THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE
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vou had I0 bc MCrG InIIIfront oÍ New
York's Paramount Theat er on a bitter cold Monday
The Paramount Theater, 1943.
moming in 1937, waiting Íor the doors to open and praying that an inquisitive truant oÍÍicer would not single you out Írom the thousands oÍ hookyplaying high school students shetched out behind you and aroünd the block. You are tenih in line, assured oÍ capturing a coveted seat Íront row center. SaÍely ensconsed, you will crain you neck at the distorted movie screen looming overhead and Íor three consecuüve showings, endure, bleary-eyed, ihe passionate embraces oÍ Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor. For it isn'i the movie you've come to see, it's the Benny Goodman Band, and you've been Íreezing out there since 6:30 am, waiting Íor the doors to open at noon. Finally, a scramble past the ticket-taker, a mad rush down the centeraisle, and that perÍect seat just Íour Írom the geographic center oÍ the first row. In the darkened theater, the newsreel announces troubie in China, unrest in
"t ,1# ta'l uY;
Ethiopia, and the latest siyles in ladies hats ... a Pete Smith Special shows you how to repair a rooÍ ... then 93 minutes oÍ a Íeature Íilm you will have seen nine times beÍore the week is up.
With "The End," the
curtain
closes slowly, the lights go up thendown again and
you squirm in anticipation, nervously devouring the last oÍ Íour Milky Ways. Then you hear it-"Let's Dance," the Goodman theme. That live brass surrounds you even beÍore you see them, and as the curtains slowly part, they rise up into view on ihe stage elevator like gods ascending Írom the
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE BIG BANDS
depths.
Benny Goodman siands in Íront an unimposing man in glasses,looking more likea dentist than a jazz musician. In total command, he tums, places the clarinet to his lips, throws his head back slightly and plays the Íamiliar notes youhave heard thousands oÍ times beÍore Írom the worn 78 at home. But this is real Goodman, live Goodman, and you're hearing it Íor the Íirsi time right now. All the harmonics are there, the subtle nuances oÍ pure sound. You Íeel the music in the back oÍ your neck and the base oÍ your spine as the crowd roars its pleasure.
Goodman beats it oÍÍ-ah-one, ah-two, ah-three-ah ... and Krupa propels ihe band into "King Porter" with Harry James' trumpet wide open in the lead-oÍÍ solo. The notes are clipped and precise, the ione Íull and soul-stirring. The tempo is Íast, the band communicatingdeliqht with itselÍ and iis audience. The kids are dancing in the aisles now, skirts Ílying, heads ihrown back, doing the Shaq and the Lindy and ignoring the users' vain attempts to break it up" The trumpet section, in the Goodman tradition, with its hard-edged lead and perÍect harmony, engages ihe reeds in conversation-questions and answers that you are part oÍ. You are transported right along mellow, convoluted solo and into James again, who spurred on by thousands oÍ cheering voices, blasts the rooÍ oÍÍ as he drives the band into its rousing Íinale!
with the beat, throuqh Vido Musso's
He parks his 1939 Packard, banking ihe wheels against the curb, and you cuddle against him, gazing down at the moonlit bay, the Golden Gate Bridqe a shimmering string ol diamonds in the light mist' He's brouãht you home Írom an evening oÍ dancinq and since this is your Íirst date, you ,r"*o.r.ly anticipate thai one goodnight kiss at your Íront door. But there's no
hurry-the mood in the car is so perÍect' He
out to adjust the radio tone control Íor more bass, the sound Írom TommY's trombone as mellow as the night, and as he
,"u"ir.,
encircles you with ihe same arrn, you
cuddle even closer. You turn yôur Íace up to his as Frankie, blending perÍectly with the sweet tones oÍ ihe Pied Pipers, begins his Íirst chorus. The Íirst kiss is a long one, lasting halÍway into the second chorus' Sinatra's voice is all mixed up with the pounding in your chest, slidinq down the notes, emulating Dorsey's horn. In a year or so, ihat musical device will be sending you and ihousands oÍ other girls inio dead Íaints at ihe Paramount and a Íew dozen other theaters all around the country'
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The Tommy Dorsey OLchestra with Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers. Drummer A"ãai nich and trumpeter Zissv Elman at left.
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,,r vou had t0 hG lhGrcLakeside Ballroom
on a warm summer evening in lg4l,
at
in Denver, Colorado, dancing to Jimmie LunceÍord'
juicy, well-phrased tenor is expounding on the melody oÍ "Cheaün' On Me" as you and your pariner glide across the crowded dance Íloor. As the solo ends, you dip, holdinq her securely. She bends back graceÍully and you break, grinning at each other Írom êrm's lengih. The LunceÍord guartette WillY Smith, TommY Young, Sy Oliver and Eddie Tompkingssings the lyric in spare and rhythmic style, and with the latest musical chord Íading, you dip once more and ioin the others in applauding the band'
Joe Thomas' big,
B
Wiih the Íirst chords oÍ the next number, you and your date cross rapidly to the bandstand. Ifs "Uptown Blues," a LunceÍord standby much too important to dance to! You lean uP against the bandstand, halÍ the paying customers inthe ballroom clustered around and behind you' You're not disappointed. Tonight, "Uptown Blues" is a head arrangement, the band taking it anywhere ihey want' For the most part, it is an extensive series oÍ solos against mournÍul, slow-tempoed blues ensemble playing. You beat the time with your Íoot
l:
»
The Glenn
Miller Orchestra plays Íordancinq.
vou had t0 bg ffiGrG ,,r Cn q gray, spring aÍternoon, somewhere in England,
L944..The atmosphere has the con- oÍ a grounded Fortress. Fliqht crews and sistency..oÍ.a wet sponge, the weather is mechãnics, GI's Írom the A-lrbasssq"àalousy all-the way to the coniinent and ron, nurses Írom a nearby base hospital, beyond. There wiil be no round trip to assorted RAF types and even some brass Germany.today. You tap your íoot to the down Írom London-over 10OO in all-i beat oÍ "Chatanooqa Choochoo" and relax. stand with you as Miller gets the ChooMajor Glenn Miller, hís trom- choo" saÍe[y into the rãundhouse, apbone held casually in his leít hand, frónts his plauding wildly as the band reemerqes, its orchestra on the makeshiÍt bandstand. It's solden ieeds riú"; 'É;;.""d. j;81,r".,, not the same group as Ít was back home, two yo, ,lt dãw., u"J úr. vàurselÍ years ago-Tex and most oí the old guys are in the sound, your heavy ttúúii""f.Li hung gone-but it sounds good, as good as ever. loosely or.r'your shoulàers-to *urJ oÍÍ the How can it miss with musicians hkeSqt. Ray damp, EnqlisL chill. Out on the iinl, a .re* McKinlev on drums and Sqi. Mei Powell chieiruns-uponeoÍtheW.iqÉiúÀúi*inds, playing piano? its muÍÍied roar blendtnq ínevànü with The audience Íills the caver- Johnny Desmond's voice. For the mtment nous maintenance hangar, some standing, you Íiqht back the reality, allowing the some seated on jerry cans, wooden crates, music to seduce you with its bittersweet engine stands, and along the graceíul wing visions oÍ a world that has ceased. to exist. THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG
BANDS
o
THE BIG BAND SCENE
Loma, in üe adrrrit hands oÍ Glen Gray, had captured an audience oÍ college kids, and that Duke was the outstanding genius oÍ the Biq Band Sound ... despite it all, it was BennY Goodman, his clarinet and 13 musicians that kicked it oÍÍ. The year 1935 was one oÍ empty pockets and rising expectations. America was in the midst ol the worst economic depression it had
THE ERÀ OF THE Big Bands lasted Íor about a decade. It can be said to have started on the evening oÍ August 21, 1935, at the Palomar Ballroom in Hollywood, CaliÍornia. That night, Benny Goodman, aÍter a disasterous tour across the
country, Íinally pulled out all the stops and Íor the Íirst üme, tumed a ballroom Íull oÍ dancing couples into a wildly cheering audience. Whv Goodman? Ànd why 1935? There were other big bands that predated his, some that had been around since the twenües*Casa Lomâ, Pollack, Whiteman. And there werê magniÍicent black bands like Ellinqton, Webb, LunceÍond. But despite the Íact that Ben Pollack was playing exciüng head iazz, that Whiteman was using sophisticated arrangements, that LunceÍond's group was one oÍ the most exciting to ever grace a bandstand, that Casa
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ever experienced. Having hit bottom, ihere was nowhere to go but up. And so we craved laughter, optimism, escapeneeds that the arts and the entertainment media were only too happy to satisly. Fred Astaire musicals and Lubitsch comedies ... the books oÍ H. Allen Smith and Dashiell Hammett ... the wit ol KauÍman and Hart, Hecht and McArthur, S.l. Perleman, Robert Benchley and Dorrcthy Parker. Fred Allen, Boiangles Robinson, Amos and Andy,
Eddie Cantor, Jack Benny, Will Rogers and Shirley Temple entertained us ... and we thrilled
to the heroic exploits oÍ Joe Louis, Amelia Earhart, Lou Gehrig, ]essie Owens and Howard Hughes. Popular songs echoed our idealized image oÍ grace-under-pressure: "Who Cares?", "They Can'tTake That Away From Me," "Happy Days Are Here Again," "Making Whoopie," "Things Are Looking Up." Into all oÍ this stepped Benny Goodman and his 13 talented musicians. They were saying things through their music that people wanted to hearjoyÍul, exuberani things that made people happy whether they danced or just }istened. Like a pied piper, BennyGoodman led us intothe swingyears, the Era oÍ the Biq Bands. Within a year, over 100 Biq Bands were crisscrossing the country. Fans bought their
records, lO-inch 78s, Íor
as
little as 35 cents apiece, danced to their Íavorites at hotels, ballrooms, country
clubs, and Ílocked to theaters wherc they appeared. Radios played Big Band music day and night, and a Íew times a
week there were sponsored radio shows like "The Camel Caravên," Íeaturing Benny Goodman. Late-night remotes picked utr Jan Savitt and Bob Bon live Írom the Steel Pier in
Atlantic
City
A*ie
Shaw
direct Írom the Hotel Lincoln in New York ... Claude Thornhill Írom the Glen Island Casino. Big Band leaders and sidemen quickly became celebriües, glamorous Íigures mooned over and worshipped by their andent Íans. Esquire magazine's annual poll oÍ the best oÍ the Big Bands was second only to the naüonal elections in the number oÍ votes cast! The bands diÍÍered con-
"... The year 1935 was one of empty pockets and rising expectations. Into it stepped Benny Goodman and his 13 talented musicians, saying the joyÍul exuberant thÍngs that people wanted to hear. Like a pied piper, Goodman led us into the swing years. ... siderably in the type oÍ music they played. Besides the swing bands, there were "sweet" bands and "Mickey Mouse"
(novelty) bands. The sweet bands played solely Íor dancing and were Íar less inventive musically. The best oÍ them* bands like Guy lombardo, Sammy Kaye and Freddy Martin-knew what they were up to, did it with great sincerity and maintained high musical standards. The Mickey Mouse bands . had no discernible standards at all and relied almost totally on gimmick. Blue Barron, the most blatant oÍ them all, reÍused to take his own band seriously, despite extensive tours and high recond sales! There were others with varying degrees oÍ musical
competency. Shep Fields insisted, Íor reasons still obscure, on bJowing bubbles into a microphone. Milt Britton's band turned the bandstand into mayhem as all the musicians smashed instruments over each othey's heads. Gray Gordon Íeatured "tick-
tock" rh.ythm, a gimmick relying on temple blocks that created the sound oÍ a ücking clock throughout everything the band played. And there
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
were also the society bands-
Meyer Davis, Lester Lanin, Emile Coleman ômong themwho worked debutante parties, "important" weddings, even the White House. But the swing bands were the giants, the elite, their sound the most creaüve, the most ex-
citing. Like baseball têams, their line-ups were known intimately by ardent Íans, any change in personnel cause Íor endless discussion. Serious swing buÍÍs prided themselves
on their ability to
recognize trumpet player Harry ]ames or Yank Lawson by a single note out oÍ their horns, a Íeat the musicians themselves were most likely incapable oÍ! And the Íans knewwhen a band was putting out or simply trying to get by on the qig. They memorized all oÍ the important recorded solos and to the dismay oÍ the jazz instrumentalists, demanded the same "improvisations" at a live perÍormance that they had heard countless times on their own records. Bunny Berigan, Íor example, Íound it necessary to repeat over and over again his original solos Írom "l Can't
Get Started" to keep
his Íollowers happy. But more oÍten 11
it was the audience that turned the band on, and when the mood was riqht and everything swung, those ex-
uberant emotions inspired some oÍ the most exciting sounds around. No wonder some oÍ the best recordings made by swing bands oÍ the thirties and Íorties were recorded beÍore enthusiasüc, live audiences. The comparison between Benny Goodman's original studio recordings oí "Sing Sinq Sing" and the swinging version done during his Íamous Camegie HalI concert says it all! As the Biq Band Era progressed, more and more bands were Íormed, until, by the end oÍ World War II, there were morle ihan 400 playing all over the country.
". . .Big Band leaders
and sidemen became celebrities, glamorous ÍÍgures mooned over and worshippeC by their ardent Íans. Esquire magazine's annual poll oÍ the best oÍ the big bands was second only to the national elections in the numberoÍ votes cast. ..."
Lionel Hampton
Popularity, oÍ course, was based on many Íactors, not the -east oÍ which was exposure to
=e public. Prejudice deprived
:rlany black bands, in particu.ar, of publicity, radio spots and bookÍngs. The sad paradox, oÍ :3urse, is that there would have been no swing era if black =usicians had not invented ' zzz inthe Íirst place. Swing was 'ust another term Íor big band 'azz, and jazz, as everyone Knows, is the only true and pureiy American contribution :c the arts. As the decadelrogressed, ::rings got símewhat better, but by then it was too late-the Biq 3and Era was dying. Oniy two
Winter's and Bennie de Weile's not only recorded, but made numerous radio broadcasts as well. Many oÍ their amangements were liÍted directly Írom BBC and American overseas broadcasts oÍ such "degenerate Jews and Negroes" as Artie Shaw, Jimmie LunceÍord, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Harry James!
"order" and conÍormity. The origins oÍ iazz are well known. The successÍul and happy marriage oÍ jazz and the large dance orchestra is what was responsible Íor the Era oÍ the Biq Bands. Initially, biq bands were either Íor marching ordancing. Synchopated marching bands developed in New Orleans
:=portant black bands sur;rved it, Ellinqton and Basie. :{ad things been more egui:able during the golden years,
àere is no doubt that many :nore black name bands would :ave been included in the
above list, bands such as: iletcher Henderson, Teddy /y'ilson, Earl (Faiha) Hines, Don Redman and Claude Hopkins, :c name a Íew. The Biq Bands caught on in lurope, too, at least roughly counterpart to their swinging Àmerican cousins. Ted Heath's
band, Íor one, acquired as nuch popularity in AmerÍca as :t did in England. During the 'É/ôr years, there were three English bands that aroused guite a bit'of admiration and afÍection among members of the American armed Íorces
The Sguadronaires (oÍÍicially known as the R.A.F. No. I I
Dance Band), Geraldo and his Orchestra, and The Heralds oÍ Swing. Surprisingly enough, swing bands were being Íormed in
Nazi Germany ôs well*
despite the Íact that Hitler had outlawed )azz and "all other degenerate Negro and Jewish music." Bands like Horst
Frank Driqqs Collection
The Ben Pollack Band, 1925. In its heyddy, the band íeatured what would become the \iqgest names oí the Swinq Era: Benny Çoodman, Iack Teagarden, Chdrlie Spivak, Glenn Miller, Iimmy McPdrtland, Bud Freeman, Matty Matlock, Yank Lawson, Ray Bouduc, Harry fames, Irving Fazola, DaveMatthews omong them. The Íact that jazz and swing
were verboten in Nazi Ger-
many did not stand in the way oÍ it being used Íorpropaganda purposes, particularly when beamed to allied personnel. As Íor the rest oÍ occupied Europe, the sounds of iazz, oÍ the Biq Bands, were not to be heard again uniil aÍter liberation. This is not surprising, as toialitarian societies, oÍ both the right and the leÍt have always Írowned upon this type oí music and in almost every case, banned it along with all otherexpressions which do not conlirm the Íinal
truth oÍ the state. Jazz is essentially a theme song oÍ Íreedom, thus destructive oÍ
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
with beats so iníectious that instead oÍ being marched to, they were actually danced to. A product oÍ the Bourbon Street parades was the two-step, an
ideal dance with which
to
celebrate the insistent beat oÍ the ragtime and dixieland music that developed there. Meanwhile, the large dance orchestra, a more "civilized" European invention, had as its funcüon the creaüon oÍ wel]orchestrated music that was pleasant and unobtrusive enough Íor polite respectable society to dance to. Its grenesis took place over a century beÍore the Biq Band Era, in Vienna, where the Íirst modem 13
social dance, the waltz (a German invention) became
The lean Goldkette Band wds gone by the time the Biq Band Era began, nevertheless iÍ nurtured many Íine musicians oÍ swing from 1924-1927: Bix Beiderbecke, Iimmy and Tommy Dorsey,.Buss Morgan, foe Venuti, Pee Wee Russell, Frankie Trumbauer and many others.
overwhelmingly popular with the middle and upper classes. The waltz had an insistent beat a sensuous rhythmic pattern. A man and woman could, Íor the Íirst üme, hold each other in public and moye- ^ copatàd..two-beat rhythms oÍ through a series oÍ graceÍul the raqtià'e brass band and the turns to romantic music oÍ a precise ensemble sounds oÍthe kind never heard beÍore, more "reÍined" dance orchesplayed by large, lush orches- tra. The most notable oÍ these tras with soaring strings and a early musical innovators was steady, "shockingly" provocaJim Europe, who in 1913 tive beat. (Only in the marital attracted the attention oÍ danbed was it socially permissible, cers Vemon and irene Castle. in those days, Íor respectable Iim Europe eventually became couples to be that close.) the Castle's music director, an Waltz orcheshas were the associaton that proved imbig bands oÍ their üme. Com- mensely popular with the pubposers such as Franz l"eharand lic and at one point netted the Richard Strauss provided new partnership as much as $31,material every year pretty 000 weekly! Soon, America much as arrôngers and com- was emulaüng the Castles by posers were to do Íor the biq dancing the Two Step and The Castle Walk in ballrooms bands oÍ a diÍÍerent era. throughout the country-but Sometime after the turn oÍ the century, a Íew brilliant black even more importantly, they were buyinq the Victor reconds musicians combined the synL4
recorded by "Iim Europe and His Society Orchestra." Europe, commissioned during the World War, was ordered to organize a band Íor the 369th Regirnent "HellÍighters.'' The band played many concerts Íor allied military personnel in Europe, much as the Glenn Miller Band was io dc twenty-Íive years later. it alsc inhoduced to the French and other Europeans, Íor the Íirs1
time,
a
brand-new kind
ol
synchopated music that was to become just as popularthere as it would become in the United States.
AÍter the war, other black bands picked up the reÍrain. The bands oÍ Ford Dabney,
Allie Ross, Wilbur Sweatman
In the summer oí 1923, the
Fletcher Henderson
Band opened at The Club Alabamon
Synchopated marching bands developed in New Orleans with beats so inÍectious that instead oÍ being marched to, they were actually danced to. ... ".
..
West 44th streei. Two oÍ its sidemen, Don Redman and Coleman Hawkins, were themselves to become legendary iazz figures in Íuture years. (There is hardly aiazzmusician or critic alive today who does not consider Coleman Hawkins
the greatest oÍ all the
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and a Íew others in New York were gaining wide popularity. What they played was Íor the rnost part derivaüve oÍ ragtime. Their orchestras, however, sported much in the way oÍ strings and banjoes. There were even a Íew whiteimitators springing up here and there around the country, But Íor the most part, this early "Big Band" music was crude and unsophisticated by later standards, and its iazz content and musical quality were slim.
The true vanguard oÍ iazz was not situated in midtown Manhattan where the Biq Bands held sway, but uptown in the Harlem speakeasies. It was there that the true innovators mostly pianists such as Eubie Blake, ]ames P. Johnson and Willie (The Lion) Smith, were reshaping ragüme into something else entirely. Ii was in the cellar clubs oÍ Harlem where the Íormal precision oÍ ragüme
was being broken down
bY jazz who improcombos small vised with great abandon around ihe classic themes. Sittinq in with them were musicians Írom a new gener-
ation-youngsters, such as Freddy lohnson, Fats Waller and Bill (Count)Basie, pianists, Íor the most part, who were gaining experience and developing their own ideas. Such was the scene in New York in 1920 when Fletcher
Henderson blew into town. He was to change everything. Fletcher Hamilton Henderson Jr. was born on December l8th, 1898 in Cuthbert, Georgia, the son oÍ a hiqh school principal and a piano teacher' Both he and his younger brother Horace (who was also to play a big part in the musical' era that Íollowed) received a musical education at home. Fletcher graduated Írom Atlanta University in 1920, Horace Írom Wilberlorce just a Íew years later. Fletcher, the young graduate, came to New York that summer with intentionss oÍ taking a Masters Degree in Chemistry at Columbia University. In order to üde himselÍ over till the semester began in the Íall, he took a job with a black music publishing Íirm, and later with the Black Svüan Record Company. Americ{yras to loose a chemist in exchàhqqÍor a new and exciting musical'Íorm.
iazz
soloists. During the course oÍ over Íour decades Hawkins was constantly in the ÍoreÍroni,
constantly developing and creating new ideas which have become part oÍ the language oÍ )azz).
