The exact definition of "Swing" is tough to define because of its
subjective nature. (For this web page, a broad definition
of swing music is used.) Swing is best described as the particular way a piece
of music is played that gives it a certain vitality and energy.
Without getting too technical, in Swing music the musicians play (or sing) some
of the notes late, and then catch up in the next beat or two. This was referred
to as "swinging the beat", and hence the name was probably born. Swing
also has a rhythm-driven quality that emphasizes subdivisions of the beat, which
often adds a horizontal feel and type of "pulse" to the music.
For the classic era of Swing (about 1935-1949),
the music was a form of jazz that normally used arrangements and was rehearsed,
but still allowed room for interpretation and improvisation. Of course, it
was the Big Bands of the "Swing Era" that made swing music famous and
popular all over the world. But smaller type combos, such as the smaller
jump blues bands of the late 1940's and 50's, also had a big part in the overall
contribution of what is considered swing music.
Other than learning to actually swing dance, the cornerstone of swing dancing is
the music. A key ingredient to this enjoyment of swing music is dancing to
the phrases (and breaks) in the music. There will never be, nor should there
ever be, total agreement on what is "good" swing dancing music.
One can say with a reasonable degree of certainty that most swing dancers like
music from a variety of styles and eras (i.e. Big Band, Jump Blues,
etc.) and at a variety of tempos, normally ranging from slower tempos of around
120 beats per minute
(BPM) to as fast as 250+ BPM. As someone once said, variety is the
spice of life!
Normally (and hopefully!), there is a variety of swing music played at swing
dances, but the music played will depend on a number of factors. For
example, a Lindy Hop event will normally have much different music than a dance
for west coast swing dancers. And also note that the music played at swing
dances evolves over time.
Just as the swing dance community has evolved
since the beginning of the so called "swing movement" of the mid 1990's, so has
the music one hears at swing dances. In the mid 1990's, the trend was
towards swing music from the newer or retro swing bands (i.e. Big Bad Voodoo
Daddy, Royal Crown Revue, etc), and a lot of that music was songs of a fast or
very fast tempo.
As swing dancers learned more about different
types of swing music and began to appreciate the experiences of dancing to
different styles and tempos of swing music, a greater variety of music began to be played at swing
dances, and certain trends developed. For a time, there was a trend toward
the slower, more "bluesy/groove" types of music, perhaps as a
"correction" to the faster retro swing music. Recently, there
has been a definite and certainly welcomed trend towards going back to the
"roots" of swing dancing, i.e. music from the 1930's and 1940's in a
variety of tempos. (Generally speaking, swing music from the
1930's, 40's, and early 50's should be better represented and played more at swing dance venues,
especially the classic Big Band music. For more information on this area,
click
on this link.)
A note of caution.
As previously noted on this web site, improvisation, creativity and
innovation are the hallmarks of American dancing. Much like swing
dancing, it is possible to adapt and develop swing dancing in light of the
genres of more recent musical influences. But at some point, if the music
played at swing dances is not really swing music, then the dance itself no
longer is true to the style or spirit of Lindy Hop or Balboa. There is a lot of music "out there" in 4/4 time that you can
swing dance to; but that doesn't make it swing music.
In other words,
always remember your roots, but note that it's fun
to try out new music!
Absolutely! Dancing to good, live music is a much different
experience than dancing to DJ music. Although finding a venue that plays
good, live swing music is challenging, it is a worthwhile endeavor!
Where can you find venues with good, live swing music? First and foremost,
there are the Hepcats swing dance collaborations with the UK School of Music at the UK Student Center Grand Ballroom,
which feature the best live music for swing dancing in the Lexington/central KY
area!
Also check out the
Calendar
page of this web site for some regular or semi-regular live music venues, to include
Lee's Junction Big
Band (which plays at Jim & Jacks in Cincinnati, OH about twice a month) and
the Coney
Island Amusement Park summer Big Band Dances in Cincinnati, OH. In
addition, most weekend long swing dance workshops will sponsor a Saturday night
dance (sometimes with a live band).
Finding good, danceable swing CDs can be difficult. Here are a few places
to look. On-line
retailers offer search options and normally a huge selection. At local
retailers the selection may not be as great but they do offer one the chance to actually look
at and "feel" the CD (which
is important to some people). In music stores, "Swing" CDs are
often scattered among the oldies, jazz, rock and easy listening sections.
An often overlooked source is your local library.
For another source of information, ask fellow swing dancers what music they like. Note what songs you
like at swing dance venues you attend and then use an on-line retailer search engine to
find the song or the CD. Note that a lot of different bands will cover the
same song, so ensure you get the right group. For example, "Shake,
Rattle & Roll" was originally recorded by Big Joe Turner and was
later covered by Bill Haley & the Comets (among others). If you
searched for the song "Shake, Rattle & Roll" at an on-line
retailer search engine, you would probably get a number of different versions
available for that song.
Keep in mind that it is almost impossible to obtain depth in your music
collection if your primary source of music is "free" or shareware downloads from
the internet. If you want to obtain a depth in your music, then you're
going to have to spend some bucks and purchase good music. The vast majority of really good swing dance music cannot be
obtained for free on the internet (for a variety of reasons).
One last note for this area. I'm fully aware that a lot of people
download music from the web from various sources (free and commercial). Nothing wrong
with that, I do that on occasion (although if you download music you are
probably aware there may be some restrictions on how many times you can copy
that particular song). For those that like to "collect" music, and
especially for those that think they might want to be a swing dance
DJ
at some point in the future, I still think it's a good idea to get the
CD, if possible. Personally, I like to read the liner notes!
Specific CDs and songs recommended below are intended only as a
guide. Obviously, there is no guarantee that all recommendations will be a
"hit" with everyone. Of course, even in the swing dance
community there are different musical tastes. What kind of music a person
prefers may depend on what style of swing they dance and their level of
proficiency. The CDs listed below are high quality recordings, of which
many of the tracks are generally considered to be swing dance favorites. For anyone wishing to
begin their own swing music collection, these recommendations should be
considered a starting point, and not the finish line.
Most people have heard of the big band sound, a music
style primarily from the 1930's and 1940's. Unfortunately, many people (to
include some swing dancers) associate
the Big Band sound exclusively with the commercially oriented music of Glenn
Miller, the "champagne" music of Lawrence Welk and the
New Year's Eve broadcasts of Guy Lombardo.
Big Band is a style of jazz music that
normally refers to a group of about 10 or more musicians. Although the number
may vary, a traditional Big Band orchestra consists of about 15
musicians: 4 saxophones, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, and a 3 piece rhythm
section (normally consisting of piano, drums, and an upright bass).
