaw’s influence is deeply felt--especially now that the swing of the ‘30s is enjoying a revival. Elliott says Shaw’s 1938-39 band, the one that had a hit with “Begin the Beguine,” provided the model for his own orchestra some 50 years later.

“Benny (Goodman) and Artie came from the same period, the late ‘30s. Artie’s band was similar to Benny’s but had a bit of a sleeker, more refined sound,” Elliot notes. Like Shaw, Elliott uses “six brass rather than eight: three trumpets and three trombones. It swings in a lighter way, with not as huge a sound but still a swinging sound.”

A child of the ‘60s, Elliott, followed a winding musical path to swing. As a teen, he was heavily influenced by Fats Waller and the stride piano movement. “But I was always interested in swing music. I played clarinet as a kid and listened to Benny Goodman records.”

Living in Boston during the ‘70s, Elliott wrote musical charts for comedian-musician Martin Mull and performed with the group Seatrain. In 1976, he came to Los Angeles to join Bonnie Raitt’s band and went on to record with the likes of Donna Summer, Bette Midler and Stevie Nicks.

He was able to put his knowledge of swing to work when he was asked to arrange charts for Warren Beatty’s film “Dick Tracy” in 1990, and he began doing other commercial work, notably for the television series “Northern Exposure,” that also called for big band charts.

“Once I started writing these vintage, ‘30s-style swing pieces, I began to notice a resurgence of big bands around Los Angeles. I started talking to various musicians and realized it was possible to put together a band to appear live.”

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The Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra made its debut two years ago at the Cinegrill in the Hollywood Roosevlt Hotel. Since then, it has played the Moonlight Tango in Sherman Oaks and has made monthly appearances at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. The orchestra’s CD, “Swing Fever,” was released last year on Wayland Records.

“We avoid playing the swing chestnuts that every band plays in favor of lesser known, really terrific swing songs. Of course we feature my original music as well as tunes by Shaw, Benny Goodman, Jimime Lunceford, Bunny Berrigan and others.”

But for the Irvine gig, Elliott will stray from the “no chestnuts” rule to play a host of music associated with Shaw, such as “Begin the Beguine,” “Lady Be Good” and “Deep in a Dream.”

* “A Salute to Artie Shaw” with the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra, the Lucky Stars vocal group and the Fabulous Four Freshmen takes place Sunday at the Irvine Mariott hotel, 18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, 6 p.m. $25. (714) 553-9449.