At The Alabam, Henderson developed his band's style, using special arrangements written by Don Hedman and himselÍ. In the summer oí.1924 the Henderson band, aíter an argument with the club management, moved to the Roseland Ballroom. It was ihere that the band achieved its popularity, particularly with white audiences. À large group oÍ proÍessional musicians hung around the bandstand nightly, listening and learning. By this time the Henderson band had picked up impressive reinÍorcements.ln addition to some oÍ the earlier members, such as Hawkins, present on the bandstand were newcomers, Benny Morton, John Kirby, Benny Carter, louis Armstrong
Henderson set the stage Íor the Big Band Era. He invented what later was to be called Swing, ônd practÍcally every band Ín the business owned him a debt. ..." ".
. . Fletcher
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
i5
period used stock arrangements purchased Írom publishing houses. The Don Redman, Horace Henderson, and Fletcher Henderson arrangements oÍ the üme were Íar more comPlex than anything that could be purchased ready-made. Secondly, the Fletcher Henderson band was the Íirst to Íeature solo
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instrumental improvisation
o
against the backgroundoÍ a {ull orchestra; it also dePended guite a bit on head arrange-
o o
6
The legrendary Bix Beiderbecke, 1924'
and Buster Bailey. Fletcher Henderson had created the Íirst swing band. The Fletcher Henderson Band was the most imPortani musical Íorce in Biq Band history. As early as L923, Henderson, unlike his Peers, who Íor the most part were
concentraüng on Primitive ensemble work'and "jungle" rhythms, he insisted on good musicianship Írom his men. Fletcher Henderson would hire only the best musicians with excellent intonation and the abili§ to read complex scores. These were vêry unusual requirements at the time, and
ments played
in
ensemble.
Only well-schooled, intelligent musicians possessed the abilitY to sit in such a band. There were other, eguallY important innovaüons. BY 1924 Fletcher Henderson had determined the standard size and Íorm oÍ what was to be the conventional Big Band: Íour rhythm consisting oÍ bass (or tuba), guitar, dmms and Piano, three trumpets, two trombones and Íour saxophones-two alto, two tenor, with altos usuallY doubling on clarinet. Practically every Biq Band that
Íollowed was to use this conÍiguration. The only deviation was the occasional
addition oÍ a fifth voice in the sal secüon and the addiüon in some cases oÍ a thind hombone.
There were to be no maior changes in the instrumentaüon oÍ Big Bands until the Íofiies. The Henderson band "invented" the swing sound. TheY were the first to use rePeated riffs, to interpret arrangements Írcely, allowing musicians to imprrcvise around a theme, to phrase the various sections oÍ the band to call and response, to play iazz lour beats to the measure (perÍect Íor a new dance called'The Foxhot"); in short, to sound like a Biq Band sounds today. Fletcher Henderson's career in ihe music business was a rocky one, despite his iniüal success. He directed a number oÍ excepüonal bands unül 1945, but aÍter his earlY eÍÍorts oÍ the twenties, his popularitY declined at a rapid rate. When Benny Goodman opened at the Palomar Ballroom on that Íate{ul evening in the summer oÍ 1935, he was playing Fletcher Henderson
needless to sêY, a seat in Henderson's band was pres-
tigious, enhancing a musician's reputation and insuring him Íuture employment' Henderson would often leave a chair empty Íor weeks at a üme rather than hire a musician in whom he did not have complete conÍidence. The reason Íor his uncompromising attitude toward musical ability was twoÍold. First, Fletcher Henderson's was the Íirst jazz band to use special arrangements and scores composed speciÍically Íor its own use. Every other band oÍ the 16
Fletcher Henderson, "the Íather oí the Biq Band Sound," at Roseland Ballroom, New York.
us de-
nal the
rin ne.
jor ion ,.
iniey
ed ots
to to oÍ 3ê,
he
arrangements. Some oÍ them were exact duplicates oÍ what the Henderson Band had been playing Íor years. Goodman was more successÍul with Henderson's music than Henderson himselÍ had been-and the reasons were obvious: Goodman had behind him a very large and very eÍÍective booking agency, constant radio exposure, good publicity-and he was white. Fletcher Henderson became Benny Goodman's chieÍ ôrranger and was responsible to a maior degree Íor the Goodman style. This style was re-
business who went out oÍ his way to help me.IÍithadn'tbeen Íor his music, I don't know
I would have been.'
band in the business,
ex-
cluding some waltz orcheshas
and mickey mousê bands,
Henderson graciously loaned Basie a good podion oÍ his library, because Basie had to play regular network radio shows Írom the Grand Terrace with practically no book, onlY head arrangements oÍ originals, which were not allowed at the Terrace. The Basie-
owed him a debt. There would have been no Glenn Miller, no Artie Shaw, no Dorseys oÍ any kind, no Ben Pollack or Chick Webb, or Woody Herman or Iimmie LunceÍord-and Íor that matter, no Big Band Era at all, iÍ Fletcher Henderson had not been there Íirst. He conceived the sound and the substance oÍ
when the Count and arranger Eddie Durham were members oÍ the then-popular Bennie
AÍter Goodman's breakthrough in 1935, Big Bands oÍ all types werê olçtanizing by the hundreds around the
where
Henderson association, oÍ course, dated back to 1931,
ii all.
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The Ccrsa Loma Orchestru. Glen Gray is
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third Írom leÍt in Íirst row.
[in ts
tained even when other arrangers-Horace Henderson,
rn
Iimmy Mundy, Edger Sampson and Benny Carter-arranged Íor Benny's band. (These were all men who started with Henderson and also produced arrangemenis Íor him). Still another Henderson contribuüon has beên documented
by Frank Drigqs in
É
o o
o
õ O
D
6
his
extensive and excellent album notes to Columbia Record's
retrospecüve Íour-record set on Fletcher Henderson: "A Study In Frustraüon" (Colum-
bia C4L 19): "Henderson's
replacemeni at the Terrace wa§ the new CountBasie BandÍrom Kansas City. Basie recalled môny years later that Henderson was the only leader in the
Moten orchesha Írom Kansas City. Attempting to modernize
the band along
Henderson lines, they persuaded Moten to purchase Íorty arrangements Írom Benny Carter and Horace Henderson. Now, years later, Count Basie was playinq with the same relaxed drive that had
characterized Henderson bands Íor better than a decade. Basie was the logical leader to camy on Fletcher Henderson's iradition in big band iazz." The Henderson in{luence went Íar beyond Goodman and Basie. Henderson set the stage Íor the Biq Band Era. He invented what later was to be called Swing (and still later what was to be renamed Big Band Jazz). PracücallY every
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
country, and those already in
existence suddertly began achieving undreamed oÍ poPularity. A new breed oÍ radio personality appeared on the scene-the "disc iockey." He
played telephone
requests,
conducted popularity polls and in many cêses became somethinq oÍ a celebrity himselÍ. The record companies soon discovered that air exposure oÍ
their product actually sold
disc iockey became a power to deal with. In most maior ciües, long lines oÍ teenagers (and adults also) were Íorming in Íront oÍ the omate movie palaces oÍ the time, which were altemating Íeature Íilms with live bands on stage. It was not unusual Íor a records. The
L7
the same again. The Big Band Era was over. The decline oÍ the Big Bands was iniüated'by a war that demanded the services oÍ its
musicians and arrangers and the gasolines and tires Íor its buses and cars. The giants oÍ the business, Goodman, Basie, Herman, The Dorseys, etc., had their pick oÍ those Íew talented musicians who were ineligible Íor the draft, and though it was increasingiy diÍÍicult to íill vacated chairs, they managed where others Íailed. It was the lesser-known bands, the
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in
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Bis BroadcastoÍ 1932.
crowd oÍ 25,000 to storm New York s Paramoünt Theater during the course oÍ one day, in a massive attempt to see and hear a Íavorite band. Kids would qladly sit throuqh the movie three or Íour times in onder to dig their band over and over agrain and many oÍ them returned the next day and the next to go through the whole thinq again. In towns all over the country, teenagers who had missed a week oÍ math.classes could recite blocks oÍ dialogue, verbatim, from the latest Clark Gable movie. The Biq Band craze oÍ the thirties was a phenomenon that was not to be repeated Íor another 30 years, when the Beatles turned on ô new generation oÍ young Íans to rock music. There is no oÍficial date Íor when it all ended, but in December oÍ 1946, the bands oÍ Benny Car.ter, Jack Tea-
gardin, les Brown, Ina Ray Hutton, Harry lames, Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman called itguits. Though some oÍ them would reorganize later, and others, like Goodman, would put
bands together occasions, 1B
["
Íor
special
it was never to be
Sam Donahue, .A,lvino Rey, Bob Crosby, Ray McKinley, Bobby Byrne, Wayne King, and many other bandleaders. Some oÍ them directed bands in the service, some were noncombatants and some sôw combat. OÍ the later, perhaps the most dramatÍc incident involved Saxie Dowell, Hal Kemp's ex-tenor man, whowas the director oÍ the Navy band aboard the ill-Íated aircraft carrier USS Franklin. In March oÍ 1945, Franklin was reduced
to a Ílaming wreck during a Íight with the lapanese. In the course oÍ the battle and in the subseguent successÍul efforts
ô o
o o
'ê
o
second echelon, who were hard hit and had to put up with inÍerior musicianship or Íold up their tents. Many oÍ them Íolded, the ones who didn't Íound themselves losing their Íans.
À large number oÍ leaders
were either dra{ted
or
volunteered. Glenn Miller and Larry Clinton went into the Air Force, C]aude Thornhill, Orrin Tucker, Artie Shaw and Eddy Duchin went into the Navy. The entire Clyde McCoy band enlisted as a unit, as did Ted Weems and six oí his musicians. The Íiqhting Íorces also received the services oÍ
to save the ship, Íive oÍ the musicians were killed and an
egual number
received
wounds and bums. AÍter their battle stations became untenable, the band rescued what instruments it could salvage and between bouts as Íireman and corpsman, made music on the shattered Íliqht deck. Despite the Íact that Franklin seemed doomed, the crew stayed with her and sailed the wreck all the way home to San Francisco. She entered the harbor to the strains oÍ Saxie's band. Meanwhile, the civilian bandleaders were having their
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problems. Gasoline rationing was responsible Íor the closing oÍ many oÍ the once popular, "j ust - twenty-minutes -out *oftown" ballrooms and country ciubs. Nevertheless, most oÍthe Biq Bands were working steady, Íillinq in with Armybase Cates. A Íew were signed by the
JSO and managed to get overseas tours. Hotel ballrcoms, theaters and midcity ballrooms were still doing business. The main problem was touring, and Íew bands
-*rere
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attempting it. Then in 1942 came another blow-the musicians' record:ng strike. It lasted Íor over a iear despite the Íact that no one :eaily wanted it, not the nusicians, the record companies nor the public. Unable :c hear new releases, the public began to stray, The only popular records being cutwere by vocalists. Frank Sinatra, Íor example, made a series oÍ recordings that rnanaged to :eplace an orchestral backãround with that oÍ a choir. Things were changing. Men :nd women, separated by the ivar, were listening more and :rore to senümental ballads which reÍlected their Íeelings :::ore than the swingingsounds
oÍ the Big Bands. The lonely serviceman grinding out his war on some remote PaciÍic atoll preÍerred the softromantic phrasing oÍ Dinah Shore
singing "Where or When"
to
the hard-edged irumpet oÍ Erskine Hawkins piaying "Tuxedo }unction." His girl-
Íriend, busy riveting Flyinq Fortress Íusilages in Wichiia, Kansas, Íound herselÍ in perÍect
agreement with Frankie whenever she played his recording oÍ "Saturday Night Is
the loneliest Niqht oÍ the Week." Her Basie and
Benny Goodman
Goodman records were qiathering dust. For one reason or another, the singers, recent graduates
takinq over. Frank Sinaha had started the trend, and by 1942
Írom the Biq Bands,
werle
was drawing huge crowds, larger even than those drawn by the Big Bands just a Íew short years beÍore. Most oÍ his
Íans, at least iniüally, were
women-Írantic, teenagers storming the stage doors, screaming at him in wild hysteria, Íainüng
o o o o
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'in
their theater seats, whlle their older sisters purchased his records by the dozens and quietly melted to that soÍt, sensuous, romantic voice. Bv the time the war had ended, the singers had, Íor the
Bunny Berigan most part, taken over the world oÍ popular music. In the immediate post-war euphoria, there was a brieÍ rekindling oÍ Biq Band acüvity, butitwas just a passing Íancy. Public interest was elsewhere, That part oÍ it which was jazz-oriented turned to the new and exciting music being played by the small,
progressive jazz and bop groups led by Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and other in,novators. Most everyone else
was listening to the Duke Ellington TI{E COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
voices,
spending their evenings at the local bowling alleys and shopping around Íor their Íirst television sets. It was all over. Ü 19
"Cne O'Clock Jump"
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n a Chicago evening in the spring oÍ 1936,Iohn Hammond was idly tuning his radio when he accidentally picked up, at the Íar end oÍ the ÀM dial, an experimental transmitter broadcasting Írom Kansas City's Club Reno. The music Hammond heard under the crackling static was that oÍ a nine-piece band led by ô man identiÍied as Bill Basie. Hammond was thrilled by the sound and immediately contacted his Íriend Benny Goodman, also in Chicago at the time. Unable to receive the station indoors, Goodman qrabbed a portable radio and ran out into a vacant lot. A Íew days later, Goodman was on his way to Kansas City. "When Benny came to the Reno Club in the spring oÍ 1936 to hear us," Basie later said, "none oÍ us were aware that he was digging us." ButGoodman, ever more excited by the live sound, telephoned his booker, MCA's \{illand Alexander, ât once. "Goodman told me about the band," says Alexander, "only he kept calling it Count Bassie, and he kept urging me io go to Kansas City to hear it. John (Hammond), oÍ course, had been the instigator, so he and I Ílew out there."
A,.*urrder
sisned
the Basie Band on the spot-only a Íew short hours beÍore legendary band booker Joe Glazer arrived in Kansas Ci§ to sign Basie up himselÍ. The Basie Band swings Iightly, a lyrical blue riÍÍ simply stated by mellow saxophones. A baritone bottoms out the reeds as multi-trombones slide in and out oÍ the melody line and muted trumpets tell us what's important. A flute takes a Íew chords apart against the solid ensemble and the potenüal power underneath is Íor the moment Íelt but unheard. A cue Írom the Count -a nod oÍ his head, a Íew elegant notes Íroú his
That earlY band certainly didn't possess the precision oÍ later Basie ensembles, but in spite oÍ the ragged playing, it swung Íreely-itwas exciting. in a review oÍ a radio remote oÍ the band published in the lanuary, 1937, issue oÍ Metronome magazine, George Simon wrote: "True, the band does swing, bui that sax section is invariably out oÍ tune. And iÍ you think the sax secüon is out oÍ tune, catch the brass! And iÍ you think the brass by itselÍ is out oÍ tune, catch the intonation oÍ the band as a whole!" Simon later commented on the Íact that black musicians oÍ that period were oÍten unable to aÍÍord good instruments and had Íew opporhrniües to study wiih the
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J-lasie traveled East Írom Kansas City, working his way to New York and his debut at Roseland. The Roseland opening Proved somewhat disappointingr, the ensemble playing süll Írayed at the edges. A oneweek Paramount Theater gig showed marginal improvement, then Billie Holiday joined the band Íor a date at the Savoy Baliroom, leaving shortly aÍter Íor the Artie Shaw Band and higher PaY' Says Basie: "She was our Íirst qirl
d ty B
r g
n
keyboard-and
a
P,
conholled explosion
takes place in a brass barage propelled by the insistent drive oÍ the incom-
parable Basie rhythm section. The excitement builds in plateaus, Íinally Ieveling oÍÍ into a solid brick wall behind a lone trumpet. Through it all, the Basie piano provides punctuation. Melodic, sophisticated, direct and uncomplicated, the beat oÍ the Basie Band is alwaYs there, an organic part oÍ every bar oÍ music.Itis the keystone on which the Basie sound is constructed, Íor above all else, the Count's band swings' It has been swinging Íor ÍortY Years' THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
õ 5
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a
a U o ô n o
The Count Basie Orchestra, 1943, with blues singer limmy Rushing.
2t
"Cherokee" vocalist and she was beautiÍul to work with.l was just as thrilled to hear her as the audience was"" By the time the Basie Band opened at New York's Famous Door on 52nd Street in 1938, important changes had been made. Its soloists read iike a roster oÍ the jazz hall oÍ Íame: Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Benny Morton, Buck Clayton, Dicky Wells, Harry Edison. The original Basie Rhythm Seeüon is süll spoken oÍ with awe: Freddy Green, Walter Page, Joe Jones. Eddy Durham climbed aboard as arranger, and Earl Warren, a superb musician, whipped the reed section into shape. Jimmy Rushing was there too, his Íeet planted Íirmly on the bandstand, a solid piano oÍ a man with a blues voice that couid project a mile, yet always sounded at ease, unstrained, operating at only a tiny portion oÍ its potential power, The Basie Band ieÍt the Famous Door in triumph, hailed as the greatest jazz band oÍ all time. And thouqh the Count's Íuture bands swung, none \Á/ere as Íree-wheeling as that inspired 1938-39 aggregation. As the years went by, the ensemble playing grew more disciplined, but the spontaneity that distinguished the group's earlier years became less and less obvious. Not that the Basie Band ever ]acked talented soloists. Their numbers are legion. Buddy Tate, Don Byas, Vic Dickenson, Freddy Green, Illinois Iacquet, J.J. Johnson, Joe Newman, "Snooky" Young, Frank Foster and many others were part oÍ the Basie sound. Even Buddy Rich played a Íew engagements as a temporary replacement Íor ailing Joe Jones. The Basie Band voealists included Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Joe Williams, and Lamberts, Hendrix and Ross. Tony Bennet, Frank Sinatra and Paul Robeson have all sung with the band. And the beat goes on. Basie remains in complete control, as aiways, directing his awesome swinging machine with a nod, a shrug, a single piano note. TasteÍul and restrained, the musicianship remains superb, the sound joyous and optimisüc. We need it. I 22
D D E I-! CTT
ts
tt
E tà E
E E
o, {r E f
$ilt0PH0ltEs
Charlie Barnet Gene KÍnsey James Lamare
Kurt Bloom Skip Martin
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g
q, l----
r
TRUMPETS
Billy May Lyman Vunk Bobby Burnet John Cwens TnomB0ilE$
Claude Murphy Don Ruppersburg
Bill Robertson DRUMS
CliÍÍ Leeman B0ss
Phil Stepens OUITIR
Bus Etri Pt01t0
Bill Miller UÍIGntISI
Mary Ann McCall
o o o o
o +ti
The Charlie Barnet Orchestra, Lincoln Hotel, 1940. LeÍt to right: Ben Hall, trombone;
É
6
Lyman Vunk, trumpet; Billy May, trumpet; Gene Kinsey, alto sax; Lyle "Spud" Murphy, trombone; Iohnny Owens, trumpet; Lloyd "Skippy" Martin, alto; Bobby Burnet, trumpet; Don Ruppersberg, trombone; Iimmy Lamare, baritone; Clifí Leeman, drums; Bus Etri, guitar; Charlie Barnet, leader and tenor sdx; Bill Miller, piano;
Phil Stephens, óoss.
Charlie Barnet, at the age oÍ 17, played the chimes with Duke Ellington's band on a 1930 recording of "Ring Dem Bells." No one seems to know how this came about, but it was the start oÍ a career in the music business Íor a young man later to become known Íor both his swinging bands and, through ten marriages, his swinging IiÍe s§le. Looking back, Barnet said: "The band business was a romping, stornping thing, and everybody wôs swinginq! I can't heip but think back to the group oÍ boys in the band-it was a happy band, and even with one-nighters it was a ball."