This is in addition to the band leader, who also normally plays an instrument,
i.e. the clarinet (Benny Goodman), the piano (Duke
Ellington, Count Basie), the trumpet (Harry James), etc., and any
vocalists.
Musically, Big Band was the fusion of American jazz, ragtime
and Charleston styles of music (similar in development to swing dancing). Big Band is usually
identified in jazz history to the 1930's and 1940's classic era of swing. During that time, most of the jazz groups were Big Bands and they played a robust, invigorating style of swing.
Swing was dance music, yet it offered individual musicians a chance to improvise musically fresh, technically complex solos.
It may be technically incorrect to call all Big Bands "swing", just like all "swing" isn't performed by Big Bands.
But the big bands led by Jimmie Lunceford, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Duke Ellington,
Erskine Hawkins, Earl Hines, Harry James, Lucky Millinder, Count Basie,
Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Glen Gray, etc. were extraordinarily popular in the 1930's and
40's and the terms have become interchangeable in the public eye. The two are forever tied together,
given that they matured simultaneously.
It is important to keep in mind that there were definite distinctions between Big Bands in the
1930's and 40's. Some bands displayed hard-driving rhythmic qualities and
solo improvisations, while other bands conveyed a less pronounced swing
feeling. The former bands were often called "swing bands" or
"hot bands" (e.g. Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny
Goodman, Chick Webb); while the latter were called "sweet bands" (e.g. Glenn
Miller, Guy Lombardo).
It should also not be overlooked the many disadvantages that African-American
big bands had as compared to white bands, especially in the 1930's
and 40's, because of racism. African-American bands were unable to
obtain lucrative bookings at big hotels for long residencies or regular appearances on
radio shows. They normally toured constantly, in a series of one night stands.
African-American bands were often not as commercially marketed nationally by
record producers and radio stations, as were lesser performing white bands.
White bands would often cover songs by African-American
bands and achieve greater commercial record sales and exposure, i.e. Glenn Miller's cover
of Edgar Hayes' "In the Mood" and Erskine Hawkins' "Tuxedo Junction".
(To be fair, it should be noted that almost all bands in the big band era covered each
other's songs to some degree.)
The golden age of the Big Band era, from about 1935-1949, was unique in that it
was the music listened to by all generations in the 1930's and 40's, young and
old alike. Big Band swing was the popular and dominate music of the era,
not only for radio, but the movies, in nightclubs, at high school and college
dances and parties, and at the local ballroom. In the early 1940's, it is
estimated that there were over 400 bands (some where known as "regional" or
"territory" bands), criss-crossing
the country, playing night after night of one night stands, looking for that
elusive "break".
It was the hundreds of ballrooms that
stretched from coast to coast that gave the big bands their most consistent and
hospitable venues. Unfortunately, many of these ballrooms were torn down
(especially in the 1960's as a result of the decline in partner dancing and the
beginning of urban renewal) to make room for retail
and housing developments. Many ballrooms with historical significance have
survived, such as the Surf Ballroom in
Clear Lake, Iowa, famous as the last concert location for Buddy Holly, Richie
Valens and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) before dying in a plane crash on
February 3, 1959.
Many ballrooms in and near the bigger cities could accommodate
thousands of dancers. These included ballrooms such as the Savoy
and Roseland Ballrooms in New York City; Glen Island Casino Ballroom, New Rochelle, NJ;
the Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom in
Bethesda, MD; the Palladium
and Palomar
Ballrooms in Los Angeles, CA; the
Rendezvous Ballroom in Orange County, CA; and the Casino
Ballroom on Catalina Island, CA.
More common were the many ballrooms and dance halls found in medium and smaller
cities and towns that might occasionally host one of the "famous" big
bands but normally booked one of the hundreds of less famous regional or
territory bands. For
the central Kentucky and surrounding areas, such establishments included the Joyland Ballroom in Lexington, KY; Casa Madrid Ballroom, Louisville, KY; High
Bridge Park Pavilion, Wilmore, KY; the Music Hall
Ballroom and Moonlight Gardens at Coney
Island in Cincinnati, OH (note that the present Moonlight Gardens was once
the walled ballroom, with the front facade much in its original condition; and
that Moonlight Pavilion, where Big Band dances now take place, was once part of
food service buildings); and the Indiana
Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis, IN; to mention just a few.
Generally speaking, the Big Bands were dance bands and catered to dancers.
A typical night of music with a big band would include not only
their "hot" and popular numbers (songs many band members called
"killer dillers"), but also some ballads and even an occasional waltz.
There are a number of Big Bands that perform today. Locally, the Kentucky
Jazz Repertory Orchestra (KJRO), co-directed by University of Kentucky
School of Music professors Dick Domek and Miles Osland, is
one of the most highly skilled big band orchestras in the
United States today when it comes to recreating authentic big band, swing-era arrangements.
Before
we look at some specific Big
Band CD recommendations, a quick note.
Beware!There are numerous Big Band recordings on the market,
including low cost or budget "Big Band" collections. However, a great many of these recordings
are out-of-copyright versions, released by lesser known labels that buy up
rights to various songs that have an inferior sound quality due to
the recording technology (mono) of the 1930's and 1940's; even such recordings
digitally re-mastered leave a lot to be desired.
However, there
are some very good alternatives for those wanting high quality Big Band music.
Some labels have released some very good digital re-mastered versions of 1930's
and 40's big band music. With the advent of stereophonic Hi-Fi technology
in the 1950's and 60's, many Big Bands re-recorded some of their standard numbers,
primarily with Capital Records.
Although some "jazz purists" may object to these recordings as not
being true to the originals, these recordings provide some great music for
dancing and listening! In addition, there are some modern recordings of
the Big Band sound that are very good.
The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra was
one of the top bands of the Big Band era. Lunceford's Orchestra
was very popular and entertaining, but in many
respects,
it is vastly under appreciated today. Lunceford had a formal background in music and was also a fine
athlete and
coach early in his career. His combined musical talents, discipline and
drive led to the creation of a band that contemporary observers rated near the top
with Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Although Lunceford's band could not
boast of a top soloist, the individual band members and ensembles were top notch
and always well rehearsed. In addition, Lunceford used great musical
arrangements, particularly those written by the famous Sy Oliver (who was
eventually hired away by Tommy Dorsey) and Eddie Durham (who went on to arrange
for the Count Basie Orchestra).
Lunceford's orchestra was a "show" band and they unabashedly played music that was
designed to please swing dancers (as well as listeners). The band used the visual as
well as the music to entertain, playing while the
saxophones swayed from side to
side, the trombones sliding in an opposite direction and the trumpets tossed in
the air, caught just in time to start a riff.
Lunceford's band was widely known during the swing era and it's showmanship and
appearance was often imitated. A good example of this imitation is Glenn
Miller Orchestra's performance in the movie "Orchestra Wives" (see photo below
right).