=E
COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
o o
'Ê
â
23
rrr I
i," Bamet group
echoed those sentiments-it sounded like a happy band. Disciplined and precise at the same time, and based on a serious respect Íor music, many critics have called it the most consistently jazz oriented sound oÍ ail the white bands oÍ the time. "Our band was never hiqhly stylized like Benny Goodman's or Glenn Milley's," said Barnet. "We had a lot more latitude than most orchestras. We created more inÍormal head arrangements than any other band except Basie's, I guess. And we were happy ninety percent oÍ the time. There were no cligues; it was just a bunch oÍ guys having a ball." peers in ihe band business, Charlie Bamet was bom into wealth and prestige. For his thirteenth birthday, he was given a C-melody sax, and despite Íamily plans Íor a more "respectable career," became dedicated io music. "l leamed to play hot by Íooling around with the Victrola," said Barnet. "l was nuts about the Fletcher Henderson band, and when I heard Hawkins play, I just naturally swiiched to the tenor." He attended Rumsey Hall and the Blair Academy, and shortly aÍier enrolling as a Íreshman at Yale, Bamet picked up his sax and headed south. The Íirsi band was put together in 1933 Íor a I2-week engagement at the Paramount Grill in New York. The group featured arrangements by two trumpet players later to Íind their own spotlight-Eddie Sauter and Tutti Camarata-and presented boy vocalist Harry Yon Zell, also slated Íor slory.
P.
J-larnet disbanded his group in 1935 to try his hand at acting. That same year he appeared in two Íilms, Irene and Mary and love ondHisses. The experience convinced him that his real interest and talent still resided in lazz. Charlie Barnet's later bands were obviously inÍluenced by Duke Ellinqton. Despite the carping oÍ a Íew critics, Bamet never imitated Ellington or anyone else. He often expressed deep admiration Íor Ellington and, to a lesser degree, Count Basie, but he interpreted the work oÍ both giants 24
with an Índividuality that uniquely illuminated them Írom his own perspective. The Barnet ensemble did Íairly well through the mid-thirties, culminating in a summer engagement at the Glen Island Casino, a date that Íeatured a new Midwestern vocal group called the Modernaires. By 1938-39, ihe band had become tremendously popular among swing Íans, its stomping, rollicking sound brilliantly enhanced by the work oÍ its newest arranger, Billy May. Barnet's tenor playinq had changed somewhat by this time Írom a style strongly reminiscent oÍ his idol Hawkins, to a more rousing, sliqhtly drier solo horn, easily identiÍiable as Barnet's own. Many critics maintain that during this period Barnet was the best oÍ the white reed playerc./^l
\./harlie
Barnet always surounded himselÍ with superior musicians and was the Íirst io break through racial barriers to employ black musicians in the band itselÍ. It was because oÍ this that Barnet was never considered {or any radio jazz programs and lost out on a number oÍ big hotel gigs and their network radio remotes. The loss oÍ that important exposure was a shameÍul penaity Íor a commitment to principle embraced by very Íew white bandleaders oÍ the day. In 1933, the Charlie Barnet band was the Íirst white band to play Harlem's Apollo Theater. The best oÍ Charlie Barnet's recordings were made on RCA's Bluebird label between 1939 and 1942: "The Count's Idea," "The Duke's Ideâ," "The Gal From Joe's," "The Right Idea," "The Wrong Idea," "Cherokee," "Pompton Turnpike," "Wings Over Manhattan," "Red Skin Rumba," "Southern Fried," "Harlern Speaks," "l Can't Get Started," "Murder at Peyton Hall," "Phylisse," "Leapin at the Lincoln" "Lament Íor May," "Reverie oÍ a Moax." The band that was Íormed in 1938 Íor an engagement at New York's Famous Door, was a stomping, swinging group, described by George Simon in the August 1939 issue oÍ Metronome magazine as 'The blackest white band oÍ all!" It was the greatest compliment one could pay a white jazz band.
Drr,rn
an important -939 engagement at the Palomar 3atrlroom in Los Angeles, a fire broke :ut, destroying all oÍ the band's :::struments, uniÍorms and, most hagi:.a1ly, its entire music library. In a ;esture reÍlecting Barnet's standing in ie music communitY, Duke Ellington, Senny Carter and others came to the rescue with enough scores to rebuild a :smporary book. Said Barnet: "Hell, if s retter than being in Poland with bombs i:cppinq on your head!" Mary Ann McCall, a s:üd, jazz-oriented vocaiist, leÍt the band :: 1941. Her replacement showed uP -*ifi long, straggly hair and an ill-Íitting i:ess. It was Lena Horne, destined io :,ecome the most beauüÍul and rphisticated lady singer oÍ them all. Ãier a brieÍ rehearsal in the basement oÍ ::e Windsor Theater in the Bronx, she -*ient on cold with no arrangements and the show. She's been doing it =:pped :'ier since. For some reason lharlie Bamet has never received the n:claim he so riqhtly deserves and is :arely mentioned along with the other ::p white leaders. Nevertheless, listen-::g to his records today, the sound oÍ a';thenüc jazz piayed with verve and iedication comes through with as much excitemeni as it did almost 30 years ago. lhe band really cooked!n
silr0PH0llEs
Milton Schatz George Auld Gus Rivona Clyde Rounds IRUMPEIS
Bunny Berigan John Naptan
Harry Goodman TnomB0ilEs Nat LeBrousky Ray ConiÍÍ
DRUilS BuddY Rich OUITOR
Hank Wayland
B[S8 Dick Morsan Hnil0 Ioe Bushkin U0G0tl$ Iayne Dover THE BUNNY BERIGAN BAND, ]938 Frank Driggs Colletion
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
25
B.B. Beiderbecke and Bunny Berigan. Besides initials, the two men shared a common Íate-a meteoric rise to Íame, then a tragic decline into alcoholism and early death. It has been said oÍ both that they were reaching Íor notes never played through a trumpet beÍore, phrases and chord changes that could never be, music that
didn't exist. T
Lrtu
his counterpart a decade before him, Bunny Berigan was beyond a doubtthe bestwhite trumpet player oÍ his time and certainly one oÍ the outstanding musicians in the history oÍ. jazz. "lÍ that man wôsn't such a gambler," said Red lvÍcKenzie, "evety' body would say he was the greatest that ever lived. But the man's got such nerve and likes his horn so much that he'll qo ahead and try things nobody else'd ever think oÍ trying!" Berigan's Íirst name band experience was with Hal Kemp. Kemp auditioned him in 1928, but turned him down because, according to Kemp's pianist-arranger John Scott Trotter, Berigan's horn possessed "the ünniest, most ear-splittinq tone you've ever heard!" But within the remarkable span oÍ a Íew years, Berigan's trumpet had developed one oÍ the "Íattest, Íullest tones in the business." Hal Kemp heard him once again and wasted nc time signing him up. AÍier leaving Kemp, Berigan recorded some sides with the Dorsey Brothers orchestra and went on to Íorm his own small group: Bunny's Blue Boys. A short time later he joined BennyGoodman, and Írom Iune to September oÍ 1935, was the mainstay oÍ the Goodman brass section, where he recorded a goodly numberoÍ impressive solos.ltwas the Goodman gig that brouqht Berigan to the public's attention"
E"r,
in 1936, Berigan recorded with a Íew pick-up bands, himselÍ as leader. One oÍ those records was an early version oÍ "l Can't Gei Started." Though the guintessential recording oÍ the number was to come later, that Íirst recording is still thought oÍ hiqhly b.Í iazz buÍÍs and critics. Berigan joined the Tommy Dorsey Band in 1937, staying on Íor only a Íew weeks. OÍ the Íew brilliant 26
sides he recorded with Dorsey, the most notable was "Marie." As a musician, the young trumpet player gained the immediate respect and aÍÍection oÍ his Íellow sidemen. Bud Freeman, also \Mith Dorsey in those days, speaks oÍ Bunny as someone who loved music and people, but had no patience Íor the music busrness" The prooÍ was to come in the spring oÍ 1937, when Bunny Berigan's Íirst biq band opened at the Pennsylvania RooÍ in New York, and tl:en took oÍl on the road. Berigan was not a success as a bandleader, lacking the necessary discipline and business sense. His sidemen idolized him as a musician and loved him as a Íriend, but the leadership iust wasn't there. Ray ConniÍÍ summed it up dr.rring an intervievr with Nat HentoÍÍ and Nat Shapiro: "We',.rere all Íriends.In Íact, Bunny wouldn't hire anybody he didn't like. And all r:Í us would take tums rrroming "willr him. Oh, it vras a mad ball! Ynrr should trave seen those hotel rooms! Rihs, booze, and women all over the place . . . . Even when he was drunk he'd blow rood. Ànd when he ovas soberman!"
B,,rr,"',
Íirst band
inch.rdecl some excellent young rnusi-
cians, discoveries like Joe Buskin, Georgie Auld, Ray ConniÍÍ,loe Lippman, and an unknown kid who traded in his tap shoes Íor a set oÍ
drums-Buddy Rich. The band went through a number oÍ Íemale vocalists, none as good as a young lady named Kitty Lane.
Bunny also sang, thouqh his loose, relaxed voice was considered by many little better than mediocre. The quality oÍ the band's recorded perÍormances was uneven, yet the beat was always strong and Bunny's solo work, Íor the most part, brilliant. The excellent musicianship oÍ the other soloists was always shadowed by the maesiro himselÍ. Nevertheless, some exceptional recordings were made, among them "Frankie and Iohnnie," "Mahogany Hall Stomp," "Little Gate Special," "Russian Lullaby," "Azurê," "Night Song," "The Prisoner's Song," "High Society," and "The Wearing oÍ the Green." It is "l Carr't Get Started," however, that remains the greatest recording oÍ the Biq Band Era and one oÍ the most important trumpet solos in all oÍ jazz. This Vemon Duke-lra Gershwin sonE was recorded by Berigan in 1937, on an RCA I2-inch, 78 RPM record, and to this day remains the only jazzto be Íound on thousands oÍ rock-pop juke boxes across the country. The band in this recording is strictly background Íor Berigan's voice and" trumpet. His closing solo is a tour de Íorce that moves Írom the extreme upper to the extreme lower range oÍ the trumpetwith an unsurpassed richness oÍ tone. ií Bunny Berigan had accomplished nothing else in his short, drâmaüc career, this would have been enough. Louis Armstrong, Berigan's Íoremost inÍluence, was later asked to record "l Can't Get Started" and re{used, stating that "It was Bunny's tune."
rrl I I he Beriqan band
was beset by disasters and near disasters Írom the start. A huricane blew the rooÍ off oÍ Boston's Ritz Carlton Hotel shortly after the band settled in . . . the band boy drove the instrument truck into a ditch
:i{E COMPLETE HiSTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
and the band arrived late at a military academy date sans jnstruments, playing part oÍ the evening on borrowed iubas, Íield drums and cornets Írorn the military band. . . the band showed up irr Bristol, Conn. to Íind Gene Krupa already playing. T'Lrey should have been in Bridggport, Conn. Throuqh ii all, Bunny took little interest in business aÍÍairs. AÍter three years, he Íiled Íor bankruptey. In 1940, Bunny was once again working Íor his good Íriend Tommy Dorsey. His playing was a shot in the arm io the Dorsey group, which had begun to lose much oÍ its earlier spark and excitement. Two excellent solos he recorded during this period can be heard on Dorsey's "l'm Nobody's Baby" and "East oÍ the Sun." Berigan leÍi Dorsey in the Íall oÍ 1940, aÍter a disagreement. Once again, the trumpet player Íormed a band, the last he was to work with. At Íirsi the reviews were excêllent. Amy Lee wrote, aÍter hearirrg him on a Palisades Park remote: ". . . . his range, his conception, his lip and his soul are without comparison, and to hear him aqain is the kick oÍ all listening kicks." It was downhill Írom there. By spring oÍ 1941, Bunny Berigan was a shadow oÍ himselÍ, his weiqhi down, his clothes ill-fittinq. On more and more dates he Íound himselÍ apologizing to the Íans crowded around the bandstand Íor being unable to egual the guality oÍ his early solos. George Simon, reviewing the band during this period, was shaitered by the experience: "The band was nothinq. And compared with Berigan standards, Bunny's blowing was just pitiÍul. He sounded }ike a man tryinq to imitate himself, a môn with none oÍ the inspiration and none oÍ the technique oÍ the reai Berigan." On a warm evening in June 1941, Bunny didn't make it to a qiq at Manhattan Center. Benny Goodman, in a gesture oÍ Íriendship, brought his sextette over from the Paramount Theater and played the date for him. Bunny was in the hospital with cirhossis oÍ the liver. He died the next day, broke, 33 years old. tl 27
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The Casa Loma Orchestra, a spin-oÍÍ of the early Jean Goldkette, began its long career in Detroit, in the mid-twenties. Until the Benny Goodman band a Íull decade later, Casa Loma was the most popular band in the.country. The Íirst oÍ the white swing bands, it paved the way for all that Íollowed'
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Loma was the Íirst band to capture the imagination oÍ college kids, excited about the Íirst biq band swing sounds they had heard live. The orchestra's sweet arrangements, played at a tempo slower than had ever been atiempted beÍore, was sentimental, romanüc dance music at its best. Though jazz purists never took Casa Loma seriously, it was an excellent dance band and Íor Iive years or so had the Íield to itselÍ. Despite a somewhat stiÍÍ rhythm section in its early years, the musicianship was Íirst rate and the band cut a number oÍ sides notable Íor their Íull ensemble sound and good solo work by humpet players Grady Watts and Sunny Dunham, trombonist Murray McEachern and reed player Clarence Hutchrider. The Larry Clinton arrangement oÍ "A Study in Brown" and Larry Wagner's "No Name Jive" are two examples oÍ ihe band ai its swinging best.lts sweet recordings are legion, the best Íeaturing vocalist Kenny Sargeni on "For You," "Under a Blanket oÍ Blue" and "lt's the Talk oÍ the Town." TT{E COMPLETE HISTORY
OFTHE BIG BANDS
in 1929 the Casa Loma Orchestra leÍt Detroit to play a date at New York's Roseland Baliroom. From the day it leÍt Detroit, the group worked steadily, spending its summers at the Gien Island Casino and a number oÍ winters at New York's Essex House. Fronted by good-looking Glen Gray, the band was always elegant, each member dressed in natty tails. Casa Loma was the Íirst swing band to play the Paramount Theater (Fall, 1935)and in 1933-34, the Íirst to be featured on a regularly scheduled, sponsored radio show"Camel Caravan." Casa Loma, originally "Orange Blossoms," took its the called name {rom a Canadian nightclub, a date the band was signed to play in 1929, with the Prince oÍ Wales in attendance. The club never opened, butthe band decided to retain the title. It was a cooperative venture, the sidemen voting GIen Gray president oÍ the corporation. Gray initially remained in the reed section with FIenry Biagini and later, Mel Jenssen Íroniing. When Gray took over as leader, his name was added to the band's oÍÍicial title: Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra.
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J/espite a drop in popularity once the swing era caught up to it, Casa Loma remained Íor two decades exactly what it had started out io be-one oÍ ihe best big-name dance bands in the business. Its most importani contribution was to spark the imagination oÍ other musicians, to pave the way Íorthe swinging sounds that followed. According to Benny Goodman, booker CliÍÍord Alexander oÍ MCA was inspired by Casa Loma's sound-and successto consider buildinq a band thai could compete. It was Goodman himselÍ who replaced Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra on the "Camel Caravan" radio show in 1936, tr 29
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limmy Dorsey Band, 194O's.
Iimmy and Tommy Dorsey Íormed the Dorsey Brothey's Orchestra early in 1934, and iÍ the two brothers had qotten along better, the upcomÍnq Biq Band Era would have had only one Dorsey Band instead oÍ two. Despite the problems, the brothers' solid bãnd caught on Íast with the public. It was a much more swinging aggregation than its nearest competÍtor, Casa Loma, due in part to Glenn Miller. He not only played in the trombone section, but managed the band and, as arranger, wôs responsible Íor its distinctive style. Many years later, it would be looked upon as the genesis oÍ the Miller Sound. Miller was also responsible Íor hiring almost halÍ oÍ the Dorsey Brothers musicians (includinq singer Káy Weber and drummer Ray McKinley). A year later he leÍt to help Rãy Noble organize árs band. 30
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Dorsey Brothers boasted the talents oÍ many exciting musicians and singers. Bassist Delmar Kaplan, trumpeters Bunny Berigan and Charlie Spivak, and singer Bob Crosby (Bing's brother)all worked with the band Íor short periods oÍ time. Bob Crosby was the band's vocalist until he leÍt to start his own, at which time a young amateur contest winner, Bob Eberly, was hired. Eberly remained with limmy until he went into the Army eight years later. George Simon quotes Eberly on the friction beginning to develop between the two Dorseys: "Tommy was doing everything-leading the band, making up the radio programs and all the ihings a leader does. He resented Iimmy Íor several reasons. For one thing, Jimmy was drinking a lot, and Tommy, even though he may have wanted to, didn't. That alone made him mad. But Jimmy used io like to needle Tommy also. He'd just sit there in the saxes, and when Tommy was leading, he'd make cracks like, 'Smile, Mac' and 'You're the biq star!' and that sort oÍ
ihing." .llE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
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time went on, to resent his brother's Tommy began
popularity with the musicians more and more. When he asked Ray McKinley why the guys didn't like him, McKinley said that thouqh Tommy always mainiained that the musicians had been hand picked, he never seemed to respect them. And the conÍlict continued. One night, aÍter Tommy had taken a ribbinq Írom limmy Íor driving his car rather than riding the bus, he walked oÍÍ the bandstand at the GIen Island Casino and never came back. Iimmy Dorsey had inherited a band all his own. The young alto-saxophonist eventually shaped it into one oÍ the best dance bands in the country. It was a happy band with considerable esprit de eorpst resulting no doubt from the relaxed, good-natured personality oÍ Iimmy himselÍ. He was a superb musician as well, with a keeniazz sense. Replacing Tommy's until Iimmy was diÍiicuit, trombone remembered a kid he'd heard playing with a high school band in Detroit. His name was Bobby Byrne (later to lead his own Íine band) and Iimmy recruited him when he was only 17. Byrne's {ine musicianship and uncanny range knocked the band out at the very Íirst rehearsai. ?'1
Bob Eberly stayed on as male vocalist as the band went through a host oÍ Íemale singers after Kay Weber's departure. Vicki Joyce, Iune Richmond, Martha Tilton (to ioin Benny Goodman in 1937), and Ella Mae Morse, a distinctive jazz voice discovered by Iimmy at a jam session in Houston, Texas, all sang with the band. Then, out oÍ a band playing the Villaqe Barn in New York, côme Helen O'Connell, one oÍ the most popular band singers in the business. Together, O'Connell and Eberly made a number oÍ hit records with the band still Íamous today. "Yours," "Ampola," "Green Eyes" and "Tangerine" all started outwith Eberly singing at ballad tempo, Íollowed with an up tempo jazz chorus played by Jimmy, and ended with O'Connell's swinging Íinale. ll'r
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r,ro,rnt the laie thirties, the limmy Dorsey Band Íeatured some excellent musicians, and, oÍ egual importance, an ideal arranging siaÍl composed oÍ Tutti Camaraia, Hal Mooney, ioe Lipman, and later, Don Redman. By 1938, ihe band had Íound its groove and its popularity reached heights shared by only a handÍul oÍ other
orouDs. rIn 1939, Jimmy
and Tommy Dorsey were reunited on the bandstand oÍ the Hoiel New Yorker. Jimmy was closing, Tommy was opening, and Íor a short iime they shared the stage, joking and adlibbing beÍore a large show biz audience that included their parents. It was an emotional moment and the audience responded with a massive outpouring oÍ appreciation and aÍÍeciion Íor both oÍ them. The Jimmy Dorsey Band continued to maintain its populari§ through the swing years, dlsbanding shortly aÍterWorld War II like so môny others. A Íew years aÍter the war-and over 20 years since they'd originally split up-Jimmy and Tommy were once again reunited and the second Dorsey Brothers Orchestra was Íormed. Thouqh there was conÍlict reminiscent oÍ the early days, the band operated with a Íair amount oÍ success until Tommy's death. Iimmy died seven months later, on lune 12, 1957. n
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was Íleecy velvet, a rich romantic tone egualed only the voice oÍ Frank Sinatra, who learned Írom it. Tommy Dorsey .=d u liÍetime love aÍÍair with his sliphorn, evident in every note he perÍeci ;,=yed. The band he led was solid, yet marvelously supple, a oe:icle Íor the Íine vocalists who blended with it so perÍectly: Jack StaÍÍord, connie Haines, -ecnard, Edythe wright, Anita Boyer, Jo :he Pied Pipers-u.rá, oÍ ccurse, Frank Sinatra. It was a dance band, *e best there ever was. The kids who Suzy Q'd and shagged to "Once In *1,:"g oÍ India" and necked on the living room soÍa to r *'*rhrile" knew it . . . and so did the sophisiicated, weil-coiÍÍed -#ilrtnen and their tuxedoed escorts who danced to "East oÍ the Sun" Never Smile Again" on the Hotel Astor rooÍ.
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t":: te Dorsey Band could play ballads as :: :àer big band could. It could swing, rn: 'rriüoui perhaps the consistency or Goodman, Shaw, Basie and =ee:vi§ oÍ but wiih a warmer, more
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.CMPLETE HISTORY OF THE BIG BANDS
jazz andÍor 20 years, ihe band Íeatured some oÍ the most exciting jazz soloists in
the business. BunnY Berigan, ZiqsY Elman, Peewee Erwin, Yank Lawson, Charlie Spivak, Max KarninskY and Charlie Shavers all sat in the trumpei section at one time or another. Iohnny Mince, Budde De Franco, HYmie 33
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the horn right, and still have people lov, it-.that was something else."
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Schertzer and Bud Freeman were Íeatured on reeds, Dave Tough and Buddy Rich on drurns, Sid Weiss played bass, and loey Bushkin on piano. Dorsey loved to jam. Many were the nights when the band packed it up at the Astor or Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook in New York, and Tomrny, his hom tucked under his arm, would rush over to the Onyx Club on 52nd Street to ioin ihe al]-night sessions. Nevertheless, Tommy Dorsey never really considered himselÍ an outsianding iazz soloist. At one point in his career, on a Metronomê all-star recording date, Tommy was teamed with Iack Teagarden, a trombonist Íor whom he had Íeelings approaching reverence. When asked to solo, Tommy demurred, stating that he wouldn't dare solo with iack in the same room. He ended up playing obbligato behind Teagarden's improvisation. Dickie Wells, the great jazz trombonist, said it well in his book The Niqht Peop/e: "You have to give Tommy Dorsey cre«lit, because Íor a trombone to sound like a trombone, there has to be a littleTommy there, somewhere. . . . He used to come up to Harlem guite a bit and he could swing too, but his tone was so Íine, people always wanted to hear him play pretty. There was nothinq stiÍÍ about Tommy's style. It was very Ílexible, and there was that beautiÍul Ílowinq tone. He really had 34
I
ommy Dorseywas born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1905. His Íather, an accomplished music teacher, taught boih boys-Tommy, the trumpet, and Iimmy, the saxophone. As a teenager, Tommy switched to trombone and spent a Íew years gigging around with group called the Scranton Sirens. By 1925 he had graduated to the big time, working with Paul Whiteman, Vicior Young, Freddy Rich and others, and in 1933 Íormed the Dorsey Brothers OrÇhestra with his brother. They had it on the road by early the next year. When the brothers spl up in 1935, Tommy Íonned his own band out oÍ loe Hayme's aggregation, then working at the McAlpine Hotel in New York City.loe wôs an old Íriend, whose band was going nowhere, and s a deal was struck. Tommy reshaped the group, making good use oÍ its young arranger, Paul Weston, and within a short time was recording Íor RCA Victc By the time the band made its New Yor debut Tommy had added drummer Dave Tough, trumpeter]oe Bauer, teno Bud Freeman, vocalist ]ack Leonard, arranger Axel Stordahl and others. The opening, at the Blue Room oÍ the Hotel Lincoln, was a huge success-and the beginning oÍ the Tommy Dorsey phenomenon, The band's Íourth recording session on October IB, 1935, produced "l'm Getting Sentimental Over You." it was the Tommy Dorsey therne song-and would become instantly recognizable all over the world. Mostly Tommy against soÍt reeds and a slow, steady beat, his mastery oÍ the trombone in it has yet to be equaled. "Marig," recorded on Ianuary 29,1937 , is notable Íor Jack Leonard's beautiÍul vocal and a unigue ireatment by the band glee club, endin with the lyric "Living in a great big wa1 Bunny Berigan's solb, which Íollows, w live as long as iazz.
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According to trumpet player Max Kaminsky, Dorsey heard "Marie" perÍormed by ihe Royal Sunset Serenaders, a band that shared the bill with Dorsey in a Philadelphia theater. The arrangement Íeatured the band chanüng hot vocal responses behind the singer, and Dorsey loved it. He had his arranger copy it down and took it in trade Íor eight oÍ his own arrangements. "Marie" was a tremendous hit, backed by another hig, "Song oÍ India." The numberwas reguested so oÍten that Tommy grew sick oÍ hearing it and, using the same Íormula, had his arrangers write several other versions, all hits: "W'ho," "Yeaming," and "East of the Sun." Bunny Berigan is Íeatured on the lasi, preceeded by the Íamous choral lich "Well alriqhtthen. . . . Take it. . " Bunny!" Take ii he did.
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B"rnurr's duet wiih Dorsey on "Whispering" is ihe perÍect musical synthesis oÍ agile trumpet and golden trombone. Recorded on June 13, 1940, it Íeatured Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers and remains quintessential Tommy Dorsey. Dorsey's personal reputation varied, depending on who was speaking. There were a Íew characteristics, however, that everyone agreed on: his total lack of p.atience with musicians who couldn't cut ü,ithe admiraüon he Íreely showed Íor musical excellence, his sharp sense oÍ humor, and mosi ol all, his hair-triqger temper. The latter was Íamously demonstrated the time he {ired the entire band, vocalist Leonard included, Íor drinking beer on the bandstand. Tommy i'ôked about it later with insight and humor. Loyal to sidemen and vocalists he respected, Dorsey expected ihe same in return.In Íact, it was impossible Íor him to accepi the idea oÍ anyone leaving ihe band to go out on iheir own and the merest hint oÍ such "disloyalty" would set him oÍÍ. By 1938, the Tommy Dorsey Band had attained a pinnacle oÍ popularity matched by a handÍul oÍ other bands. Its ]oyal Íollowing extended to vocalist Jack Leonard and a number oÍ sidemen, and any personnel changes caused havoc among the Íans. Thus, in 1939, when Leonard leÍt the band aÍier an argument wiih Dorsey in which the leader accused the vocalist oÍ planning to deÍect, Íans all over the country Íound themselves in semi-shock. Who could ever replace Jack? 35
tried-{irst with he a singer named Allen DeWitt-but DorseY
*àr áittausÍied. The voice he reallv
belonsed to a skinnY kid undet atthe time with Harry lames' In "o"ttu"t November ol that Year, DorseY was *ort ittg at Chicago's Palmer House' iust a Íew blocks awaY ÍromThe Sherman' where Harry lames was appearing' Ralph Burns, one oÍ Dorsey's êrraREers' ;i;Ji;ã;rerto The Sherman and invited that skinny kid over to the Palmer House i;;";;"diiion. Frank Sinatra ioined the Tommy Dorsey Band in Milwaukee' Áúo"t ien daYs later' James had lei Si"uttu out oihis contract, knowinq that íttn u pregnantwi{e he could use the .*ttu *ot ãY DorseY had Promised" Frank Sinatra's Íirst appearance with Dorsey was atthe Lyric Tltãater in Indianapolis' There were 11Ô special ôrrangements available Íor the nlw singer yet, so he sang two D-orsey standarás, one oÍ them'Marie'" It brought the house down and a star wae born. ShortlY beÍore Sinatra joined up, another importanl addition was made to the band*SY Oliver' ÍormerlY arranqerwith the iimmie LunceÍórd Band' Oliverwas to do more Íor ihe Dorsey sound than anyone else t"f.t" him, and his inÍluence on musical orchestraüon can't be overestimated' Dorsey hired Oiiver by olÍering him $5,000 more PerYearthan he-was qetting Írom LunceÍord and Oliver ác"epied, without tellinq Tommy that fráU ãft.uav leÍt the LunceÍord band and stealing him wasn't necessarY! Ihe combination oÍ Sinatra and Oliver was unbeatable and produced a new, excitingly Íresh sound irom the Dorsey Band' Oliver's early charis lor Dorsey included "Stomp it Ofi," "Yes Indeed," "EasY Does It," "Chicago," "Swing High," and a gorg"oü, reading oÍ "Swanee River"' a átirinq, yet slow-paced tour deJorce with gáod solos bY DorseY and ZiggY Elman. Suddenly the band was swinging as it never had beÍore'
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singer o{ them altr' One hit Íollowed urráh"t' "This Love oÍ Mine," "Violets Íor Your Fur§," "Everything HaPPens t9 úL," with The Pled PiPers, "Oh Look At Mà'No*," 'There Are Such Things"' i'Sir""t oÍ Dreams"*and the bigqest hit oittt"* all, "I'11Never Smile Again'"
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1941, the DorseY Bend had outscored all others according iothe polls, as the most populql in lhe cluntry*ineluding Glenn lr{iller' Later thut y"àr, Sinatra leÍt to go out on his ã*". ffr. war iook Ziqqy Elman into the ÀÀv, BuddY Hich into the Marines' lo Si"ffàra home to her husband beÍore he i"" i"ft Íor ihe battleÍields, and a qoo$ãá"v oth.rs. A string section was added in 1942, which to some ears was like O1iver óitaitrE the lily, but nevertheless The scores' exciiing out was stitt turning awhile' Íor oÍÍ relording ban cut aciivity t"1ã""" itwas liÍied, Dorsey produced two hit sides: "On the Sunny SideoÍ the Streef,' and "OPus #f ," both bY Ohver' DesPite the Íact that the oÍ war wôs drasiically cutting the supply band qood *,rsiciêns, the quality oÍ the iemained hiqh. BuddY DeFranco and Charlie Shavers were Íeatured Íor a *frii", and in 1944, Buddy Rich returned Írom ihe Marines. DorseY, meanwhile'
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was becoming increasingly invoived business. He bought the Casino nãifroo* in Los Angeles, tried his hand at a music magazine, and was considering starting a record-company' The Dorsey Band conThat Year couid 1946. tinued until accurately be called the end o{ ihe Biq Band Era. DorseY, along with Jack Teagarden, Les Brown, BennY Goodmar',, WoodY Herman, BennY Cafer' and Harry Iames, all disbanded their qroups. In 1949, TommY tried aoain with the help o{ ]ackie Gleason' in TV u Íeatured sPot on Gleason's earlY more Íew a records, shows. A Íew more dates, and then the DorseY Brothers teamed up again. It lasted Íor two Years' ó" tfr. niôht oÍ November 26, 1956' thein §entimen[al Gent]eman oÍ Swing died his sleep.
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Duke Ellington and his son, composerarrcrnger Mercer Ellington, who took over band aÍter the death oÍ his Ídther.
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Though Duke Ellington's career paralleled that oÍ other Big Band leaders oÍ his time, it is impossible to evaluate him in the same context. Albert McCarthy said it beautifully in his book Biq Band Iazz (Putnam , 197 4): "lf one had to deÍend the biq band era, the Íact that it produced Duke Ellinqton would alone make further justiÍication unnecessary. "
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ianist, arranger, composer, song writer, bandleader, the musical careeroÍ this wann, urbane, genius oÍ a man spans over halÍ a century. It is a clear and simple Íact that Edward Kennedy Ellinqton is one oÍ the three or Íour most important Íigures in the history oÍ American music. Ín1924, after gigging around New York Íor a year or two, Ellington took over the direction oÍ The Washingtonians, a band led up until then by Elmer Snowden. Ellington was somewhqt reluctant to become a band leader: his ambition was to compose. Nevertheless, he accepted the job as a temporary commitment. It was to last Íor over 50 years! Despite a Íull career as a bandleader, Duke Ellinqton still managed to compose a body oÍ work egual in size to that oÍ the most proliÍic composêrs oÍ his time.ln 1923, working as a substitute pianist at the Poodle Dog CaÍe in Washington D.C., Ellinqton wrote his Íirst piece oÍ music, "Soda Fountain Rô9." It was to be Íollowed over the years 38
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by compositions and songs too numerous to list. Here is just a sampling: "l'm Begging To See the Light" "Satin Doll" "Perdido" "Jack the Beay'' "All Too Soon" "lust a-Settin' and a Rockin' t' "Rocks in My Bed" "ln a Mellowtoné" "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" "(ln My) Solitude" "Mood Indigo" "Azure" "Warm Valley" "The Gal From Joes" "The Flaming Sword" "Creole love Call" "l Let a Song Go Out oÍ My Heart' "Diminuendoin Blue" "Crescendo in Blue" "Reminiscing in Tempo" "Jump Íorloy" "C. Jam Blues" "Cotton Tail" "Squeeze Me" "lt Don't Mean a Thing, IÍ You Ain't Got That Swinç
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::-< Brown and Beige," I -:: SweetThunder," and r:::ast Suite." Ellington's bandspent :r ::s: Íour years working niqht clubs, :,r- :l,3ms and theaters in the New York r.:?3 socasionally playing gigs elseiM *.::e in the Northeast. The band's Íirst 'ç,-'::Ced sides durinq that period were "::": :nginal composiüons "Rainy Nights" :.- : lhoo-Choo," Then, on December ! '-127, ihe Duke Ellington Band
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.CMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
opened ai Harlem's Íamous Cotton Club. It was the real beginning, a residency that would last Íor three-and-a-halÍ years and launch him as an international celebrity. The Cottórr Club's magniÍicent all-black revues, with scores writien by well-known songwriters like Iimmy McHugh and DorothY Fields, made the Harlem sppakeasy Íàe place to be. Chic blue-bloods drove uptown in their Packard limos and Pierce Aruow coupes and mingled with tourisis, to see and be seen. Best oÍ all, it Íeatured Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. Suave, sophisticated and witty, the Duke would rise Írom behind his pure white grand piano as impeccably and expensively dressed as any oÍ the society patrons wildly applauding him. The ultimate musician was the consummate showman as well. The band, which PlaYed Íor shows and dancing, Íeatured exoüc music that reÍlected the pseudo-AÍrican motiÍ oÍ the club. "lungle Nights in Harlêm," "Arabian Lover," and Elling39
Ellinqton leÍt the Coüon
Clubin February, 193I, spending most oÍ ihe nexi two years in Boston and
CaliÍornia.In 1933, ihe band appeared at the Paramount Theater in New York, and shortly aÍter took oÍÍ Íor its Íirst
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Duke Ellington ton's other Cotton Club eÍÍorts remain today brilliant examples oÍ sophisticated, biq band iazz.They were unegualed in theirtime by anyone, with ihe possible exception oÍ the Fletcher Henderson Band.
R. L)ulexotica was not all the band was laying down at that time. The, Duke was playing and recording a wide variety oÍ music, much oÍ which would become part oÍ his standard repertoire, played and recorded down throuEh the years with ever-clianging orchestrations. "East St. Louis ToodleOo" and "Mood Indigo" are two early examples. 40
I
European tour. The audiences in Londor and Paris were Ínore than enthusiastic and the critics lavish with their praise. It was ihe ÍirsioÍ many such triumphs. As the swing era dawned, Ellinqton continued touring the couniry by train. Though he'd been around Íor a Íull decade, it was Benny Goodman who ushered in ihe Biq Band sound. Restrictions imposed upon black bands were certainly pari oÍ the reason Íor Ellington's lack oÍ mainstream popularity, but there was anoiher reason: The Duke Ellington Orchestra was unique. Ii stood apart Írom other bands oÍ the time in that it was the instrument oÍ a composer, music that made demands upon the attention oÍ the listener-and often bewildered the people who showed up to dance to it" Not that Ellington's band was incapable oÍ playing a more convenüonal set. . , they could, and on many occasions did, oÍÍering danceable ballads and swing pieces written by Ellinqion, Billy Strayhorn and others. (Ellingion, however, hardly ever Íeatured the popular tunes oÍ the day as all the other Big Bands did, rarely playing Porter, Gershwin, eic.) Ellington was an awesome Íigure io most musicians and bandleaders, many oÍ whom he inÍluenced. No orchesha, however, has ever successÍuly imitated the Ellington Band-itwould be impossible even with the scores in Íront oÍ them! Albert McCaflhy guotes Freddy Jenkins in Big Band lazz:"Did you know that Duke developed his own technique and siyle mainly by utilizing the band? He used to set us on the stand and pay us union scale, maybe Íor Íive hours, just to help him Íormulaie chords. He'd assign diÍÍerent notes to every instrument in the band and say-'Play that, B-a-a-am!'-and it miqht produce a bic C-13th, what we call a Christmas Chord. Then he'd take ihose same notes
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added: hours ,4:;::er time we worked Íive l.Hmq seven diÍÍerent relaüve keys' We 'r!* 1a : know what thai was all about at 1rÉ rrê, but }ater it was the intro to "St' ;,--s 3.ues," and it worked!" George Simon, inThe 3ç 3,:rds (Macmillan, 1967), quoies rtrffi,Lri rrôD AI Sears: "lt's not like any ::f:e: band where you just sit down and ,e,e:'ie parts. Here You sit down and ,e*: pay'ts and suddenlY Íind You're =e 1,r*l-= g something entirely diÍÍerent :rç:r- -*"hat ihe rest oÍ the band is playing. .'l i :.:: -oqical. You start at the beginning r: ::ã arrangement at letter'A' and go to me: 3' and then suddenlY, Íor no rrcÉÉ:a at all, when you get to letter'C' nrÊ :es: oÍ the band's playing something e;r*e '*rhich you Íind oui later on isn't rrír:3: s writien at'C' but what's written at '"" .:-read. And then on the next number, xs,:.aad oÍ starting at the ioP oÍ the rÍT3:gement at'4,'the entire band starts r ! -üat is, everYbodY excePt me. 3cç - nn the newesi man in the band and , :,-ren'i caught on to the system yet!" The Eilinqton band was ":rigue Íreedom and particihe in u,s: §Ê-:::l enjoyed bY its musicians. I:e -::ke listened to comments and F;i;jestions and no orchestration was :r=p-ete until everyone had their say ii*r::: possible changes. Ellington noi :::-l ieatured soloists, but actually built :rr:p,osiüons around them, as in -,*a-:ng Íor Love" (Lawrence Brown's r:r.b,cne), "Boy Meeis Horn" (Rex 3ns"*art's irumpet), "Clarinet Lament" 3-r::ey Bigard), and "Echoes oÍ F,::-err" (Cootie William' s trumpet). I:e:e were unÍorgettable solos bY :::::y Hodges, Billy StraYhorn, Ben 'rr,rri3r"1"r, Freddy Jenkins, and practically €.rÊt-r'oÍl€ else, including the Duke :r*.selÍ. Once heard, how can anYone :rrget Ray Nance's violin in "Black Er:-*-n and Beige?" OrJohnnY Hodges'
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§
COMPLETE HISTOBY OFTHE BIG BANDS
exguisite alto on the same recording? French critic Andre 20 devotetd Hodeir Pages to one Ellington recording, "Concerto For Cootie," in his book, Jazz,lts Evolution and Essenee (Grove Press, 1966), and had this io say: "'Concerto For Cootie' is a masterpiece because everything in it is pure; because it doesn't have ihat sliqht touch oÍ soÍtness which is enough to make so manY other deàerving records insipid. 'Concerto For Cootie' is a masterpiece because the musical substance oÍ it is so rich that not Íor one instant does the listener have an impression oÍ monotony.'Concerto For Cootie'is a masterPiece because it shows the game being played Íor all it is worth, withoui anYthing beinq held back, and because the game is won. We here a reo-/ concerto in which the orchestra is not a simple background, in which the soloist does not waste his time in technical acrobatics or in gratuitous eÍÍects. Both have something to say, they say it well, and what ihey say is beautilul. Finally, 'Concerto For Cootie' is a masierpiece because what the orchestra says is the indispensable complemeni to what ihe soloist says; because nothing is out oÍ place, or superÍluous in ii; and because the composition thus attains unity."