Lunceford died
unexpectedly in 1947 while the band was touring in the northwest United States and
the orchestra broke up
permanently in 1949. Lunceford's early death,
and because the band's superb showmanship is lost on record,
has meant that a lot of people don't realize that the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra belongs in the pantheon of
swing with Basie and Ellington.
An interesting side note. Some jazz music critics of the day lambasted Lunceford's orchestra as too "entertaining", foreshadowing the day when many
jazz musicians looked at "entertaining" the audience or playing for dancers as
unworthy of their profession (i.e. "if you're dancing, your not paying attention
to me and my music"). Perhaps this is part of the reason why jazz music
went from over 90% of music sales in the 1940's to about 3% today and why modern
jazz is sometimes viewed as a music form enjoyed only by elitists and academic
types.
There are lots of CDs on the market with Lunceford's music. Selected digitally re-mastered CD's
are the best source for Lunceford's music. A couple of suggestions.
Lunceford Special: 1939-1940, Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra.
A great CD, with overall good sound quality considering the technology of
the time. "Lunceford Special" is just one of many great songs from
this CD.
There are a few excellent re-creations
of Lunceford's recordings in the
Time-Life "Swing Era" collection (noted below), most of them recorded with past
members of Lunceford's band. The Time-Life "Swing Era"
collection is worth acquiring for those recordings alone! In addition, Oscillatin' Rhythm: Great Swing Hits in
Hi-Fi, highlights a couple of Lunceford's greatest tunes, "For
Dancers Only" and "'T'aint What You Cha Do, It's the Way That Cha Do
It".
Chick Webb. Chick Webb was one of the greatest
and most influential jazz drummers of all time. He led the Chick
Webb Orchestra from 1926 to 1939 during the height of the swing era and his
mighty "Battle of the Bands" at the Savoy Ballroom in the Harlem district of New
York City were famous, epic encounters.
Chick Webb was born in 1909 in Baltimore,
Maryland. At a young age he contracted spinal tuberculosis, leaving him with a
hunchback and limited use of his legs. At the age of three, doctors prescribed
drumming as a remedy for Chick’s stiff joints. Webb readily obliged, banging on
pots, pans, and oil drums around the house. By selling newspapers,
Webb was able to save enough money to buy his own drum set. He quickly
landed jobs with local bands and eventually found work in New York City in 1924. Once in
New York, Chick played with Johnny Hodges, Tony Hardwick, Benny Carter and Duke
Ellington. Still only 17, Ellington got Webb several gigs at the Black Bottom
Club and the Paddock Club in New York.
In 1927, Webb took his band to the Savoy Ballroom and they quickly won over crowds with their flashy,
flamboyant, and energetic style.
Although he could not read sheet music,
Webb memorized every piece and led the band from a raised platform in the center
of the stage, cueing sections with his drumming. By 1931, Webb's
Orchestra was the Savoy Ballroom "house band". During his time at the Savoy
Ballroom, the Chick Webb Orchestra challenged and defeated bands led by the
likes of Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington
during the famous "Battle of the Bands".
In
1935 Savoy Ballroom manager Charlie Buchanan asked Webb to find a younger,
hipper vocalist. Bardu Ali, a
member of Webb’s band, had noticed a young singer named Ella Fitzgerald at the Apollo Theater and snuck her
into Webb’s dressing room for an audition. Ella appeared with the band
that night and was an instant success; she
and the band formed a powerful partnership that would go on to record 60 songs
featuring Fitzgerald over the next three years.
By 1938, Webb’s health began to fail him. Despite his health problems,
Webb continued to book the band and travel extensively, saying "I’ve gotta keep
my boys working." Early in 1939, Webb was admitted into Johns Hopkins
Hospital. In June of 1939, Chick
Webb became extremely frail and died with his mother and wife at his bedside on the
16th. His funeral in Baltimore contained 80 cars in the procession and more
mourners than could fit into the church.
After
Webb's death, Fitzgerald fronted the the band until it finally broke up in 1942.
Much like the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra, the Chick Webb Orchestra is vastly
underappreciated today. There are several good CD's on the
market
for Chick Webb recordings (although the
relative
primitive recording techniques of the time could not adequately capture Webb's
spectacular technique and wide dynamic range on the drums).
A good CD for Webb's music is Chick Webb, Stompin' at the Savoy (distributed by ASV/Living
Era).
Erskine Hawkins.
Erskine Hawkins was a very talented trumpeter and bandleader, nicknamed
the "the 20th Century Gabriel". He was born in Birmingham, Alabama
in 1914, the son of a U.S. solider who lost his life in action in World
War I. He began playing drums at the age of 7, tried the trombone
for a while, them decided at the age of 13 to concentrate on the
trumpet. While attending Alabama State Teachers College, he became
the leader of the 'Bama Sate Collegians. The band gained regional
prominence during the depression, often using monies earned to assist
Alabama State College during the hard times. The band went to New York
in 1934, became the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra and by 1938, had developed
a strong following, especially in the Savoy Ballroom. He
was able to keep the big band together until 1953, although some of his
later music was more R&B-oriented. Hawkins led a smaller unit
during his last few decades and the trumpeter kept on working into the
1980s.
Hawkins' biggest hits were "Tuxedo Junction" and
"Tippin In"; other songs such as "Swingin' in Harlem" and "Riff Time"
also really swing.
Fletcher
Henderson. Fletcher Henderson is acknowledged as the leader of the first
Big Band Orchestra. He was born in 1897 in Cuthbert, Georgia. His
father was a principal and his mother taught piano. He graduated from
college in 1920 and moved to New York to attend Columbia University for graduate
work in chemistry. Unable to find a job in the chemistry field (due
primarily to racism), he found ample work in music. His first band, formed
in 1922, quickly became known as the best African-American band in New York.
Throughout the 1920's and early 1930's, Henderson's bands featured some of the
best talent of the swing era, to include Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Coleman
Hawkins and Benny Carter. Although very popular, Henderson's indifference
to the business aspects of managing a band contributed to it's lack of financial
and recording success and eventual breakup.
In 1934, Benny Goodman's Orchestra was selected as a house band for the
"Let's Dance" radio program. Goodman needed new charts every week for the
show and purchased several arrangements from Henderson. Henderson
eventually joined Goodman's band as a pianist and arranger. Ironically, as
Goodman's band achieved national prominence at the height of the swing era using
many of Henderson's arrangements, Fletcher Henderson's name and band was not
known to the general public.
Henderson reformed bands of his own several times in the
1940's but these bands were never able to experience any great success. He
suffered a stroke in 1950 and died in 1952 in New York City.