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oÍ what the particularly produced, Band Ellington Duke years 1939-1942, golden oÍ during its was beyond the talents and capaciües oÍ any other biq band' It was during this period ihat Jimmy Blanton, the Íirst oÍ the modem bass players, joined up, and Ben Websiey's tenor was added' But the most important new addition oÍ that period was Billy Strayhorn. Ellington and Strayhorn together, as collaborators and Íriends, sent the Ellinqion sound soaring to new heiqhts. - StraYhorn's orchestrations were some oÍ the loveliest music the band ever PlaYed' As a musician, one only has io listen to Strayhorn's duet with Ellinqton on "Drawing Room Blues" . . . As a composer, his "Lotus Blossom,"
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o "Passion Flower," "lnümacy oÍ the Blues," "AfterAll," "Day Dream," "Chelsea Bridge," and countless others speak Íor themselves . . . As a songwriter, his music and lyrics rivaled those oÍ Cole Porter. The big hit, oÍ course, wês "Take the A Train," but take time to listen again to ihe melodic line and lyrics to"Lush LiÍe" and "Something To Live For." Strayhorn, in an interview ÍorDown Beotmagazine, said: "lnspiration comes Írom the simplest kind oÍ thing, like watehing a bird Íly. Thaf s only the beginning. Then the work. Then you have to eit down and work, and it's hord." Despite the Íact that the band business Íell apart in the late Íorties, Ellinqton kept his group intactand, it is generally believed, covered the band's Íinancial losses during that period wiih his own personal ASCAP royalties. In later, and better, times, he was asked why, in the liqht oÍ his enormous composer's royalties, he bothered with the complex and strenuous activities involved in maintaining a big band. The Duke replied that he needed a band in order to hear how his compositions sounded! Another addition to the Ellington band was trumpeter Mercer Ellington, Duke's talented son, and a composer in his own right who over the years has coniributed many seores. Upon his Íathey's death in 1974, Mercer took over the responsibilities oÍ what is probably the most superb musical aggregation in America's history. His coniributions have been immense, Edward Kennedy Ellinqton, in his day, was received by Íour British sovereigns, embraced by a President oÍ the United States, and has received countless awards and honors Írom all parts oÍ the Íree world. He was America's Íoremost composer, his music the best portrait oÍ how we were and how we hope to be. fl 42
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he "Let's Dance" show nevertheless brought Goodman con. siderable recognition-and a date at the Grill Room oÍ the Hotel Roosevelt in Ne'rr, York. Both John Harnmond and Goodman's agent Willard Àlexander, were conÍident it would be a sure bet after the success oÍ the radio show. It wasn't. Patrons oÍ the Roosevelt stayed away in droves. The Grill Room was Guy Lombardo country-he'd been its resident bandieader since the year One-and Goodman's sound was a long way Írom "The Sweetest Musio This Side oÍ Heaven." On opening night, Benny Goodman was handed his two-weeks notice. The Roosevelt booking was not only a disasier Íor Goodman, but created problems Íor Willard Alexander with his bosses at MCÃ as well, MCA had decided a year or so earlier that they wanted a band to compete with the successÍul Casa Loma, and as Íar as they were concerned, this wasn't it. But with a golden ear and a vision oÍ the Íuture, Alexander hung in there, booking Goodman on a coast-to-coast series oí one-nighters and short engagements. By the üme the Goodman Band got to Los Angeles, its morale problem was severe. On the night oÍ August 2I, 1935, Benny Goodman opened at the PalomarBallroom in Hollywood, CaliÍomia. Itwas the end oÍ a iong, long road. For a halÍ hour or so, the band 44
played the kind oÍ musie that the bosses had insisted the public wanted to dance to. Then the boys said to hell with it and slid oui, Írom the bottom oÍ the stack, some dusty Fletcher Henderson charts. "lÍ we had to flop," said Benny Goodman, "at least I'd do it my own way, playing the music I wanted to!" The band busted loose and the swing era was launched. For the very Íirst time, the dancers crowded up to the bandstand and cheered, a phenomenon repeated night aÍter night in CaliÍornia, and later attheCongress Hotel in Goodman's hometown Chicago. The band, signed there Íor three weeks, was held over Íor eight months. The Kinq oÍ Swing marched triumphantly into New York in the Íall oÍ 1936, to play the Manhattan Room oÍ the Hotel Pennsylvania. He and his band gave a new Eeneration, sick io death oÍ the drab depression years, something they'd never had beÍore. They craved excitement, stimulation, and Goodman and his excellent musicians oÍÍered it with enihusiasm to spare. Benny Goodrnan was there-in the right place at the riqht time-swinging, hopeÍul, unpretentious and real.
Euai*, Metronome magazine's swing band poll had rated Benny Goodman the most popular band in the country. Willand Alexander had been vindicated: Goodman outclassed Casa Loma by more than two to one. When Goodman open the ed at Pennsylvania, Gordon GriÍÍin and Ziggy Elman were already in the trumpet section. They were joined a Íew weeks later by tall, handsome Harry James, and the most outsianding trumpet team in the band business was born. It was perÍection-precise and graceÍul- with a strong, hard-driving lead shared by all three men on a rotation basis. It was this, the Benny Goodman Brass, that made the band instantly recognizable to any swing Ían. From the Hotel Pennsylvania, Goodman went into the
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Paramount Theater Íor the Íirst time' The kids lined up at dawn Íor tickets and danced wildlY in the aisles, cheering their heads oÍÍ. The band cooked, responding to the joYÍul hysteria oÍ their young, swing-crazed Íans. it was to be like that Íor a long time. The Kinq oÍ Swing was born in Chicago, in 1909' At 12 he began io study clarinet under Franz SchoepP, a Íamous teacher who had also worked with Buster BaileY and many others who were to become memorable on this insirument' Goodman joined the Chicago Local oÍ the musicians' union a short time after his bar-miizvah at 13. His Íamily was poor and he needed to turn his musical talents into cash. BeÍore he turned I5, he met Bix Beiderbecke while working on a Riverboat, and Íor the next two years or so, gigged around with the bands of Arnold Johnson and Art Kassel.
COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
In Hear Me Talkin To Ya,by Nat HentoÍÍ and Nat Shapiro, jazz trumpeterlimmy McPartland is quoted: "lt was during Prohibition . .. I went to work at Tancil's and ihe guY says, 'l got a little kid clarinet player coming out tomorrow night to sit in with the band. He's too young to hire. Well, it turned out the little kid was Benny Goodman-age ÍiÍteen at most. And I thouqhi to myselÍ, 'This lütle punk plays clarinet? He's too small to blow it.'The little punk chmbed up on the stand and got his horn ready' Then he played "Rose oÍthe Rio Grande," which is a hard tune-l mean the changes Íor those days were diÍÍicult. This little monkey played aboui sixteen choruses oÍ "Rose" and I just sat there with my mouth open. Benny blew the hell out oÍ that clarinet and I almost died hearing him do it, ..." In Aususi oÍ 1925, Goodman leÍt Chicaqo and ioined the great Ben Pollack Band at the Venice Ballroom in Los Angeles. He was 16 years old. He worked intermittantly with Pollack until 1927, when he Íinally joined on a permanent basis' Goodman guit Pollack in 1929 to spend a Íew months with Red Nichols. From there it was Íreelancing in New York, record sessions, BroadwaY Pit bands and radio shows.ln 1932, he put together his Íirst band, a group to accompany singer Russ Columbo. What he really wanted was to organize and ]ead a biq band, an unümelY venture riqht at the heigh't oÍ the depression. Less than a year and a halÍ later, at the age oÍ25, he had it.
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record sessions Íor Columbia in 1934, produced little oÍ noie. The band hadn't Íound its own style yet and there was little oÍ what we now associate with the Goodman sound in such recordings as "Cokey" and "Lonesome Nights." During the "Let's Dance" radio show, Goodman spent time, eÍÍort and money honing the band to a Íine edge and, most importantly, commissioned Fletcher Henderson to write arrangements Íor it. 45
-
Henderson, credited by many critics Íor having "invênted,, swing, was responsible Íor setting the Goodman style, a sound that was to sustain the band throuqh the decade. Àn RCA Victor recording contract was signed soon aÍter, and that initial session produced the first magniÍicent sides thatwould propel Benny Goodman to stardom: "King porter Stomp," "Sometimes I'm Happy," and "Blue Skies." They were solid, uncomplicated, swinging Henderson arrangements with beauüÍul solos by Goodman and Bunny Berigan, propelled nicely by Gene Krupa. Àt a New york pady beÍore the band's Íirst tour, Gooà*un met a young black pianist named Teddy Wilson. That meeting resulted in the Íirst oÍ the Goodman small-group recordings oÍ The Benny Goodman Trio-Goodman, Krupa, and Wilson. That first session produced these classics oÍ pure, perÍectly artióulated jazz: "Body and Soul," "After you,ve Gone," "Someday Sweetheart," and "'Who." Teddy Wilson didn't go on the road with the band, but joined them later at the Congress Hotel date in Chicago. It was the first instance oÍ a black musician playing publicly with a white name band and the public reacted enthusiastically. Teddy Wilson became a Goodman regular. in 1936, acting on a suggestion by lohn Hammond, Goodman wentto heara drummer named Lionel Hampton, then working with the Les Hite Band. Hampton also played vibraharp, and aÍter listening to him íor just a Íew minutes, Goodman signed him on the spot. The trio became a quartette, its initial recordings "Moonglow," "Vibraharp Blues," and "Dinah." Guitarist Charlie Christian, one oÍ the greatest oÍ all jazz artists, made it a guintette in 1940, and with the addition oÍ trumpeter Cootie Williams, it was a sextette.
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The Benny Goodman small groups were an integral part oÍ any perÍormance, alternaüng with the Íull band and usually accounting Íor about a third ol the program. There were Íans who appreciated these groups more than the larger aggregation and critics whc took them more seriously. There is no doubt that the small groups wêre lnore than an adjunct to the Benny Goodman Band. They stood on thàir own and produced some oÍ the Íinest jazz ever recorded.
The Benny Goodmar Band was Íeatured in its Íirst movie, The Big Brcadcost oí lg3Z, and was subseguenily rewarded with its own sponsored coast-to-coast radio show, "The Camel Caravan," until 1940 when Bob Crosby's band replaced them. Atg:30 pM, Sunday, January 16, 1938, Sol Hurok p."r.ri.. to a Íull house at New York's Carnegie Hall, the Íirsl jazzconcert that had ever graced iis disünguished auditorium. The concert, billed as "Bênny Goodman and his Swinq Orchestra," is history. George Simon, reviewing the coneert Íot Metronome magazine, had this to say in his long and ecstatic review about the band's perÍormance oÍ "Sing Sing Sing:"
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"... Gene, hanging on Íor dear liÍe by now, that tom-tom-tomming the began started'Sing Sing Sing.'Iiwas the occasion Íor a wild outburst Írom the audience' AÍter manY choruses, the band began to build to a climax' As it did so, one kid aÍter another commenced to create a hew dance, trucking and shagging while sitting down. Older, penguin-looking men, in traditional boxes on the sides went them one better and proceeded to shag standing up' Finally Benny and Gene alone-just clarinet and drums-hit the musical highliqht oÍ the concert with both oÍ them playing stupendous siuÍÍ' Came the Íull band, and then suddenly soÍt, church music lrom ]ess Stacy at the piano.Itwas a wonderÍul contrast' BennY started to laugh. EverybodY started to lauqh! And then everybody started to applaud, stamp, cheer, yell, as the band went into the number's Íinal outburst. And long aÍter it was comPleted, ihey kePt on Yelling'" BennY Goodman's Íirst important vocalist was Helen Ward, a sexY ladY and a Íine musician who sang with a warm iazz style' When she leÍt to get married, BennY borrowed Ella Fitzqerald lrom Chick Webb Íor a short time. Ella made a Íew records with the band, the most ouistanding being "Goodnight MY Love'" AÍter a Íew try-outs, BennY Íound Martha Tilton. "Liltin" Martha Tilton, a beautiÍul blonde singer with a disposition as charming as her voice, Íii the band like a glove' She staYed on until the summer oÍ 1939, when she was replaced by Louise Tobin, Harry ]ames' wiÍe. AÍter her departure and a short THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
interlude during which the band Íeatured the marvelous ialents oÍ Mildred Bailey, the great Helen Forrest stepped into the picture, translerred Írom Artie Shaw's band. One oÍ the mosi proÍessional oÍ the band singers, she ieft late in 194I, A Young, radianf and very neÍvous newcomer named Pessy Lee was hired to replace her' Any description oÍ Miss Lee's talents would be redundant at this point, but during her Íirst engagemeni with the band, no one heard her! She wa§ so shaken with her good Íortune that when she oPened her mouth to sing, nothing came out-not a sound!
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Goodman qood Íeatured He was a star maker. the within them, musicians and allowed chosen musical Íormat, considerable Íreedom. There was Harry lames, whose hard, Ílying solos carried him to Íame " ' Ziqqy Elman, whose liltinq jazz style drawn Írom his Yiddish background broughi the house down .. ' Gene KruPa, a wildlY swinging showman who drove the Íans up the wall and made his name sYnonYmous with drums . . . Teddy Wilson, whose lyricism and chording on the piano inlluenced counfless more musicians '.. Lionel Hampton, an energetic swinger still knocking them dead "'Peqgy Lee, one oÍ the best voices in the business . " and many others. In addition to his band career, BennY Goodman was notable as a concert musician. He was Íeatured Íor many years with the BudaPest String Quartette, and he played with a number oÍ symphonY orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic' The Goodman sound transition in complete a underwent in 194I, brought about Part bY the addition oÍ arranger Eddie Sauter. It . was a Íresh, new approach that made use oÍ harmonic and contraPuntal ideas practically no one, including Benny, had ever used beÍore' The Biq Band Era would ne\rer have been.big without Benny Goodman. He remains the King oÍ Swinq' E 47
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voealíst he ever hired, sãng on many oÍ the sides and his voeals were to become an integral Part oÍ all the I{erman bands, The Íirst two Years were rougi:.ln Houston, Texas, the manager oÍ the Rice Hotel sent a note that said, "You will kindly stop singing and playing those nigger blues!" At Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook, the PaY Íor 16 men was $600 a week. But Herrnan, tough and stubborn, staYed with it, using his brilliant brass section as a Íiring sguad Íor any harrassment that came his way. Then, in 1939, Woody recorded a Joe Bishop original called "Woodchoppers' Ball" and all hell broke loose!Based on a simple blues riÍÍ, the rollicking record ]anded on all the charts, right up ihere in the rareÍied reaches oÍ Big Band Heaven along with six or seven oihers' From that point on, the band really cookedatThe Glen Island Casino, The New Yorker, The Sherman's Panther Room, and at 52nd Street's Famous Door. 49
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had a smash hit on their hands' The band was Íeatured in a number oÍ movies with Sonia Henie and The Àndrews Sisters, Whatts Cookin? and Summer HolidoY among them' When musicians became a scarce commodity during the wêryears, Herman usuallY had Íirst pickings. Always Ílexible, willing to ride with the mood oÍ the band, he is thought oÍ aÍÍecüonately bv just about everyone who ever worked Íor him' George Simon guotes drummer iack Hanna inThe Big Bands: "" ' It's always interesting and exciting Íor us' I{ a man's reallY blo.wing, WoodY doesn't stoP him after eight bars because the arrangement says so' He lets him keeP on wailing'" During the recording early 1944, Herman and 1943 oÍ strike GI's, earlY the Íor Discs made V solid numbers rousing, versions oÍ such "Your Father's as "Northwest Passage," "CaleMustache," "APPle HoneY," donia" and "Goosey Gander." It wasn't until 1945 that Columbia got around to recording them commercially' They were all hiis. The Herman Band recording ban wiih a the Írom emerged name-The new a new sound and called The to be Herman Herd, later First Herd. Gone were the blues and the Dixieland inÍluence. There was a new, gutsy rhythm section composed oÍ Dave Touqh on drums, ChubbY Iackson on bass, Billy Bauer on guitar, and Ralph Bums on Piano. in terms oÍ talent, a better secüon couldn't be Íound in the industry; in terms oÍ beat, it was massive! The Herman Herd landed a radio show sPonsored bY Wildroot and the band was winning an impressive number oÍ popularity polls ín Down BeaL Metronome and Esguire magazines. 50
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has oÍten conÍessed the debt he owes to Duke Ellington, the band that
impressed him more than any other' At onã point he even hired some Ellington sidemen Íor a recording date-iohnny Hodges, Ray Nance, Ben Webster and Iuan Tizol. The session produced some great sides, including "Basie's Éasement" and "Perdido." In the Íorües, Herman commissioned Dave Matthews, who wrote in ihe Ellinqton mode, to do some arranging. And in 1955, Herman recorded "I Remember Duke'" Thouqh a good deal oÍ the Herman sound has obviously been Ellington inÍluenced, the Herman bands have always retained their own distinctive styles. Arrangers Ralph ' Burns, Neal HeÍti, Nat Pierce, Bob Hammer, Urbie Green, and even DizzY Gillespie made their contributions over the years. One oÍ the most notable writers was composer Igor Stravinsky, who wrote "EbonY Concetto" speciÍically Íor Herman. It was perÍormed bY ihe WoodY Herman Órchestra, Stravinsky conducting, at Carnegie Hall in the spring oÍ 1946' The First Herd disbanded along with so manY oiher big bands in 1946. WoodY Herman, well oÍÍ now, bought the Bogart Home in Hollywood, and tried to settle down to a liÍe oÍ ease and golÍ' No soap. He was back with another herd less than a year later. It swung, but with a diÍÍerent beat and an incredible new reed section, including Iimmy GuiÍÍre, Stan Gelz,ZoolSims, Herbie Steward and Serge ChalolÍ. A third herd Íollowed' Its bop overtones inÍluenced bY DizzY Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Lester Young, and we're still countinq' Woody Herman's clarinei was and still is, lyrical and swinging' He has always managed to adapt his solo playing to the era and the stYle oÍ his band, a soaring, straight Íorward sound that's still qoing strong' fl
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THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
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D JJ..,r,y Goodman hired Harry James oui oÍ the old Ben Pollack Orchestra in December, 1936. Harry was a iall, handsome youngster oÍ 20 and had been gigging around with dance bands Íor just about seven years. Alonq with Ziqqy Ehnan and
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Sugar Food StomP" constitute an ::nportant part oÍ jazz history. In IanuarY oÍ 1939, :{arry ]ames set out on his own with 'loth a blessing and a cash investment :rcm the King oÍ Swing. The Íollowing nonth the brand-new HarrY ]ames 3and opened at the Benjamin Franklin :{otel in Philadelphia. The transition :rcm sideman to bandleader was quite :apid, with llttle time Íor rehearsal' lhouqh the band sounded a bit rough around the edges, Íine arrangements by Andy Gibson, solid drumming bY Ralph Hawkins, and the gorgeous, Cisciplined lead sax oÍ Dave Matthews helped to hold it all together-with, oÍ 3ourse, the brilliant Harry Iames :rumpet. Both the critics and the public were enthusiastic. The band swung liqhtly in Philly, as reguested bv the :nanagement. (ManY hotels were :lervous about "loud," Íast-tempoed :nusic, maintaining that their sophisticated clientele was too conservative Íor such low-brow goings-on.) The ]ames aggregation, on some nighis, managed to bust loose during the last Íew sets anyway! As time went on, the balance swung to more ballads and less jazz, The Harry Iames philosophy was to play Íor the dancers. "VÍe're emphasizinq middle tempos, they can swing just as much and theY're certainly morê danceable." HarrY's :ormula worked well Íor him. By L942, àe band was getting as much as $12,500 Íor a one-night stand, and its :ecord sales were soaring. One night in June 1939, Mrs. Louise James (vocalist Louise Tobin), relaxing with her nusband Harry in their hotel room aÍter àe last show at the Paramount, Cirected Harry's attention to a boY singer at that moment vocalizing with i{arold Arden's band on a WNEW :adio remote Írom The Rustic Cabin in Englewood, New lersey. Harry listened, '*as impressed, but missed the boY's name. Late the Íollowing night, aÍter his iast show, Harry scooted out to
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COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE BIG BANDS
Englewood to hear the kid in person. It was Frank Sinatra. He was working as the MC Íorthe club, and crooning a Íew ballads durinE the course oÍ the evening. Harry lisiened one more üme and signed him up. His one suEgestion was to get the Younger singerto change his name, maintaininq that no one could possibly remember "Sinatra." Frank what's-hisname pointed outthat he had a cousin named Ray Sinatra whose name wa§ quite well-known in Boston as a bandIeader, and what worked Íor Ray would work Íor him.
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i.rutru', Íirsi recording as the band's new vocalist was made in Iuly. "From The Bottom OÍ Mv Heart" was a sweet ballad, but there was little oÍ the Íuture Sinatra in evidence. The taste was there, as was the grace and delicacy oÍ tone, but the young §inger had yet to develop the zestÍul precision and superb timing that would rocket him to Íame with TommY DorseY. James and Sinatra got along Íamously and became Íast Íriends. Iames was supportive, Íor in those Íirst days Frank needed encouragement. Within a Íew short weeks, Sinatra became one oÍ the mainsiays oÍ the band. SPecial arrangements were written Íorhim by Jack Matthias and Harry's straightÍorward horn contrasted nicely with Frank s soÍledged phrasing' The Íirst hit was "On A Little Street In Singapore." Two other recordings, probably the best that Sinatra and James cut together, were not to be hits until they were re-released during the war years: "She's Funny That WaY" and "All Or Nothins At All." Though instrumentals didn't make up the bulk oÍ the James book, they were nevertheiess very much in evidence. When the band swungr it swung well, with good musicianship and solid ensemble work. It cooked on "Feet Draggin Blues," "King Porter Stomp," "Flôsh," and "Two O'Clocklump," a version oÍ Basie's 53
and Goodman's "One O'ClockJump" with the addition of a Íinal descending brass riÍí that could shatter the champasn" nnrillour rinsside tabte.
I lurrv Iames was, along with many oÍ his peers in the band business, an inveterate baseball Ían. The James band Íielded one of the best teams in the Biq Band league, and it was rumored that before he'd hire a musician, he'd Íirst check him out as a ball player. Whether or not that was true, a goodly number oÍ James sidemen always looked as iÍ they spent most oÍ their time working out at the Y. The band began to Íall on hard times. At a Los Angeles restaurant called Victor Hugo's, the management complained oÍ their loudness and reÍused to pay them. Nancy Sinatra spent many a night cooking spaghetti Íor a large number oÍ hungry, broke musicians. It was in Chicago, where Tommy Dorsey was working at the Palmer House, and James at the Sherman, that Dorsey heard about the skinny singer with Harry James. He made an oÍÍer, Sinatra talked itover with his Íriend and employer, and with almost six months still to go on his contract, James released him. It was a true act oÍ Íriendship. James is guoted by "Frank George Simon: still kids about honoring our deal. He'll drop in to hear the band and say something like, 'O'k boss'-he still calls me'boss'-'l'm ready any time. Just call me, and I'll be right there on the stand.' " The Íuture looked grim Íor the James band. Sinatra was replaced with Dick Haymes, one oÍ the best male vocalists oÍ the Biq Band days. James took him into Roseland, and things started to pick up again. The James band by early 1940 was swinging a lütle more than usual, when HarryJames began thinking about sirings. 54
A high-swinging band, he maintained, just couidn't make it in the hotels, and James wanted to do more than just ballroom dates. A string section was added in the Íall oÍ lg4l, and in May oÍ that year, Harry Iames, a Judy Garland Ían, recorded "You Made Me Love You." It was beautiÍul, wideopen schmaltz and it sold a million. Harry James's Íinancial troubles were over. The band was a hit. A little later, James added something even more important-singer Helen Forrest, who had just leÍt Benny Goodman. From then on, unül 1946, it was one best-selling record aÍter another, the best dates and the best money. Though the swing Íans were deserting him, Harry James was breaking attendance records coast to coast. A parüal listing oÍ hit records should suÍÍice: "He's My Guy," "But Not For Me," "He's 1-A in the Army and A-1 in My Hea4" "i Had the Craziest Dream," "Make Love To Me," "Skylark," "l Cried For You," "I've Heard That Sonq BeÍore," and the biggest hit oÍ all, "l Don't Want To Walk
WithoutYou." Harry James made a Íew movies in Hollywood, w}ere he met and married Betty Grable in 1943. Things continued going well until late L946, when the death knell was sounded Íor the band business. Harry James, along with Goodman and many others, disbanded. Then, surprise oÍ surprises, Harry James was back less than six months laterwith a new, swinging band. This time itwas jazz, and Harry cut his prices and even took on one-nighters. Later, there were arrangements by Neal HeÍti, which gave the band a Basie orientation. HarryJames was wailing again and so was his band. It continues. Harry ]ames has been committed to the Big Band sound since the ÍiÍties and is one oÍ the very íew who have managed to keep the swing tradition alive. EI
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Frank Düggs Cclieciion
0EilE rrnuPl Gene Krupa was a perfect symbol oÍ the Biq Band Era. Even today his name is, Íor many people, synonymous with Swing. For Krupa was the handsome, young, gum-chewing showman-jet black hair wildly disheveled, bow tie askew, perspiration staining through hÍs heavy white dress iacket-grinning, pleaseel with what he was doing and pleased with the hiqh spirits he elicited Írom his audÍence. He always seemed exhilerated, always intensely qlad to be there. He was not the greatest drummer in the world, but he was, beyond any doubt, the most enthusiastic.
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1938, KruPa was the star oÍ ihe BennY ãÃã*uoband. Within the context oÍ the band, he ProbablY had a greater ÍollowinE than the King oÍ Swing himselÍ. No audience cheered Goodman's solos as loudlY as theY KruPa's breaks' Gene KruPq "h""r.d ;;;;1"*.rr. No one (with the Possible exception oÍ the entire LunceÍord Éu.,d), could match his colorÍul Ílamboyance. The kids loved him' Teenaged girls in saddle shoes r*ào"áa and untold thousands oÍ boys ãtol their neighbors berserk as ihey " to emulate him.on creditattempted purchased Wurlitzer drum sets' There were rumors he and his boss that early in 1938 werán't seeing eYe to eYe, butitwas ,rt tfrit t uUle to critics and public alike that Krupa would ever leave his station ,p tfr.t.luhind the back line oÍ the oÍ ãooa*un Band' Then, on the stagejust a Philadelphia' the Earle Theater in Íamous Íew months aÍter Goodman's Carnegie Hall concert, an argument *itfigá""v took place in full view oÍ the paYing customers' On SaturdaY night' April 16, 1938, in the Marine Ballroom o., AUu"u" CitY's Steel Pier, The Gene ' Krupa Orchestra played its premier .rrqãq.*.ntbeÍore an audience oÍ 40ó0 imPassioned swing Íans' TheY hung Írom the rafters, shagged and. iÀ.ú.a and lindved and threatened to sink the Pier with their wild ã*n.rU.*ttce. The band responded- to their enthusiasm by playing one killerdiller aÍter another, blasting the house down while Krupa attacked with an onslauqht oÍ drumming that whipped it turt into a Írenzyl SoÍt-tempoed " were interspersed throughout Íor ballads breathing Purposes, sung bY an attractive young Billie Holiday imitator named ierry Kruger' A Íew weeks later, and BennY KruPa both Gene Goodman haPPened to be PlaYing ãates in Philacielphia' To show the-re ;;r;". hard Íeelinss, the KruPatoBand g.d the Goodman Band a
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game oÍ baseball' Final score: êoodman-l9, KruPa-7' A litle later, vocalist joined uP, and did some Irene DaYe wort on recordings oÍ "Dry*. nice 'fooqi.," "sweetheart, Honey'-Darling' new ó;;" and "Drummin Man'" AIso were to the band at about that üme Sam Sherock' ShortY 3u* ú"tiLer, Cornelius' óo.ruhrr. and CorkY In 1938' Leo Watson with-ihe recorded some scat numbers oÍ the ia;;" Band, amons them oneever' singing best examPles ol scat "Tutti Frutti." GenerallY speaking' the band's Personal appearances swung Íar better thanits Mucrr o1 K"-'Pu't recorded 1938 and 1940 ""ip"tbetrreen ã."--.a to be PlaYing it saÍe' with ãárrrla.tuule àmphasis on commercial pop tunes PIaYed in a less than ãitii"q"itúed manner' Nevertheless' ihere were enouqh qood swinging sounds to assure the Íans that tá*ethi"g was happening out they he and KruPa could still swing when recordings *à"tua io. Some oÍ the best "Apurksody" during those years were PIus the aK;;É' spellàd backwards'with some iutt tvttuUte oÍ'rhapsody')' Sam man ii"" .tro work bY tenor ii;;;h;", "WireBrush StomP" and 'C;l.to AtThe SavoY," Íeaturin-g Gene's exPressive drumming; D9!a"Quiet and Roll hue's arrangement oÍ 'em" with suPerb ensemble saxoohon., and good solo workbY ãiàti".titt Sam Musiker; "The Sergeant úã, Sfrv," Írom an Ellington original' feai"ti"ô the Rex Stewart-like humpet Cornelius; and "Who"' with its "fêátf.v á*frl.rátitg chase between Clint íí"ànr.r't álto and Sam Donahue's
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In 1941, singer Anita O'DaY and trumPeter RoY.Eldridge provided the stimulaüon the band was in s,r"h desPerate need oÍ' and it oropelled it to a level oÍ populari§ irud- r.".t realized beÍore' Anita O'DaY was one oÍ jazz singers iust a handÍul'oÍ authentic
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working with biq bands at the time' A hip personality who Íit in perÍectly with ihe band, she even wore her own version oÍ ihe band uniÍorm instead oÍ the standard evening dress' She was a distinct personality, a musician" In KruPa's words: "She was a wild chick all right but how she could sing!" Roy Eldridge was aPd greatest oÍ the trumpet the still is one oÍ has always who players, the rare artist been ahead oÍ his time, an innovator who has never stoPPed growing' His solo Passages on the Gene KruPa t""ordit gt oÍ the time are breathtakinq' Gene,long a RoY Eldridge Ían' was overioYed at his good Íoriune in acguiring RôY Íor ihe band' It was Eldridse's idea, despite the Íact that he had a ÍairlY successÍul group oÍ his own at that time. For about two Years, Íeaiuring RoY and Band, the KruPa Anita, made some oÍ the best recordings oÍ the Biq Band Era' Anita created fine vocals out oÍ "Georgia On My Mind," "Thanks Íor the Boogie Ride," "Murder He SaYs," and a swinging, Plainüve melodY, "That's What You Thinh" with phrasing akin to Eldridge's trumPet' THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
oy's solo horn was Íastextremely the in sensational "AÍter You've oÍ tempoed recording "Rockin Chair," Gone" and brilliant in a cheÍ d'oeuvre oÍ'the trumpet on the scale oÍ Berigan's "l Can't Get Siarted'" The session Íor "Rockin Chair" was a particularly diÍÍiculi one, with innumerable takes. That night, the band was playing at The Pennsylvania, in New York, and as Gene KruPa tells it, Roy was PlaYinqi"Rockin Chair" again, but this time with big tears in his eyes. When RoY ÍinallY Iowered his horn, aÍter ÍluÍÍinq the iast Íew notes, Krupa was shocked to see the trumpet player's lip looking like raw hamburger. Eldridqe and O'DaY verY PoPular some on collaborated "Green EYes" and sides, among them "Let Me OIÍ the biqgest hit oÍ all, Uptown." UnÍortunateiy, despite their musical comPatibiiitY, the two developed.personal problems between them, and the ill Íeelinq they expressed toward one anoiher began to aÍÍect the morale oÍ the entire band.ln earlY 1943, the problem was solved when Anita leÍt to get married. 59
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In May oÍ 1943, Gene Krupa was busted on a marijuana possession chargre, a very serious offense in those days. AÍter a Íew weeks in jail, the charge against him was dropped due to the recantation oÍ testimony oÍ the main witness Íor the pncsecuüon. Krupa, instead oÍ r returning to his big band, studied harmony and composiiion, then returned to Benny Goodman Íor a Íew monüs, and after that joined Tommy Dorsey. (He appeared unannounced on stage withTommy's band at NY's Paramount, and the surprised audience cheened themselves hoarse.) After a Íew weeks with Dorsey, Krupa once again Íormed his own band. He hied to emulate Dorsey's outÍit oÍ the üme, by installing a large string secüon. (The less said about the Krupa band oÍ that period, the better. As George T. Simon put it "Horace Heidt would have loved him.") AÍter a while the Íiddles went, and Krupa once again was swinging. The Íirst major eÍÍort was a recondinq oÍ Eddie Finckel's "Leave Us Leap," and Gene once more was oÍÍ and running. .A"s time wenton, Anita O'Day rejoined, then other young and brilliant musicians, including Charlie Ventura, Red Rodney, Don Fagerquist, Teddy Napoleon, and singer Dave Lambert soon to be oÍ Lambert, Hendrix and Ross. The new band was very modern and bop influenced. It did well. One oÍ the mostimpodantadditions was a young Philadelphian named Gerry Mulligan, whose innovative arrangements gave mor€ than just a hint oÍ the Íufure. .rurur=.
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Krupa, oespite his wildly colorÍul persona behind the drums, was a sober and rcsponsible leader, well-liked and respected by all who knew him. His conhibution to the S ^ wing Era was immense, Àfter giving up his biq band in 1951, because oÍ ill health, Krupa Íormed a school oÍ drumming with Cozy Cole. Later, in 1959, he was played by Sal Mineo in a biographical Íilm, The Gene Krupo Story in which he played the drums Íor the soundtrack. fI 60
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During its goiden years, the Jimmie Lunceford Band was the most populár band in Harlem. Its spirit was infectious, no one could ãturra motionless in its presence. The LunceÍorC elan communicated a Íeeling oÍ good will and rollicking Íun' It was a robust band that always souncled as iÍ it were enjoying itself. it was arranger Sy Oliver's contention that the sum total oÍ the band was at least twice as good as the sum oÍ its parts-its spirit drove it to play well over its head. THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE BIG BANDS
61
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or an example oÍ the contagious LunceÍord guality beÍore a live audience, one could go back to a November evening in 1940, to New York's Manhattan Center, where Mortin Block's Morathon of the Big Bandslook place. The "contesf included swing bands and sweet bands and all ihe caiegories in between. Present were the bands oÍ GIen Gray, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Guy Lombardo, Les Brown, Count Basie, and,22 others! Each group was alioted 15 minutes playing time beÍore a crowd numbering over 6000. The proceedings began at eight PM and ended ihe next morning aÍter Íour. When the Iimmy Lunceford Band ascended the siage, it received a greeting no less Íervent than that oÍ any other band. Things changed, however, beÍore the end oÍ the Íirst number. The crowd weni wild. When LunceÍord's alloted time was used up, an hysterical audience reÍused to let the band leave the stage. They stomped and shouted Íor more, upsetting the schedule and Íorcing Iimmie's men to play encores. OÍ the 28 bands perÍorming that night, only tunceÍord's stopped the show. Iimme LunceÍord was born on June 6th, L9O2, in Fulton, Missouri. While in hiqh school in Denver, Colorado, he studied music with Paul Whiteman's Íather, the wellknown teacher, WilberÍorce J. Whiteman. Later, LunceÍord received a BA in music Írom Fisk Universi§ and went on to New York to do postgraduate work at CCNY" During his Íree time ofÍ campus, he worked with Elmer Snowden's band and wiih the well-known Wilbur Sweatman.
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In ihe mid-twenties, Jimmie LunceÍord Íormed a student band while teaching music ai Manassa Hiqh School in Memphis. During the summer recesses, the school band played many dates in the area, ranging Íurther Írom its Memphis home base each year. In December oll927, The Jimmie LunceÍord Manassa High 62
School Band had its Íirst recording date. The session produced sides:
"Memphis Rag" and "Chicksaw Stomp." The record drew no critical acclaim, but is notable Íor the Íact that two musicians, bassist Moses Allen and drummerlimmy CrawÍord, were on the daie. Both men were to continue on with LunceÍord through the thirties. AÍter a while, three oÍ Írom Fisk ioined schoolmates Iimmy's Willy saxophonist them, alto up. Two oÍ were Smith and pianisi Edwin Wilcox, also to be around Íor a long time. In the summer oÍ was made Íor the the decision L929, band to become a Íulllime proÍessional outÍit.
B,
1e2e they had popularity, but achieved some local despite a Íew summers in Lakeside, Ohio, and a regular radio show over a Memphis station, the LunceÍord men had some rough times on the road. Things got a little better when the band established itselÍ in BuÍÍalo, New York, where Íor a short time Jonah Jones sat in the brass section. Then in 1933, The ]immie Lunceford Orchestra arrived in New York. After a Íew months oÍ theater dates and touring in the area, it opened at The Cotton Club in Ianuary oÍ 1934. It was a long and successÍul engagement and paid oÍÍ in the publicity and exposure the band needed. From then on it was upward and onward. Any discussion oÍ the LunceÍord band must also deal with iis chieÍ arranger, Sy Oliver. Oliver, one oÍ the great arrangers oÍ the Swing Era, wrote his Íirst orchestrations Íor the Zack White band Íorwhom he played trumpet.ln a relaiively short time, he heard a rehearsal and, impressed with ihe precision oÍ the band, asked Jimmie iÍ he could try writing a Íew arrangements Íor him. LunceÍord gave hlm the nod and on receipt oÍ his initial eÍlort, oÍÍered him a job. Sy Oliver jurnped at the chance. The LunceÍord style hadn't jelled by 1933, but the seeds were there, planted in the
arrêngements oÍ Edwin Wilcox and Willy Smith. Sy's ideas were a perÍect alignment with what had gone beÍore. in a very short time he develoPed a style Íor the band that was to become iis total identity. Eschewing the {our-tothe-bar riÍÍ Íorm oÍ Basie, Oliver created a light, buoYant, two-beai swing. His arrangements, thouqh Íar more complex musically than either Basie's or Goodman's, seemed simPle and relaxed to the ear' Sy Oliver, who also sat in the trumpei secüon, turned them out as Íast as the band could recond them, one swinging romp aÍier another: "For Dancer's Only," "My Blue Heaven," "Organ Grinder's Swing," "swannee River," (recorded later by Tommy Dorsey, using essentially the same Oliver amangement), "Four or FiveTimes," "My Blue Heaven," "Dream OÍ You," "Lonesome Road," "I-elazzHot," and many others, including the band's biqgest all time hits, "Cheaün on Me" and "Tain't What you Do" ("...If s the WaY Hatcha Do It"). Critic Albert McCarthy, in his bookBrg Bond lozz, said: "ln Sy Oliver, the LunceÍord Band possessed an arrangêr oÍ genius, seemingly capable oÍ endless variations within the course oÍ a single score." Sy Oliver le{i the band in midsummer oÍ 1939, and was soon arranging ÍorTommY DorseY. He had become hiqhly valued as an arranger and in later years produced scores Íor many bands, including Billy May's and Sam Donahue's. In recent times he has been arranging Íor his own big band which is in residence Íor a good part oÍ ihe year at the RCA Buildinq's Rainbow Room in New York. lhere were other arrangers working with Iimmie LunceÍord, the most outstanding oÍ whom, in the early daYs, was Edwin Wilcox, LunceÍord's brilliant pianist. it was wilcox to whom sY oliver(and others) give credit Íor developing ihe beautiÍul sax ênsemble choruses unequaled bY anY otherband' .
AÍter SY OliverleÍt, Billy Moore took over the arranging T}IE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
chores, remaining, Íor the most part, within the Olivertradition. His biggest hit Íor the band was "What's Your Story Mornin' Glory," recorded in 1939. There was also, "lntermission RiÍÍ," "Belgium Stomp," and other numbers that indicated the band had been leÍt in good hands. DesPite the earlY problems and the long hard road to success, ihe band's morale was always hiqh.limmie LunceÍord was a stern disciplinarian and in the words oÍ Sy Oliver, like a teacherin a schoolroom. He was completely consistent, thereby providing a much needed Íeeling oÍ security to the men in the band. They, on the other hand, tooka great deal oÍ pride in their work, so much so that the various sections oÍ the band competed againstone another.lÍ someone in the sax secüon gooÍed, the men in the other sections would kid him about it and sometimes even stomp their Íeet on ihe bandstand in gleeÍul reproach' Iimmie evenh:ally Put a stop to it because he Íeli that it had a tendency to ruin the Íew remote broadcasts they managed to get.
C,
the road, the practical in reveled band LunceÍord good-natured banter. iokes and Everyone seemed to get along well, with no record ol deep conÍlicts or misunderstandings during the band's prime years (1936-1942). Such hiqh morale is nothing short oÍ amazing, considering thai the LunceÍord band was just about the lowest paid group oÍ men oÍ ali the big name bands. Ii also had one oÍ the more murderous schedules. Inl942, Íor examPle, the band played roughly 200 one-nighters, over 15 weeks oÍ theater dates, a Íourweek locaiion iob, and then topped it all oÍÍ with a two-week vacation without pay!The reason Íor ihe low salaries went back to those rough daYs when Iimmie needed investors to keep going. As things tumed out ihe band ended up in ihe Íinancial grasP oÍ a gentleman named Harold Oxley. Even Jimmie LunceÍord himselÍ waÉ on salary. n 63
"in the Mood'
sill0PH0llEs HaI MclntYre Tex Beneke
Wilbur Schwartz Stan Aaronson Bill Stagmire
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Ínat ouer bloul a nolo.
MUMPEII Bob Price Bob Barker IohnnY Austin IROMBOilET
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AI Mastren Lightnin Glenn Miller DNUMS
Bob Spangler
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ChummY MacGreggor
u0G0u$s Marion Hutton Ray Eberle Tex Beneke
In the spring oÍ 1939, men and women coast to coast began Íallinq in love with ê new music being broadcast almost every nighttn a remote Írom Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook, just outside Ná* York City. Not only were they Íalling in love with their radios, but a zurprising number oÍ them were also Íalling in love *iiú each other. Th e Miller Sound was responsible' It was the most romantic orchestral voicing since Strauss and Lehar. The Miller sound-soÍt, golden reeds, liquid velvet, backed by the crisp silk oÍ muted brassj*as probably responsibie Íor the Íinaiization oÍ án untold number oÍ marriage proposals and at least partially accountable, along with the entire Second World War, Íor the subseguent babY-boom.
(= \,7l.nt
Miller, a Íine amanger, began experimenüng while still working Íor Ray Noble. Finally, with his own band, he settled on a musicaldevice which, though simple, reguired a high order oÍ musicianship on the part oÍ rr his sax section. The sound thai was to
.' ' '
iet Glenn Miller to
stardom was the use o{ a Bthrough about brought an playing lead exactly Ílat clarinet line. octave above a second tenor lead The addition oÍ a ÍiÍth alto completed ;h. the Íormula. Miller organized his band earlY in ; ,- 1937, It was a long, rough joumey to the Meadowbrook, through two years oÍ hard luck and Írushation. Glenn, a sückler Íor musical proÍiciency, was on a tiqht budget and had a diÍÍicult time Íinding musicians who were even competent. There simply wasn't suÍÍicient money to hire more than a Íew sidemen experienced enough to play scores. Nevertheiess .".