There are numerous Fletcher Henderson CD's on the market. A good source
for Henderson's music is the 3 CD box set "The Fletcher Henderson Story",
which also has very informative liner notes.
Count
Basie. William "Count" Basie was born in 1904 in Red Bank, New
Jersey. He learned piano at an early age from his mother. He toured the
vaudeville circuit starting in
1924 and in 1928 joined Walter Page's Blue Devils; he then became
the pianist with the Benie Moten band based in
Kansas City. After Moten died in 1935, Basie became leader and started referring to
himself as "Count Basie". At the end of
1936, he moved his band to
New York City where it remained
until 1950. With the exception of a brief period in
the early '50s, he led a big band until his death in 1984. Basie's orchestra was characterized
by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively
ensemble work, and generous soloing. His band also showcased some of the best singers of the era:
Billie Holliday, Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams.Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an accomplished
soloist like Benny Goodman. His instrument
was his band, which was considered one of the best in the business and became
broadly influential on jazz.
Jumpin' at the Woodside, Swingin' the Blues and One O'Clock
Jump and some of Basie's classic songs. There are lots of CD's on the market for Basie's music.
Duke Ellington. Edward
Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D.C. He
began piano lessons at age 7 and developed a passion for music in his
early teens. He dropped out of high school to begin a career in
music. In 1917 he formed his first band and in 1923 moved to New
York. His band played a number of Club's in New York, to include
the Cotton Club. At the Cotton Club, the band was broadcast live
across the nation and their popularity began to spread.
Ellington and his band went on to play everywhere from New York to New
Delhi, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London, and entertained
everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to President Nixon. Before
passing away in 1974, Duke Ellington wrote and recorded hundreds of
musical compositions. Ellington used his band as a musical
laboratory for his new compositions and shaped his writing specifically
to showcase the talents of his band members, many of whom remained with
him for long periods.
Some of Ellington’s works include "Rockin’ in Rhythm," "Satin Doll,"
"Take the 'A' Train," "Ring Dem Bells", "Drop Me Off in Harlem", to
mention just a few. Of course, there are countless CD's of Ellington's music on the market
for you to enjoy.
Benny
Goodman. Benny Goodman was a very celebrated and popular bandleader
during the swing era. He was an accomplished clarinetist whose
distinctive playing gave an identity both to his big band and to the smaller
units he led. Goodman was born in 1909, the son of Russian immigrants and
began taking clarinet lessons at age 10 at a local synagogue. He quickly
developed his musical skills and dropped out of school at age 14 to become a
professional musician. In 1929, he moved to New York, working as a free
lance musician, made several recordings under his own name and with pickup
bands, and organized his first professional orchestra in 1934. He was
signed for the Saturday night Let's Dance program on NBC radio, playing
the last hour of the three-hour show. The program's budget included funds
for new arrangements, which were provided by Fletcher Henderson.
Henderson's arrangements of traditional jazz instrumental numbers, for example,
Jelly Roll Morton's King Porter Stomp and such popular songs as
Sometimes I'm Happy, established the band's musical character. Under
Goodman's exacting direction, the members' playing was a model of ensemble
discipline. With his own impeccable musicianship, he set a high standard for his
sidemen, from whom he demanded accurate intonation, matched vibrato, phrasing,
and a careful balancing of parts, performance standards rare in the bands of
that time. It was during these broadcasts that Gene Krupa joined Goodman.
After the conclusion of the Let's Dance series in May 1935,
Goodman's band embarked on a national tour. It was not
particularly successful until the
band
reached the West Coast, where his
segment of Let's Dance had
been heard three hours earlier than on the East Coast. The band's
performance at the Palomar Ballroom near Los Angeles on August 21, 1935, was a
spectacular success, broadcast nationwide to great critical and popular acclaim,
and is often noted as the date on which the Swing Era began. On January
16, 1938, Goodman brought a new level of recognition to Big Band swing with a
concert in Carnegie Hall, presenting Harry James, Ziggy Elman, Jess Stacy,
Hampton, Krupa, and Teddy Wilson from his own entourage, as well as guest
soloists from the bands of Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
Goodman enjoyed a productive career until his death in 1986 and
their are hundreds of CD's of his music.
A good start for Goodman's music is
B.G. in Hi-Fi, Benny Goodman Orchestra. This 1954 recording is
considered to be the best of Goodman's post World War II Hi-Fi recordings.
The album contains 12 selections of his classic big band numbers and
another 8 with smaller combos.
Note: according to the liner notes of this CD, Benny Goodman was a
dancer himself, loved to play for dancers and considered his Big Band music as
primarily for that purpose.
Edgar Hayes.
Edgar Hayes is worth mentioning for at least two reasons. First, he was born in
Lexington, KY in 1904! And secondly, he recorded the original version of "In the Mood"
in February 1938, eighteen months before Glenn Miller's cover version was
released (c. August 1939). Hayes' version of "In the Mood"
swings a lot harder than Glenn Miller's more commercially oriented version.
It is a shame that Hayes' version of "In the Mood" is seldom
ever heard at swing dances (except at Hepcats events!).
For a CD of Hayes' music, check out the Edgar Hayes Classics Chronological
Series CD.
Lucky Millinder.
Lucius "Lucky" Millinder was born in 1900 in Alabama but was raised in Chicago.
He got his start in music as an emcee (he didn't play an instrument and
supposedly
couldn't even read music) and was essentially a frontman and an occasional
singer as he conducted several impressive big bands throughout his career. In 1934 Millinder took
over the directorship of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, one of the early black
swing bands in the 1930's. Millinder worked with Bill Doggett's band in
1938 after the Blue Rhythm Band dissolved, and then formed the Lucky Millinder
Orchestra in 1940. The Orchestra became one of the most rhythmically exciting
bands on the Big band touring circuit. The Millinder band was especially
popular in Harlem as it gradually shifted away from swing and more toward early
rhythm & blues. Among the orchestra's many noted members were Dissy Gillespie,
Sister Rosetta Sharpe, Benjamin "Bullmoose" Jackson and Wynonie Harris. Millinder's
orchestra recorded with Decca from 1942 to 1945 and landed four records at the
top of the charts. Millinder fronted bands until 1955. The later
recordings tended to be more rhythm & blues oriented as Millinder's Orchestra
provided a vital link between big band swing and R&B. Lucky Millinder
spent his later years as a liquor salesman and a disc jockey.
The 2 CD Set "Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra: Apollo Jump"
contains most of Millinder's hits, to include "Clap Your Hands";
"Little John Special"; "Mason Flyer"; and "Apollo Jump".
Mills Blue Rhythm Band.
Another example of a great big band almost forgotten today. The
Mills Blue Rhythm Band was originally formed by drummer Willie Lynch as
the Blue Rhythm Band in 1930. In 1931, Irving Mills became their
manager and the group was renamed the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. In
1934 Lucky Millinder took over the duties of fronting the band and the
band reached it's prime. Although the band was never commercially
successful, it recorded frequently during 1931-1937 and could hold it's
own with the top big bands of the swing era, as evidenced by their many
fine recordings. When the group broke up in 1938, Millinder formed
his own big band.
Among the many recordings of the band: "There's Rhythm in Harlem"
(which has elements of the then-unwritten "In the Mood"; arranged by Joe
Garland, originally recorded by Edgar Hayes; see the entry on Hayes
above); "Ride Red Ride"; "Back Beats"; "Harlem Heat";and "Yes! Yes!".
Harlem Heat, from the ASV Living Era CD series, contains most of the
band's best recording.
Cab Calloway.
Cab Calloway
was a master showman and a great singer. Born in 1907 in
Rochester, NY, he grew up in Baltimore, attended law school but dropped
out to give singing and dancing a try. He quickly hit the big time
as a big band leader personality and film star. He appeared in the
early 1980's movie "The Blues Brothers". Many of the words and
phrases from the lyrics of his songs worked their way not only into
musical language but into everyday usage. It's often overlooked
that the bands he assembled were first-rate. He died in 1994.
Are You Hep To The Jive?
This classic album, with 22 tracks of
great lyrics and music, covers Calloway's hits from the 1940's for the Okeh, Columbia, and Vocalion
recording labels. It contains most of Calloway's famous songs, to include "Everybody
Eats When They Come to My House", "Are You Alreet?" and "Are You
Hep to the Jive?".
Click
here
for a video (from YouTube) of Cab Calloway & His Orchestra performing
Hep! Hep! The Jumpin' Jive, with the famous Nicholas Brothers.
For another clip of the fabulous Nicholas Brothers, check out this
clip (what great slides!).
Artie
Shaw. Artie Shaw
was one of jazz's finest clarinetists and led several successful bands
throughout his career. Born in May 1910 in New York, NY, he grew up
in New Haven, CT. By his early twenties, he was playing in bands,
jam sessions as a studio musician in New York City. He put together
a big band orchestra in 1937 and the surprise
success
of his 1938 recording of "Begin the Beguine made him a superstar and the
band one of the most popular of the swing era. Shaw found the
business and fan pressure of leading a big band difficult
and disbanded in 1939. He continue to form other bands, most often
with success. After Pearl Harbor, Shaw enlisted and led a Navy
band until 1944. He left the music business in 1955. He was
also well known for his eight marriages, including to actresses Lana
Turner and Ava Gardner. He remained outspoken until his death in
December 2005 in Thousand Oaks, CA.
There are lots of CD's available with Shaw's music. Some of his
classic tunes (besides Begin the Beguine) include Traffic Jam,
Non Stop Flight, Man From Mars, The Yam, and Carioca.
Willie
Bryant. With the success of Cab Calloway, other singers and
dancers tried the same formula of leading a big band. The band led
by William Steven "Willie" Bryant was one of the few that was
successful, albeit for a short period of time.
Born in New Orleans in 1908, Bryant grew up in Chicago
and began his show business career in vaudeville as a dancer. He
organized his big band in late 1934 and was often featured at the Savoy
Ballroom in New York City and other Harlem venues. His bands' best
recordings are from this time period. He later became well known as
the regular emcee at the Apollo Theatre in the 1950's. He also
worked as a disc jockey in Los Angeles where in died in 1964.
Willie Bryant and His Orchestra, 1935-1936 (Classics
Chronological Series) has several great songs from Bryant's big band
orchestra, to include "Viper's Moan","Rigamarole", and
"Long Gone From Bowling Green".
Buddy
Johnson. Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra was very popular in the
1940's and often appeared at the famous Savoy Ballroom in New York City.
Johnson developed a style and tempo in his music for those that weren't
"expert dancers" and could not always handle dancing to the faster
tempos. A lot of his songs on the two CDs noted below have a blues
kind of feeling, but most of the songs really swing and are great for
dancing.
A couple of CDs for Johnson: Walk 'Em, and Rockin' and Rollin'.
The Territory Bands 1935-1937, various artists.
As
previously mentioned, it's been estimated that there were over 400 bands
in the early 1940's criss-crossing
the country, playing night after night of one night stands, looking for that
elusive "break". Some of these bands were known as "territory"
bands (note that the term "territory" is loosely defined). These
bands were often based in the mid-west, including Nebraska, Kansas,
Oklahoma and Texas (although every region of the country had their share
of "regional" bands). They regularly played in cities such as
Memphis, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Oklahoma City, and
some cities as far west as California. Many of the sidemen that
went on to play with the more famous nationally famous big band
orchestras got their start in these territory bands. The vast
majority of these bands were never recorded and little is documented
about them. The Territory Bands 1935-1937 CD has some
really swinging songs (especially for Balboa dancers!) and helps
illustrates just how many great bands were in existence during the swing
era.
Spurred on by the 1919 visit of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band to the
London Hippodrome, American style music had become firmly established in
Europe by the mid-1920's. American jazz music was the stronghold
of this new music, and had a strong influence on Britain. A couple
of examples.
Ken
Johnson and The West Indian Band. Kenrick Reginald Huymans
Johnson was born in British Guiana in 1914. The Johnson family was part
of the upper class of the British colony, and his father was a prominent
doctor in the community. He attended Queens College in Guiana, and at
the age of 15 attended college in England. His parents favored a
medical career for their son, but Johnson, exposed to the music and dance of the West
Indies, showed a definite talent in those areas. In England,
Johnson became a proficient dancer, and earned the nickname "Snakehips"
due to his fluid and flexible style.
In 1934 Johnson visited New York. While he in New York, he got
some film work and starred in cabaret in Hollywood. During a trip to Harlem, he
heard the Cab Calloway and Fletcher Henderson Orchestras and become
inspired to start his own big band orchestra in England.
In 1936, Johnson formed his band, called Ken Johnson and His Rhythm Swingers.
Many of the sidemen were from the West Indies. By 1940 they were regarded as one of the top
Big Bands in Great Britain. A year later, Ken Johnson and The West Indian Orchestra became the resident
band at The Cafe de Paris in London's West End.
On Saturday March 8th, 1941, Ken Johnson and The West Indian Orchestra
were entertaining London’s swing set at the Cafe De Paris as usual. That
night, the area between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square was being
strafed with bombs. One of them found its way down an airshaft into the
club where it exploded. Over 30 people died and a further 60 or more
were injured by the blast. Tragically, Ken Johnson was not one of
the survivors. An eyewitness recalls how he was found lying dead, but
unmarked by any outward signs of injury, a flower still in his lapel. He
was 26 years old.