Glenn Miller worked hard with what he had, a group consisting, Íor the most part, oÍ young, eager, but green rnusicians, whom he schooled Íor hours every day in a secondlloor walk-uP studio on Manhattan's West 54th Street. It was as iÍ he were drillinq a hiqh school dance band. The Íirst recording date ol 1937, required March in Íor Decca, the use oÍ a number oÍ outside, veteran musicians, all Íriends oÍ Miller's' Because he could not Íind a drummer who suited him, he asked his Pal, George T. Simon oí. Metronome magazine, to play drums on the date. Simon played well. The band was also augmented with the considerable talents oÍ Manny Klein, Charlie Spivak and Sterling Bose on trumPets, Dick McDonough on guitar and Howard Smith on piano. The session included "MoonlightBay" and "Peg o'MY Heart" out oÍ a total oÍ six sides that took three hours to record. Contrasi this to a record session a shod time ]ater at which only band regulars were used and it took Íive hours to cut only two sides! None oÍ these early recording sessions, however, produced anything characterisüc oÍ the later Glenn Miller Band' During its Íirsi two years, Murphy's law seemed to be governing the Íortunes oÍ the orchestra' Éverything that couldgo wrong did qo wncng. Few oÍ the PaYing customers cared lor the band. There were numerous breakdowns on the long, icy roads between winter one-nighters, Íor some oÍ which Glenn accepted as little as $200, just to keeP the band on ihe road and working. There were the usual personnel Problems and manY that were not so usual. Toughest oÍ all was Íinding the riqht musicians-there was an almost constani turnover. The biggest problem in that departmeni, and one ihatwas to Plague Glenn through this entire Period, was drummers. He was not to be haPPY until the spring oÍ 1938, when Bob Spangler ioined uP Íor a while.
N.r.*heless,
as
time went on, Glenn Miller did manage io acquire the services oÍ at least a handÍul oÍ top-notch sidemen. Into the Iold came the marvelous clarinetist Irving Fazola, an instrumentalist whose presence allowed Millerto use a clarinet lead on a regular basis Íor the Íirst time. (The Miller Sound was heard initially on a radio remote in the winteroÍ 193? from the Raymor Ballroom located "ln BeautiÍul, Metropolitan, Downtown Boston"). Then there was trumpeter Le9 Biegel, saxists Jerry Jerome and George Siravo, pianist Chummy McGregor, who was to be wiih Glenn Íoryears to come, and ihe lovely singing talents oÍ sexy Kitty Lane. DesPite the Partial but in ihe band's improvement imporiant io dog continued times personnel, hard he Miller. Things got so bad thai actually disbanded iemporarily in Ianuary oÍ 1938' He worked wiih Tommy Dorsey Íor a short time, ihen switched managers (to CY Shribman who handled Shaw and Herman), and prepared to start again'
É o o
t
Miller and drummer Moe Purtill. 66
oo
.lh:X}ili3"*o
.
incruded some holdovers Íromthe Previous group, plus Wilbur Schwartz, an extremelY ialented clarinetist, io replace Fazola, an exciting PhiladelPhia irumPet player named lohnnY Austin and a tenor plaYer and singer whose name would become sYnonomous with Miller's: Tex Beneke' As the boY vocalist, Glenn Miller hired Bob Eberle's brother RaY, who beÍore his iob with the Miller band, had never sung a note ProÍessionallY'
Miller switched Írom an emphasis on a two-beat stYle to Íour-to-the-bar. His appreciation oÍ the LunceÍord band was obviouslY responsible Íor his own early two-beat style, but now it was the Kid From Redbank-Count Basie-whom he admired. Like the Counf s band, Miller's swing dePended, to a large extent, on a Íour-beai riÍÍ approach' OÍ course, Miller was never as looselY swinging as Basie. The Miller band was tiqht and disciplined, concentraüng Íar more on Precise ensemble PlaYing than on solos and a Íree interpretation oÍ the music. Even Glenn Miller himselÍ didn'i solo very oÍten. For the most part, he conducied with his horn hanging loosely by his side. The Glenn Miller Band was a donceàond-one oÍ the best dance bands ihat ever blew a note. It played swing iunes and ballads meant to Please the majoritY oÍ Americans, music to dance and romance to.lts only serious rival was the TommY DorseY Orchestra'
and so depressing that the sidemen, uninspired and bored, Íound it impossible to shiÍi gears Íor their niqhtly radio remote. A number oÍ musicians quii, unable to stand it' One oÍ these was vocalisi Gail Reese, a severe loss to Glenn. Then a breakthrough: play the next season at to a contract the Glen Island Casino. An extended GIen Island date was valued bY every band in the indusiry.lts publicity value, exposure and radio remotes were worth theirweightin gold. New or struggling bands were oÍten willinq and eager io work there even at a Íinancial loss. Miller jumped at the opportunity. Meanwhile, an oÍÍer came Írom Frank Dailey Íor a Meadowbrook engagement that would Íill in the iime until the summer opening at the Glen Island Casino. Meadowbrook gave Glenn the time to whiP the band into shape and make the necessarY personnel changes' To Milley's delight, it was also the Place where drummer Moe Purtill, who had been sitting in Íor a Íew nights, decided to give uP his teaching and staY with the band. Glenn Íinally had the drummer he wanted.
L5tff$:iã':,1",
baurooms in rhe and a semi-regular gig at New York's Paradise Resiaurant, a BroadwaY niqhtclub thai catered especially to out-oÍ-town butter-and-egg men. The Glenn Miller Band PlaYed ihe Íloor shows, getting second billinq to a mickey-mouse outÍii called Freddy Fishey's SchnickelÍritzersl It was all quite demoralizing Íor ihe band' The Íloorshow music was dull and cornY
o ú
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J
Captain Glenn Miller :1{E COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE BIG BANDS
B
67
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BeÍore the Meadowhadhired brook oPening, Glenn Vincent Marion Hutton awaY Írom where she had been il"à, i:;;;; "r,#;;;lth her sister' the asPirins was a *àit" .,"r, Betty Hutton' Marion stYle-was H;;t;;;;ov *i'o'" Personal Íor ;;'tr't Miit"' bands Years
ü
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to come.
\7itt"'
haci also Ra.Y. plaYers' hired two ierriÍic trumpet ;"a giliv MaY' who and-qf so ;; il;õir"riie Barnei band Tf3n worked as an arranoer {i}er called tne a vocal guartette nir.a ' ^lüo-a"rrrui,es to compete wiih Dorsey's PoPular.record' ;ã ú;.. Thti' màst voic-e oÍ Tex the Íeatured which also "Chutut'oosa Choo
dil.*
"?T::"'
ffieiJ.íu. Choo"'
At this Point' reaiizing Miller decided'to it was now or never' additions' some expensive' maior make 'Éttã"tta changes in Personn"l' , . to-eisht iriãI;-"ãtht ú'utt secüon malol band oÍ men (the iargesi J u"v to Biú Fitttqut' was hired write arrangements' Late in 1938, Glenn on R§A'1 Milierbegan recording (35 cents each in.those ã'iJíãÍJ"r oi Fi""qu"'.'-"u11Y "11:1' Earlier, the i-u'rai,i1tf" Brown Jug," t!"*:: ü""a had recorded Miller's íüài"rtnr't Serenade"' with Frankie ist"t'i serenad e".on ü;ü,'-í';*t'' Later'sedurins the Glen side' #;ã; the Glen'n Miller island Casino sáason' "in uiqqest hii oÍ all' ilã;;;iáuait' snáw had'1::T"d ír.ãr'n."á:' lme turned it down out the tune earlier and it ran eisht il;;;"tdtns because lons io Íit on a ;t;;6 *"th too rhe Mood" was ;â;;;;;ord' "In riÍÍ that arranger üáti"uffv a catchy trouble reducins to a íitiittiràalittle 'iã"av size' The resultant recordlng best.I*ãtt", close to being-the time' all oÍ t.ún ZB rPm single
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il
Bv the end oÍ the GIen Miller Orchestra Isiand gig, The GIánn PoPularitY ;;ã ;Éiá;ed nationwide and-records' broadcasts its ii-"ãtt landed -Show' theY Towardtr'" ""Joi1939' and beÍore the ii.'cit"tttdielã olô theY were new Year was a week CaÍe Rouse oÍ ÍirmlY t"'"o"àáin the pt"itvtuunia' It was a total the Hotel two months oÍ success tto"y' fitt Íirst nishtlY at iô40 ;* the band workins the if." P"""t,1vania' dailY at ins and ir'ãut"'' re-hears ã;;;''"dio'show s weeklY
i;;"';;;t
broadcasti";
and Producing 30 recordlngs! 68
Ihe Year l94l saw Orchestra Glenn Mlller and His Sun in two motion pictures: {eaiured 'i;ü i"'en ad e and orc'h esÍro t;,;".";;;"ii, th" Year, RaYhisEberle boss' with leÍi aÍter an argument band the with Eberle's last records
ãHàãq
l
hit u"tt and most PoPular:
§.'.;;;inBlue and;*i ffii[,
Band 27' plaved iis last date on September Passaic' in íii'iããiir" Central Theater was oÍ a ir"ílãr.ãr.ít Íi"ãirecordins we Go Asain"' a ;;;;;1i;á "Here to say-the least' tiile ihat was prophetic Miller, too old to be commission in the drafted, accepted a Hjl--ü;nã'stãio a,*v Ai,I?1:' every prúti" statement read: "I' Iike an obligation to other American have lend as ,, ililii.íh;ioblisaüon istotowinning the ,irJir."ooort as I can me to sit b-ack Íor war. Ii is not t"ot'qh mere Íactthatl andbuY Uo"a' ' "the [ã". rráa the privilese oÍ exercisins aÍree iil" iài," to tive andwork as Position as *á" ó"tt me in the same Íor ii was the every man in uniÍorm' tr'" ãt*"cratic waY oÍ liÍe me to'make we have, that enabled ilã in ihe risht = direction'" óaptain Glenn Miller He was sell was good oÍÍicer màtttiul' adversitY' aoãirft"ta' able to dealawith great deal oÍ and had uf*uvt1f'"wn Íailed to
ilJ.;;"a
tro]'ever' he in the "uiÍitv' ãããã*oftth his initial mission tands throughout the service, to
ex;ffi;
""ãt" could PIaY various commands ihat music to ;;;thr* Írom marchins bureaucracY was i"rr.ín"Áit-Fo'""fti* a1$ he ended up iust too much íát Installation at Yale that Miller ü;i;;;;ú It was therethe ;;;"; to Put tosether huse
;iiJffi;;F;;"'
aggregation that would eventually go o.rãrc.ut with him. Glenn Miller selected his musicians Írom arnong ihose who took their basic training in Atlantic City' Throughoutthe spring oÍ 1943, the G.I' musicians arrived and settled in. Miller made his Íirst trumpeter, Zeke Zarchy, Íirst sergeant' Drummer RaY McKinleY was made tech sergeant. Also Írom ihe old band were arranger ierry Grey, trombonist Iim PriddY and bass man Trigger Albert. Next to show uP was Goodman alumnus Mel Powell, Pianist and arranger, who would prove invaluable jazz to the unit in heading uP the group. Draftees and enlistees Írom *u.ry oÍ the major name bands began Ílocking to New Haven' Soon there was a band, a verY big band, including a good part oÍ the Cleveland Symphonv siringsection. Captain Glenn Miller had Àis choice oÍ the best oÍ the best, and Uncle Sam was paying the Íreiqht' It wasn't long beÍore cadets were drilling in the Yale yard to the "Si. l,ouis Blues" and "Blues In The Niqhf ' played as marches' When the Commandant complained and ordered the Captain to play traditional Sousa marches, Miller countered by asking him iÍ the Air Force were also Ílyinq airplanes Írom the last war' He won his point. Early in 1943, the band participated in a scheduled radio series irom New York, sPonsored bY the recruitment senrice. It lasted about a year, during which time Miller pulled à.r.ty string he could grab hold oÍ in an attempt io gei his unit overseas' The strain showed. From time io time, ihe Captain was accused oÍ rank pulling with musicians he'd been close to Íor years. One such incident involved his àrder that all personnel shave oÍÍ their mustaches in order to ]ook more like soldiers. The order created some problems among the musiached horn fluy"t., aÍÍecting iheir embouchers, áausing them discomÍort and aÍÍecting their playing. Fortunately the Captain pulled his rank onlY rarelY In the sPring oÍ1944, Air Force Band ArmY Glenn Milley's went overseas. According to George T' IHE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
Simon, who was with the organization at ihe time, the band embarked Íor Enqland with the Íollowing personnel: 20 strinq players, Íive trumpets, Íour trombones (not including Glenn), one French horn, six reeds, two drummers, two pianists, two bassists, a guitarist, three arrangers, a copyist, Íive singers, two producers, an announcer, two administrators, two musical instrument repairmen, plus Warrant OÍÍicer'Paul Dudley and First Lieutenant Don Haynes, who had been Glenn's personal manager in his civiiian band days.
Mu,.,
Íound himselÍ
in London waiting Íor his requisitioned trucks. In order to get to work and also prevent ihe band Írom being decimated bybuzzbombs, he made a deal with the RAF to move the band to BedÍord' In exchange Miller played a concert Íor thém. For almost six months the band worked steadily at AAF bases and service camps uP and down the Briüsh Isles. TheY made several broadcasts dailY over the BBC, breaking the unit up into aiazz group, a dance band and a string orchestra' AÍter D DaY, Maior Glenn Miller began agitating to gei the band over to France' It took a while' Finally, on the night oÍ December 15, 1944, Miller took oÍÍ with three others Íor Paris, in order to set up Íor his unit's imminent arrival' He never made it' There has been much conjecture down through the Years over what actuallY haPPened to the aircraÍt. The chances are guite good that the bad weather was responsible' It was so bad in Íact that the RAF had cancelled all transport operations' Thus itwould seem extremely doubtÍul that Miller's death can be attributed to enemy fighters, as they ioo would have been grounded, or oPerating under limited visibility conditions. (There was also no evidence oÍ recentÇerman 69
GLOilIIET
Artie Shaw
*üni"*:i*Hq{'Fjh,l,i# enemY' the aircraÍt Íor the ;t;"h;n 'jit.iliír-untikelv
as no
comp"tt'lt
EilOPHOIIES
Íirst' ever took oÍÍ without device his aircraffs IFF' a recosnition a coded
;il;:;íot :ililü ;ili;;1-;t sisnal to
Íriendlvlol"ji*nr",
showed
courase His Íear ?: [r,:XiJ::Xii,"n" known amongst h: ã*t"*ttv bad weather have *nt" he could easiiY two' íãit.a as much as a daY orto dutY on devoüon showed extreme his Part' The Mlller band staYed
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Les Robinson TonY Pastor Hank Freeman RonnY PerrY
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Iohn Best Claude Bowen Chuck Peterson
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mostoÍthe resPon in its one{ear stay leadership' During
G1""' Miller Bandmade ut'd PIaYed 300 Personur uPPLàtã"""' <'ver 6OO'000-t:il""tf,::t. *.U vvçr "i*ã 'ive to werr
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vv radio also 500 íát" ôIScr-u and women' There-wêrê, tor ^:^-t à"d u slew oÍ recordinss
" il;"d;;;,; v discs'
After the war' Tex the Miller book and Beneke took over
i}rff
âlxi*i:f,t::*::Eii:!:" b.lessinss oÍ Glenn's
:;;;ã, ;iü the CaPitol Theater in' f,Í" H;üat the a while' but fi;'Y;;-l;:iiaia
i;;';;"t r*; il
weliÍor
after leader oÍ men' and
úiüer
estate
endedihe
"..i"iú".r,tp' Later the oÍÍicial lúiller bY RaY McKinleY'-
;Hffi;;fr"aded it Íor ten-vears' íri" aiJã iine iob with the talented
Following RaY' was e"aav De Franco' since with a Íew ;h"" ilJ-ü;d hás worked aso' ÍewYears iust a Peanuts "ihJ;""iuding' Y";ús si Besis BooÍ'
:H;ití :lií";
Hucko'
Glenn Millers career lasted iust eight Years' as a bandieader ;;iú. music soes on' Ú 70
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Plillo Les Burness UOGNUSI
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COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
.4rtie Show
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negative attiautographtude towand iitterbugs' - ^,, ú-"*t*..;"di'primadonnamusicians an *ã. ãrt. weil-known' He was man oÍ sreat irtLilrãã"* ànd articulate extended Íar :;;d;rt, whose interests and l"#o,,d* ii;" á,-,ti" l"tiness' tolerance oÍ his earlY lack oÍ , *no aia not share í";"*h*; ,a"rlaãi-e;-à,,a ittt"tt"ctuai interests' he and ir". *iã"ãr.,t ár uv tàÃtasmusicians something oÍ .ti"ttl" írte businessThough an t"i"ff".tual snob' ^' qh1* bandleadet' "" 3*#;;í;PoP"tu' *h:1Íor lans*.;-;;;;üdbY manY and suPerior üã"**I it be án alooÍ ;ili"ã; on his Part' which time with tài"i.*ãa Írom üme to directed toward ;"*ioI; Já' tu"tttt insisted he others whom oÍ music; ai """nã.ã"a ;;;;""1knowledse -, á's who disruPted "oi'-vand ai Pte:t,at:'úi. p"trãt*ances; interÍered public alike, *r'""ã"tt they interest in his or even expressed an
L)hu*'t
;;;;"
his .
ffi
;ffi;ü;;;"à Private
4
iiÍe'
*.utl nrivate liÍe, comPlete with includrng Iru"tiuq"t and divorces' Luttu Turner-a-nd Ava those to Íiim 'tu" novelist Kathleen Gardner, best-selling and üi"ã..t t Forever'Ãmber)'BettY'^^ i"tãã" rtm's daushier'Íall oÍ 1938, inlhe road io 9gen'at the Shaw cême oÍÍ the s Hotel ôàL nããã oÍ New Yorlcüe road ü;.y-üãniu' Bt"u"se toush 1'9 hãà were- high' On tensions unrelenting, aÍter ihe *#;tth- ;íl'ro"ãÀu"r I 8ih' called his oÍ the evenins' he ã meeting in his musicians t"gáút' Íor the band over to hotel room u"á it"'"d ii in! them. He was q"iú"g-Packing Mexico! He'd had it, h"-;;;ólittinqto career' oÍ its ú;th ii;; úánd at the Peak fre t"tt that verY niqht' George Auld was
ã.ili;
i
It was a tumultuous
u""
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,t$ilff Êlfo" ;li:':i3*:i"Tfl Shaw could not-last'
*iiúo"t Artie gnd'excellent O"tptt À"fa'ã "-tt" ftund three within Íaded it
ãíi"ia"tt'iP'
months' 72
Artie shaw Paced
i'üfr+ÍHffi..Hil:{':fl;' middle oÍ t:"N;Í;;r' BY.the a i.U*"* t'e was busY rehearsing new band' shaw was born Artie
in 1912 and spent his Youih
;;';í.* r.; in his"tb
growing
"?i:l,ffiXtlf
,r.
dLscribed r e t t a' sh aw tn"t, ilài,i"- w' ih c i n d ebeÍore moving on'to his teenaEe years' 'N;;í;;ü,-workins with the bands ot tor Àil;w;iie andlrvins 'Aaronson' whom he plavedteilil *u,o"s Íor his York' he 802 (Union) card in New in 3ittinq ilil.;üiPod-And Ierry's' he I'aier ;;ii1,V,it, "TheLion" Smiü' sPrecht' Parli oÍ ih' fã"a' Nichols' w;il; Kah'' and Red u-t: úLíut gaining a rePutatio" musician and talented u"a tuüàíiúle with.various was working reguiarly eesture ,, tiiái. Úr"ds' Then in amoves in the similar Íoreshadowing a iírr", he gave it all uP to become
;:ll;iltth il;";
Íarmer!
aqricuiture
Adie shaw's career in Once lasted about a yeal'
verY York' he was-asain demand as a"J:1t*::'t"i:?
;:;;;Ntw Il""r, i"
concert'{ronting participated in a swing Noi Íirsttime' Íorthe group his own ."fv *"t tite srouP Y"?m|t1,ti:^, oÍ clarinet' vlora' ãoí.itti"q as it didguitar' bass-and two violins' cello'
:g;}**['**ll"rl,lffi*' "band' *"' *;ii#X;lL",X,no"n the
St'u* eniarged on the aband eguallY basic iatu' u'ia"""ut"a tr'utli"t small srouP' It
some backing'
il;;il;'
Iã".itttd
oÍ two trumPets'
one
0otY
-
Pastor)'
trombone, tr,ãi""ã"u* rh{\1 Íour strings' a Íour-Piege swuns' clarine't' ã;;ãá e*it on the Íailt-t and During band toy't?i u"d thre winter oÍ 1936' (US)' Ii ,."àiata Íor Brunswick
produced music that to this day sounds Íresh and alive. No one, then orlater, could handle strings as well as Artie Shaw" The problem that most leaders usually had with strings, is that they used them as adiuncts, or add-ons to the conventional band sound. The results were oÍten pretenüous. Noi so with Shaw, whose string voicings were always an integral part oÍ ihe music. In Íact, when listening to those early Brunswicks today, one is struckwith their relaxed simplicity. Yet it wasiazz, melodic and honest, played wiih what was to become the typical Shaw vitality. Two recordings in particular made by this band are among the most interesting oÍ the era, and along with some later creations by The Gramercy Five, a Íuture small group oÍ Shaw's, they undoubtedly represent the most delightÍully enchanting jazz ev er reconded. "Sweet lorraine" and "Sheamline" are as reíreshing ioday as they were on the day they were reconded.