For Johnson's music, the CD Black British Swing
is a good start. A couple of good songs on that CD are a more
uptempo version of "Tuxedo Junction" and "Snakehips Swing".
Jack Hylton.
Born in 1892, Hylton was one of Great Britan's greatest big band
leaders. He took piano lessons at a young age and often performed
in his father's pub. He achieved early success in the theater
business, but joined the British Army at the outbreak of WW I.
After the war, he organized a highly successful dance band. He
enjoyed great success, booking different versions of his band at
competitive venues. He often acted as an booking agent and set up
tours for other bands, to include setting up a tour of Britain and
Europe for Duke Ellington's Big Band in the 1930's. His big band
career ended in the early 1940's as more and more of his musicians were
drafted into the British military for WW II. He stayed active and
highly productive in the music, theater and television industry until
his death in 1965.
Hot Hylton, 1926-1930, provides a good example of Hylton big band
recordings.
Nat Gonella and His Georgians.
Born in 1908, Gonella was inspired by Louis Armstrong, yet developed his own
unique trumpet style and led the Nat Gonella and His Georgians orchestra from
1932-1942. He was active in music in Great Britain until his death in
1998.
Georgia on My Mind is a nice CD of Gonella's Big Band music.
Glenn
Miller. Alton Glenn Miller was born in Clarinda, Iowa in 1904.
He lived in various locations in the Midwest while growing up. He
attended the University of Colorado in 1923, but left college after a
year to start his career in music. He worked as a session musician
and arranger for several bands and organized his first touring band in
1937. This band got it's big break in the summer of 1939 with an
engagement at Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, NY, a popular venue with regular radio broadcasts, giving the band
extensive exposure. Miller's band quickly became a recording and
financial success. From the spring of 1939 to the fall of 1942,
the band was the most commercially successful of all the big bands,
experiencing enormous record sales, radio exposure and even appearing in
movies. In 1942, after months of negotiation, Miller received a
commission in the army air force and organized a service band,
performing at military camps, war-bond rallies and hosting a weekly
radio series. He took the band to Great Britain
in June 1944 to perform for the troops and do radio
broadcasts. In December 1944, the plane on which he was traveling
to Paris disappeared over the English Channel and he was presumed dead at age 40.
For serious Lindy Hop and Balboa swing dancers, most of Miller's music is
seriously lacking. Very little of his music is played at swing
dances for the simple reason that there is much better music available
that swings a lot harder, and by big bands that were considered much
better in the big band era. While Miller's music may be
distinctive to some, his approach was highly disciplined and rigorously
rehearsed to the point of being rigid and uptight; his music often lacks
any real improvisation.
It is also unfortunate that so many people today associate the big band
sound of the 1930's and 40's exclusively with Glenn Miller. Miller
made no secret of his admiration for the African-American bands of the
swing era, and he actively encouraged his own musicians to catch the
likes of Jimmie Lunceford, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Count Basie
whenever possible.
String of Pearls is probably Miller's best song for swing
dancing. Conversely, Miller's version of In the Mood (released
in Aug. 1939) is relatively bland when compared with the original
version of the song released (in Feb. 1938) by the Edgar Hayes
Orchestra.
Oscillatin' Rhythm: Great Swing Hits in Hi-Fi, various artists. This CD contains 19 classic tunes,
excellent for dancing
(and listening) from the vaults of Capital Records' 1950's Hi-Fi Big Bands
re-recordings. This is a very good CD!
Big Bands in Hi-Fi, Volume 1: Let's Dance, various artists; Volume 2:
In
the Mood, various artists. Capital Records signed a number of Big
Bands in the late 1940's and 1950's to re-record their original numbers in Hi-Fi,
to include Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Woody Herman, to mention
a few. These two volume releases (each volume with two CDs) include a lot
of the standard big band numbers. A good collection of music, both for dancing and listening,
although the collection emphasizes songs that were commercially
successful during the big band era.
In many ways, this collection of music was a missed
opportunity. Absent in this collection are lots of songs by some great big bands,
mostly African-African bands, that were not
necessarily commercially successful. Most notably absent are
songs by Jimmie Lunceford (i.e. Lunceford Special), Chick Webb (i.e.
Lindyhoppers Delight), Erskine Hawkins (i.e. Swingin' in Harlem),
Willie Bryant (i.e. Rigamarole); and lots of other "hot", hard swinging bands of the era.
Note that in these releases Glen Gray provides authentic re-recordings of many
Glenn Miller (Miller was killed in December 1944 during WWII) and Tommy Dorsey
(Dorsey was under contract with another company during this period) songs.
Anthology of Big Band Swing, 1930-1955, various artists. This
is an excellent sampler CD that features both well known and lesser known big
bands. This CD collection once again illustrates how many high
quality bands were in existence during the big band swing era.
Time-Life's "The Swing Era Collection", 14 Volumes, 2 CDs each
volume. This is a nice collection of Big Band
music, very true to the original versions and containing some Big Band numbers only previously available in poor
quality mono recordings. In the late 1960's Capital Records and Time Life
put together an all-star band of swing veterans to re-record the big band
classics in stereo Hi-Fi. Billy May, former trumpeter and arranger with the
Charlie Barnet, Glenn Miller and Les Brown Orchestras, as well as a conductor
and arranger for many of Frank Sinatra's songs, spent months researching and transcribing the music note for note from old Big Band records and
tapes. Most of the re-recordings in this series were conducted by Billy May.
A few of the songs in this collections are Glen Gray's version, using his Hi-Fi
re-recordings from his 1950's work with Capital Records. This CD series may be purchased at the Time-Life
web site.
There are some good stereo Hi-Fi versions of some classic Big Band numbers in
this series, including Christopher Columbus (Fletcher Henderson version), Swingtime in the
Rockies (Benny Goodman version), Well Git It! (Tommy Dorsey version), String of
Pearls (Glenn Miller version), Rhythm Is Our Business, Four or Five
Times and Ain't She Sweet, For Dancers Only (Jimmie Lunceford versions);
to name just a few.
Much like the Big Band in Hi-Fi series noted above, this
collection is notable for missed opportunities. Also absent in this collection are
lots of songs by some great big bands, mostly African-African bands,
that were not
necessarily commercially successful during the big band era.
Note: this series was first issued in the
early 1970's as a 15 set "Time-Life Swing Era Collection" on stereo LPs
(each set contained three LP albums) and
was a huge hit. Each of the 15 sets also contains an accompanying book with
good pictures and write ups about the swing era and various Big Band personalities.
Swingin' at Capital, various artists. This is another CD in the Capital Records 1950's Hi-Fi Big Band re-recording series. It contains
13 tracks.
Great Swing Classics in Hi-Fi, various artists. This is another
fine CD from Capital Records' 1950's Big Band Hi-Fi recording series (similar to Oscillatin'
Rhythm). It contains 14 tracks.
Trumpet Blues: The Best of Harry James.
A nice collection of 16 Harry
James Hi-Fi recordings at Capital Records between 1955 and 1958.
Swinging Sounds of the Great Bands, Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra. Glen Gray was signed by Capital Records in 1955 to record authentic
re-creations in stereo Hi-Fi of the Big Band classics. This CD contains
20 outstanding tracks.
Note: the
Casa Loma Orchestra was formed by Glen Gray in 1929 and was hugely popular from
1931-1935, playing a swing-oriented "drill" type of jazz music (before the term "swing"
really came into general usage). With the success of Benny Goodman
starting in the mid 1930's (and the numerous other swing bands and orchestras
that were performing), the Casa Loma Orchestra was surpassed in popularity but
remained a a solid contributor to the Big Band swing era.
Gray retired from touring with the Casa Loma Orchestra in 1950. He was at
the forefront in the 1950's of the effort to re-record the Big Band classics at
Capital Records in immensely improved hi-fi stereo recording
methods.
More Sounds of the Great Swing Bands, Glen Gray and the Casa Loma
Orchestra. This CD contains an additional 22 very accurate, stereo hi-fi
re-creations of some big band classics.
Jumpin' with the Big Swing Bands, various artists. This is a nice
sampler CD
that features some very good, but lesser known songs. The restoration and
digital mastering is pretty good for most of the songs on the
CD.
Ellington Celebration,
Kentucky Jazz Repertory
Orchestra (KJRO). KJRO
consist of the finest and most
talented faculty, alumni and
musicans from Kentucky area
colleges and universities.
KJRO is certainly one of the
finest Big Band Orchestras in
the United States. If you
want to hear what it was like to
dance and listen to great big
band music of the 1930's, KJRO
is the band! You can get
Ellington Celebration
at CD Universe at this
link.
According to the band, they intend to
record and release another CD
for swing dancers (late
2008/early 2009 release date). Be on the lookout
for that!
Swingin' the Century, The Bill Elliott Swing
Orchestra.
Bill Elliott is a talented bandleader and also writes and arranges much of the
band's music. The Orchestra has that authentic, big band sound. This
is the third CD released by the Orchestra and it's their best, especially for
swing dancers. All their CD's are worth checking out.
Mr. Rhythmist Goes to Town; The Call of the
Freaks;Globin Market,Mora's Modern Rhythmists.
These three CDs are from a great modern swing band that features music from the
early Swing
era, i.e. music from about 1927-1937. The music really swings.
Some of the songs have a Dixieland, staccato kind of sound. Lots of the songs on
these CDs are good for Balboa.
Big Band Music Recommendations:
Specific Songs
*BPM
TITLE
GROUP/ARTIST
REMARKS
240
Lunceford Special
Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
From Lunceford Special, 1930-40 CD. A great
song!
150
Everybody Eats When They Come to
My House
Cab Calloway
A great song!
165
Opus One
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
A classic! From Oscillatin' Rhythm.
(Conducted by Glenn Gray.)
236
Clap Your Hands
Lucky Millinder Orch.
This song really swings hard!
196
Tuxedo Junction
Ken Johnson
A faster, swingin' version of the Erskine Hawkins original.
154
String of Pearls
Glenn Miller Orchestra
From Swinging Sounds of the Great Bands, probably
Miller's best song.
139
Begin the Beguine
Artie Shaw Orch.
From Big Bands in Hi-Fi.
196
In the Mood
Edgar Hayes
This original version swings a
lot better than Glen Miller's version.
152
For Dancers Only
Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
From Oscillatin' Rhythm. A classic! (Conducted
by Billy May, with members of the Jimmie Lunceford Orch.)
191
Christopher Columbus
Fletcher Henderson
From the Swing Era Collection.
A classic!
230
Sing, Sing, Sing
Benny Goodman Orchestra
Lots of versions of this song are
out there.
198
Lindyhopper's Delight
Chick Webb Orch.
A great song.
200
Shorty George
Count Basie Orchestra
From Oscillatin' Rhythm.
183
Two O' Clock Jump
Harry James Orchestra
From the Swing Era Collection.
166
Take the "A" Train
Duke Ellington
A classic! From Big Bands in
Hi-Fi.
223
Rhythm Is Our Business
Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
From the Swing Era Collection.
A classic! (Conducted
by Billy May, with members of the Jimmie Lunceford Orch.)
188
One O' Clock Jump
Count Basie/Benny Goodman Orchs.
Both the Count Basie and Benny
Goodman versions are great.
224
Swingtime in the Rockies
Benny Goodman Orch.
From the Swing Era collection (conducted by Billy
May).
223
Swingin' the Blues
Count Basie Orchestra
From Oscillatin' Rhythm.
143
Four or Five Times
Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
From the Swing Era Collection. A classic! (Conducted
by Billy May, with members of the Jimmie Lunceford Orch.)
217
Big John's Special
Horace Henderson Orch.
Mora's Modern Rhythmist version.
190
Mildred, Won't You Behave?
Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra
137
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Les Brown Orchestra
From Great Swing Classics in
Hi-Fi.
168
Mr. Ghost to Town
Mitchell Parish
Mora's Modern Rhythmist version.
167
'Tain't What you Do
Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
From Oscillatin' Rhythm.
(Conducted by Billy May, with members of the Jimmie Lunceford Orch.)
Lunceford's Orchestra
was very popular and entertaining, but in many
respects,
it is vastly under appreciated today. Lunceford had a formal background in music and was also a fine
athlete and
coach early in his career. His combined musical talents, discipline and
drive led to the creation of a band that contemporary observers rated near the top
with Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Although Lunceford's band could not
boast of a top soloist, the individual band members and ensembles were top notch
and always well rehearsed. In addition, Lunceford used great musical
arrangements, particularly those written by the famous Sy Oliver (who was
eventually hired away by Tommy Dorsey) and Eddie Durham (who went on to arrange
for the Count Basie Orchestra).
nceford's orchestra was a "show" band and they unabashedly played music that was
designed to please swing dancers (as well as listeners). The band used the visual as
well as the music to entertain, playing while the
saxophones swayed from side to
side, the trombones sliding in an opposite direction and the trumpets tossed in
the air, caught just in time to start a riff.
permanently in 1949. Lunceford's early death,
and because the band's superb showmanship is lost on record,
has meant that a lot of people don't realize that the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra belongs in the pantheon of
swing with Basie and Ellington.
Chick Webb. Chick Webb was one of the greatest
and most influential jazz drummers of all time. He led the Chick
Webb Orchestra from 1926 to 1939 during the height of the swing era and his
mighty "Battle of the Bands" at the Savoy Ballroom in the Harlem district of New
York City were famous, epic encounters.
Although he could not read sheet music,
Webb memorized every piece and led the band from a raised platform in the center
of the stage, cueing sections with his drumming. By 1931, Webb's
Orchestra was the Savoy Ballroom "house band". During his time at the Savoy
Ballroom, the Chick Webb Orchestra challenged and defeated bands led by the
likes of Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington
during the famous "Battle of the Bands". 
Fletcher
Henderson. Fletcher Henderson is acknowledged as the leader of the first
Big Band Orchestra. He was born in 1897 in Cuthbert, Georgia. His
father was a principal and his mother taught piano. He graduated from
college in 1920 and moved to New York to attend Columbia University for graduate
work in chemistry. Unable to find a job in the chemistry field (due
primarily to racism), he found ample work in music. His first band, formed
in 1922, quickly became known as the best African-American band in New York.
Throughout the 1920's and early 1930's, Henderson's bands featured some of the
best talent of the swing era, to include Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Coleman
Hawkins and Benny Carter. Although very popular, Henderson's indifference
to the business aspects of managing a band contributed to it's lack of financial
and recording success and eventual breakup. 
Count
Basie. William "Count" Basie was born in 1904 in Red Bank, New
Jersey. He learned piano at an early age from his mother. He toured the
vaudeville circuit starting in
1924 and in 1928 joined Walter Page's Blue Devils; he then became
the pianist with the Benie Moten band based in
Kansas City. After Moten died in 1935, Basie became leader and started referring to
himself as "Count Basie". At the end of
1936
Benny
Goodman. Benny Goodman was a very celebrated and popular bandleader
during the swing era. He was an accomplished clarinetist whose
distinctive playing gave an identity both to his big band and to the smaller
units he led. Goodman was born in 1909, the son of Russian immigrants and
began taking clarinet lessons at age 10 at a local synagogue. He quickly
developed his musical skills and dropped out of school at age 14 to become a
professional musician. In 1929, he moved to New York, working as a free
lance musician, made several recordings under his own name and with pickup
bands, and organized his first professional orchestra in 1934. He was
signed for the Saturday night Let's Dance program on NBC radio, playing
the last hour of the three-hour show. The program's budget included funds
for new arrangements, which were provided by Fletcher Henderson.
Henderson's arrangements of traditional jazz instrumental numbers, for example,
Jelly Roll Morton's King Porter Stomp and such popular songs as
Sometimes I'm Happy, established the band's musical character. Under
Goodman's exacting direction, the members' playing was a model of ensemble
discipline. With his own impeccable musicianship, he set a high standard for his
sidemen, from whom he demanded accurate intonation, matched vibrato, phrasing,
and a careful balancing of parts, performance standards rare in the bands of
that time. It was during these broadcasts that Gene Krupa joined Goodman.
Edgar Hayes.
Edgar Hayes is worth mentioning for at least two reasons. First, he was born in
Lexington, KY in 1904! And secondly, he recorded the original version of "In the Mood"
in February 1938, eighteen months before Glenn Miller's cover version was
released (c. August 1939). Hayes' version of "In the Mood"
swings a lot harder than Glenn Miller's more commercially oriented version.
It is a shame that Hayes' version of "In the Mood" is seldom
ever heard at swing dances (except at Hepcats events!). 
Mills Blue Rhythm Band.
Another example of a great big band almost forgotten today. The
Mills Blue Rhythm Band was originally formed by drummer Willie Lynch as
the Blue Rhythm Band in 1930. In 1931, Irving Mills became their
manager and the group was renamed the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. In
1934 Lucky Millinder took over the duties of fronting the band and the
band reached it's prime. Although the band was never commercially
successful, it recorded frequently during 1931-1937 and could hold it's
own with the top big bands of the swing era, as evidenced by their many
fine recordings. When the group broke up in 1938, Millinder formed
his own big band.
Cab Calloway.
Cab Calloway
was a master showman and a great singer. Born in 1907 in
Rochester, NY, he grew up in Baltimore, attended law school but dropped
out to give singing and dancing a try. He quickly hit the big time
as a big band leader personality and film star. He appeared in the
early 1980's movie "The Blues Brothers". Many of the words and
phrases from the lyrics of his songs worked their way not only into
musical language but into everyday usage. It's often overlooked
that the bands he assembled were first-rate. He died in 1994.
success
of his 1938 recording of "Begin the Beguine made him a superstar and the
band one of the most popular of the swing era. Shaw found the
business and fan pressure of leading a big band difficult
and disbanded in 1939. He continue to form other bands, most often
with success. After Pearl Harbor, Shaw enlisted and led a Navy
band until 1944. He left the music business in 1955. He was
also well known for his eight marriages, including to actresses Lana
Turner and Ava Gardner. He remained outspoken until his death in
December 2005 in Thousand Oaks, CA. 
Willie
Bryant. With the success of Cab Calloway, other singers and
dancers tried the same formula of leading a big band. The band led
by William Steven "Willie" Bryant was one of the few that was
successful, albeit for a short period of time.
Jack Hylton.
Born in 1892, Hylton was one of Great Britan's greatest big band
leaders. He took piano lessons at a young age and often performed
in his father's pub. He achieved early success in the theater
business, but joined the British Army at the outbreak of WW I.
After the war, he organized a highly successful dance band. He
enjoyed great success, booking different versions of his band at
competitive venues. He often acted as an booking agent and set up
tours for other bands, to include setting up a tour of Britain and
Europe for Duke Ellington's Big Band in the 1930's. His big band
career ended in the early 1940's as more and more of his musicians were
drafted into the British military for WW II. He stayed active and
highly productive in the music, theater and television industry until
his death in 1965.
Glenn
Miller. Alton Glenn Miller was born in Clarinda, Iowa in 1904.
He lived in various locations in the Midwest while growing up. He
attended the University of Colorado in 1923, but left college after a
year to start his career in music. He worked as a session musician
and arranger for several bands and organized his first touring band in
1937. This band got it's big break in the summer of 1939 with an
engagement at Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, NY, a popular venue with regular radio broadcasts, giving the band
extensive exposure. Miller's band quickly became a recording and
financial success. From the spring of 1939 to the fall of 1942,
the band was the most commercially successful of all the big bands,
experiencing enormous record sales, radio exposure and even appearing in
movies. In 1942, after months of negotiation, Miller received a
commission in the army air force and organized a service band,
performing at military camps, war-bond rallies and hosting a weekly
radio series. He took the band to Great Britain
in June 1944 to perform for the troops and do radio
broadcasts. In December 1944, the plane on which he was traveling
to Paris disappeared over the English Channel and he was presumed dead at age 40.