T
In
March.oÍ 1937, Adie Shaw organized a convenüonal band consisünE oÍ the usual Íive brass, Íour reeds and Íour rhythm. Many oÍ ihe arrangements were written by Shaw himselÍ and set the band's s§le, which eschewed such popular swing mechanisms as shout choruses and rousing musical climaxes. It also stayed away Írom the hackneyed riÍÍ stylization so oÍien displayed by Miller, Clinton and some other white bands when they were attempting to "swing." Many oÍ the young musicians who were later to help put together the post-war modern-jazz movement saw in Shaw's music the portent oÍ things to come. Cannonball Adderley once remarked thai Shaw had one oÍ the original cool bands. It waslhis band ihat catapulted Artie Shaw to lame and Íortune. His new recording contraci was with RCA and there were many hits: "lndian Love Call," "l Surrender Dear," "Back Bay ShuÍÍle," "Night And Day," "Solo Flight," "Non Stop Fliqht," THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
L,
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{ o o o
Artie Shaw
"Free Wheeling," "Nightmare," "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise," "Ziguener," "Deep Purple," "Vilia," "l Didn't Know WhatTimeIt Was," "Carioca," "One Foot In The Groove," "All The Things You Are," "l Poured My Heart Into A Song," "Serenade To A Savage," "Donkey Serenade," and a gorgeous collaboration with Billie Holiday, "Any Old Time." Because oÍ contractual problems involving two recording companies, Lady Day made only this one side with Shaw. A pity-she swung beautiÍully wiih the Artie Shaw Band. During hernine months with the band, she, according to her later comments, suÍÍered considerably because oÍ racial prejudice. None oÍ this well-justiÍied bitterness was direcied against Artie Shaw or any oÍ the musicians, whom she spoke hiqhly oÍ, but at the public. On the Íirst recording date underthe new RCA contract, ihe band waxed an obscure Cole Porter melody, "Begin The Beguine." In a very short time the record became a 73
tremendous hit, probably Shaw's most popular record, much to the surprise oÍ ihe recording director who was against the tune Írom the start. lnThe Trouble With Cinderello, Àrtie Shaw described the physical and emotional strain he Íelt âuring the Period Preceeding his 'escapê' to Mexico' He was on a thin edqe, close to a PhYsical and mental breakdown. The triP seemed to helP, Íorwhile in Mexico he planned a large six§-Íive.piece orchesha. In Los Angeles itwas whittled down, because oÍ etonomic considerations, to a still massive thirty-three pieces. The new band was primarily Íor recondings, as Shaw had commitments to ÍulÍill Íor RCA. One oÍ these sids was another mammoth hit, "Frenesi'" 'ihe success oí this studio band encouraged Shaw to Put together a similar band Íor live dates, in addition to recordings' The new band was literally built around his small group, The GramercY Five, and consisted oÍ six brass, Íour saxes, Íour rhythm, and nine strings. The Gramercy Five had also been recording a series oÍ hit records: "Cross Your Heart," "summit Ridqe Drive," and "special Delivery Stomp" (clarinet, irumpet, harpsichord, bass and drums)' The biq new band opened at the Palace Hotel on September 12, L940 io PoPular and criücal acclaim. AÍter seven months, Shaw disbanded, leaving a legacY oÍ .some Íine recordings, including a quintessential "stardr:.st," and a magniÍicent tour-de-Íorce titled, "Concerto For Clarinet." In the autumn oÍ 1941 he organized again. This time it was only twenty-lwo pieces. Notable was a recording Íeaturing a vocal and trumpet solo by Hoi-Lips Page: "Take Your Shoes OÍÍ BabY And Start Running Through MY Mind'" There were also exciting recordings oÍ: "Deuces Wild," "Blues in The Night," and "St. James InÍirmary." This band Iasted until Ianuary, 1942. In April, Àrtie Shaw joined the NavY. He enlisted as an 74
ordinary seaman and after boot camP served ãboard a mine sweeper in the New York area' Then the Navy decided ió take advantage oÍ the talent they had on hand and ordered Shaw to Newport, R.1., to take over a band already in existence' It wasn't a very good band. Shaw, now a CPO, made a út oÍ noise, until he was granted permission to Íorm a band that would te worthy oÍ both himselÍ and the Navy. -
It was a hell ol a band! It Íeatured among others, Max Kaminsky, IohnnY Best, Dave Touqh and Sam Donahue. In no time at all, it shipped out io the PaciÍic' During the oÍ its existence under Shaw, ii "oú.." hitchhiked all over the theater, playing navy bases, ships, jungle airstrips, and tiny atolls. it went throuqh hell, coping wiih the ravages oÍ jungle rot on both men and instruments, and surviving over a dozen enemY attacks' In November 1943, Shaw was out oÍ the NavY and in bad shape. Donahue iook over the NavY band and turned it into what is thoughi to be the best service band oÍ World War II. Shaw retired to Hollywood and his ihen current wiÍe (Betty Kem) and baby son. In the Íall oÍ !944, Artie Shaw had still another band' It was one oÍ his besi-seventeen pieces with no strings, and Íeaturing RoY Eldridqe. The critics were once again impressed. Leonard Feather wrote ihat thá band demonstrated "a reÍreshing lack oÍ bad taste and bombast'"
A,o"*
Mccarthv
called it "The most modern and thoroughly jazz-oriented group that Shaw ever Íronted." There were a large some oÍ the best recordings, number oÍ In lanuary oÍ the band ever made. 1945, Artie Shaw recorded "S'WonderÍul" and indeed ii was. Others were "Tea Íor Two," "Little lazz," (Eldridqe's "l nickname), "These Foolish Things," Can't Get Started," and "The Maid With The Flaccid Air."
Frank Driqgg Collection
Artie Shaw rehearsing his band in Nola StudÍos, New York Ciry, 1941.
Then under a new with MusicraÍt: "The contract recording "The Hornet," and a Glider," "What Is Thls Thinq Called magniÍicent Lote," Íeaturing a briqht new Young vocalist named Mel Torme, and a swinging vocal group, The Mel Tones' Artie Shaw remained in the music business until 1954. There were other bands, all magniÍiceni, all swinging. Shaw was a musical perlectionist, a serious and dedicaied musician with impeccable tasie and strong personal ideas' He brooked no compromise when it came to musical quality. The Personnel oÍ his many groups reads like a who's-who oÍ the Swing Era. A Partial list would THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
include musicians George Arus, Al Avola, CliÍÍ Leeman, BuddY Rich, George Auld, TonY Pastor, Bob Kitsis, George Wettling, Billv ButterÍleld, Vernón Brown, Jerry Ierome, IohnnY Guarnieri, Nick Fatool, Oran "Hot Lips" Page, Lee Castle, Max KaminskY, RaY ConiÍÍ, Iack IennY,'Dave Tough, Sam Donahue, RoY Eldridge, Dodo Marmarosa and BarneY Kessel' Vocalists included Peg La Centra, Billie Holiday, Helen Fomest, Leo Watson, Georgia Gibbs, Paula KellY and MeI Torme. Arrangers were Jerry GraY, Hamy Rogers, A1 Avola, RaY ConiÍÍ, and Artie Shaw himselÍ. The guY could do he did, he everythinq anything, and did to perÍection' n 75
"C1ap Hands! Here Comes Charliel"
GHIOII UEBB
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In
its day there was no long-piaying record technology, no endless tape with which to record the extended swinging sessions oÍ Webb's band as it rocked Harlem's Savoy Ballroom to its very Íoundations' (This is not just anoiher reading oÍ ihe old cliche-during at ieast a Íew oÍ Webb's evenings there, the Savoy management was seriously concerned as to whether their building could take itl) The band, with drummer Chick Webb's rocksteady beat driving it, would oÍten sustain a halÍhour or more oÍ non-stoP, straight-ahead, tempestuous biq band jazz, catapulting its audience into near Írenzy. At least halÍ oÍ what the band played during its long residency at the SavoY were head arrangements. Each perÍormance was unique. The Chick Webb Band cried out Íor on-location recording. There was very little oÍ it, The short, commercial 78rpm, studio recordings oÍ the band, present iust an outline oÍ what it could really do, On MaY llth, 1937, The Savoy Íeatured a battle oÍ the bands between BennY Goodman, "The Kinq OÍ Swing," and Chick Webb, "The King OÍ The Savoy." According to those who were there, Chick Webb won the day. OÍ that event, Gene Krupa wrote; "l'll never Íorget that THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
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till0Pll0llEs Chauncey Haughton Ted McCrea Hylton JeÍÍerson Waymond Carver TNUMPHS
Dick Vance Bobby Stark TaÍt Jordan
rnomB0ilEs Nat Storee Sandy Williams George Matthews
DRUilS Chick webb
0UIIIR Bever]y Peer
B[s$ Bobbv Johnson Pl01l0 Tommy FulÍord
U0CillSI Ella Fitzserald 77
E
o
áo ü o o d
The Chick Webb Band, eorly thirties.
niqht-the niqht Benny's band battled Chick at The Savoy. He just cut me to ribbons-made me Íeel awÍully small. That man was dynamic; he could reach the most amazing heiqhts. When he really let go, you had a Íeeling that the enüre atmosphere"in the place was being charged. When he Íelt like it, he could cut down any oÍ us." Chick Webb was bom in Baliimore sometime around the year 1909. He was a little guy, unÍortunate enough to have suÍÍered a tubercular spine which leÍt him hunchbacked. He was said to have purchased his first set oÍ drums with savings accumulated Írom his newsboy earnings. Webb was well thought oÍ by all who ever worked for him-tough yet çÍenerous, a man oÍ immense courage. Toward theêid oÍ his career, he rarely had a moment without physical pain. Yet his music swung joyously. He remained behind his drums almost to the end.
' Chick Webb came to New York in 1925. In lg27, his Íirst band, The Harlem Stompers, opened at The Savoy. From then unül I93I Webb's band played The Savoy, Roseland and other ballrooms and clubs around New York. In 1931, the Chick Webb Orchestra made its first records and moved into The Savoy Íor an extended residency, broken only in the Íollowing years by short iheater and ballroom tours. Webb had an ear Íor brilliant soloists. Four oÍ them, tnrmpeters Taít and Bobby Starh saxophonist Louis Jordon and 7A
trrcmbonist Sandy Williams, were Íeatured guite extensively. Edqar Sampson wrote most oÍ the early Webb ôrrangements and also composed a number oÍ standards which achieved greater popularity in later years with Benny Goodman, Íor whom he also arranged. They included "Stompinq Ãt The Savoy," "Blue Lou," "Don't Be That 'Way," and "lÍ Dreams Come True." In 1935, a member oÍ the Webb band discovered EIla Fitzgerald singing at an amateur contest. Her original plan had been to compete as a dancer, but at the last minute she contracted cold Íeet and switched to singing . .. Íortunate Íor all oÍ us.
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Webb auditioned her and the world was presented a qift oÍ one oÍ ihe best ballad singers who ever lived. Her recording of "A Tisket A Tasket" made a national hit oí the Chick Webb Band. From that point on she was its Íeature attraction. AÍter his death she Íronted the band Íor several years.
Gene Krupa said a Íew years ago: "For those who had never heard the Chick, I Íeel no small amount oÍ compassion. OÍ course reconds were made, like "Liza," Íor instance, but somehow this genius never could get himselÍ on wax. Chick gassed me, but good, on one occasion at The Savoy, in a battle with Benny's band, and I repeat now, what I said then, I was never cut by a better man." Chick Webb died in 1939. He was around thirfy years old. 0
THE
NAME BANDS From Top to Bottom: Louis Armstrong, 1931
.
Xavier Cugat The Earl "Father" Hines Orchestra, 1939. Ina Ray Hutton Blus Bamon A true mickey-mouse band, ProbablY ihe corniest and most cliche-ridden oÍ anv oÍ the period. Barron himselÍ joked abàut the- sound oÍ his group, characterized by George Simon in a 1938
Metronome reüew as "obnoxious over-phrasing, saxes with whining
vibrat,os, truúpets that growl and rat-a-tat and slur into harsh irritating mutes. ..." Its Íeaiured vocalists in-
lmbr0sG
An English band, organized in the eãrlv tÉirties as ôn answer to RaY
llàUie, Durinq World War II, Ambrose was popular with American troops.in É.iiuin.'und was particularly noted Íor Éir b.oad.asts over the BBC Armed Fo.".r network. Biq Hit "Hors d'Oeuvre."
L0uls lnmsr0ng
Despite the enormous love and well-
ãéJà*ed admiration engendered bY
Saichmo over the years, the big bands he Íronted never came close to equaling his individual talent' Most oÍ thãse bánds were organized by other ieaders, Íronted bY Louis Íor short
oeriods oÍ time. His presence during
iÉ
S*irrq Era was most emPhaücallY made knówn by his own small grouPs.
zlnn
lrthur
Composer, leader, and singer, his
Éà"J*ut
one oÍ ihe best oÍ the smail a number oÍ
Éi" Éa"ds oÍ the era. For
b 'É
d
veárs, Ãrthur conducted the house Írá"d'at New York's Roseland Ballwas extremelY popular wjth r.óã ""a Later, he was invoived in N-ew Yotkets.
Írvino Berlin's "This is ihe ArmY" show. Biq Hit "Darling."
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBÃNDS
cluded Russ Carlyle, Clyde Burke and
Jimmy Brown. The gimmicks were proÍitàble and the band's recordings sold well.
ufl[ Bradlsu
Glenn Miller called BradleY
his
Íavorite trombonist-and many more horn lovers agreed. BradleY's band oot started in 1939 after drummer Ray
úcKinlev leÍt the Jimmv dorseY band to act as óartner.
ii
With Bradley leading,
Íeatured some Íine musicians, them pianist Freddie Slack, amono -saxists Mike (Peanuts) Hucko, tenor sinoer Carloüa Dale, and oÍ course M.-Kirrlev on drums. McKinleY and Slack cÉanged the band's musical stvle drasücãilv, Írom ballads to the báooie-wooqíe iazz that would give
them thelr biqqest hit record. Curious about how a-big band would sound
playing
in that old-Íashioned iazT
Àtutà. tÉev besan experimentinq with
u,i éioht-to-tÉe-bar boogie beat. At New Íork s Famous Door one night, McKinlev sans out "Oh, Beat Me
Daddv, Élqht tó the Bar!" instead oÍ olavinq hil drum break. À hit was
iollo*ed by a batch more: ''Rock-a-Bye Boogie," "Down the
borir,
Ráad a Pieóe," "Scrúb Me, Mama, with
a Boooie Beat," "Bounce Me, Brother with i Solid Four," "Frv Me, Cookie,
79
with a Can oÍ Lard," and more. A rapid changeover oÍ musicians, the expanding draÍt and a split between Bradley anâ McKinley over the musical direction the band had begun to take, contributed to its end. Bradleywenton
Manne. Byme also had a weekly radio show sponsored by Raleiqh cigarettes and at ihat üme, hired one oÍ the great arrangers, Don Redman. Byme broke up the band in 1943 to become a pilot in the Air Force.
trombonist in the studios.
CaD Sallourau
to
reestablish himselÍ
as a major
[8S Brourn Few other bandleaders have been accorded more respect and warm Íeelings by their musicians then Les Brown. Organized at Duke University in 1936, and composed almostentirely of undergraduates at the time, the band reÍlected always the high spirits
oÍ its leader. Regrouped in 1938, it attracted the attention oÍ Biq Band booker Joe Glaser and its engagements and poplarity grew Íast. The band Íeatured excellent musicians: tenor saxists WolÍÍe Tannenbaum and
Stewie McKay, lead saxist Steve
Madrich and beginning in the summer oÍ 1940, a I7-year-old ex-
dancer Írom Cincinnati named doris Day. During her one-year stay, she recorded a Íew sides, and was then replaced with an even younger girl singer named Betty Bonney with
Lucky Millinder
whom the band made its Íirst hit: 'Jolün' Ioe DiMaggio." Novelty hits perÍormed by baritone saxist Butch Stone, ballads like "Tis Autumn," and some swinging versions oÍ the classics, including !'March Slav" and
oÍ the era, a brilliant group of
rriusicians that included tenor saxists Chu Berry and Ben Webster, alto saxist Hilton leÍÍerson, trumpeters
Dizzy Gillespie and Jonah
Jones,
bassist Milt Hinton anddrummerCozy Cole. Spirited and swinging, it also
Íeatured Calloway's impressive ballad singing, beautiÍully reÍlected on the band's recording oÍ "You Are the One in My Heart."
Bsnnu GartGr AIto saxÍst and irumpeter as well, he had written scores Íor Fietcher Henderson, McKinley's Cotton .Pickers and Chick Webb beÍore his own outÍit opened in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom in 1939. Several bands Íollowed which,
restaurant was Íollowed by lenqthy
Victor Mature and Carmen Miranda,
Garmen Cauallaro
dates at other prestigious hoiel rooms across the country. ln 1942, Seven Days Leave, a movie wiih Lucille Ball,
also Íeatured the Les Brown Band and Ied to a series oÍ appearances on the Coca-Cola sponsored radio show
Kirby Orchestro
reputation. By the early Íorties, he was Íronting one oÍ the most exciting bands
though musically inventive, never really made it commercially. More successÍui on the West Coast, he worked with singer Savannah Churchill, trumpeters Gerald Wilson and Snooky Young and trombonist J.J. Iohnson, and recorded his most popular record, the bluesy "Hurry,
"Mexican Hat Dance" won the band a larse Íollowing. In OctoberoÍ 1941, an engagement at Chicago's Blackhawk
The fiohn
Featured at the Cotton Club in the early ihirties, his antic clowning and "Heiqh-de-ho's" won him a colorÍul
broadcast Írom service cômps throughout the country. that' same
Hurry."
An excellent pianist with a dynamic
band that piayed on the periphery oÍ swing. À showman above all, he was considered one oÍ the best oÍ the
society-music bands.
year Doris Day rejoined the band and Ê
o
o o o
more hit records Íollowed: "My Dreams Àre Getting Better AII the
Time," "You Won't Be SaüsÍÍed," and her biggest hit with the band, "Senü-
mental Ioumey." During that same
period Les Brown recorded his other big hit "l've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," not released uniil Íive years p oÍÍicially reüred in !i Iater. Les Brownyears later still had a 1946-and two o o 'É
Â
The Hal Kemp Orchestra
band doing radio work. HÍs more recent work on maior TV shows like Bob Hope's, Dean Martin's, the Gram-
my Awards and more have continued
to keep his name a Íamiliar one
happy band whose reed section oÍÍered a good imitation oÍ the Glenn Miller style. It Íeatured a marvelous singer named Dolores (Dodie) O'Neill on two oÍ Chester's biq hits: "Don't Let It Get You Down" and "When I Leave
This World Behind." The band was blessed with one oÍ the best lead trumpets in the business-Alec Filawho later leÍt to ioin Benny Goodman. The Bob Chester Band became one oÍ the more polished at the time.
to
]IHU
B0bbu Burne
His arrangements Íor Tommy Dorsey and the Casa Loma Orchestra had earned him a reputation'as one oÍ the
Iimmy Dorsey in 1939 to Íorm his own
band. by 1941, Byrne landed the summer seêson at the Glen Island Casino, a coveted gig. A serious and
BO
A
millions.
A talented lrombone player who left
Voughan Monroe
Bob thosleP
intense young musician, his band was well thought oÍ and Íeatured excellent vocalist Dorothy Claire and an unknown kid drummer named Shelly
G[nmn
country's bestby the time hebegan his own band in 1938. Sweet at Íirst, it picked up tempo as swing took over and Íeatured singer Bea Wain whose recordings oÍ "My Reverie" and "Deep Purple" were hits Íor the band.
Clinton's original theme song, 'The Dipsy Doodle," was recorded by
bands and adaPted to its own mu-
Ílutes' Ã óóàbinatton oÍÍorever blocks ;'É;;it ãnd temPlewith "RiPPIinq iá;tiÍÉd Fieldi tamous habrt oI Rhvthm." as did his Thouqh ti;üil tÉ'o"ú -aÍuil-straw' oÍ simmicks' it ;iJk;Y---;;à ánd colortul oance
ãi-"i'",it.-
was one oÍ the most bands oÍ the time.
Jan 0am0r A Ílambovant bandleader whose- busstick Yit\tl'e i#;';ã;G ioiã ti* to sound, which he H;ú;Eárdàsweet
assímilated into his own successtul mickey-mouse style.
BoY singers Ford Tommv - DorseY.
Learv and Terry Allen were atso i."uIr'r.a--ã"á Clittot doubled on irümpet, trombone and clarinet'
Bob cr0sbu sPirit Its style was dixieland, itsuP oI madê tremendous, its ranks Ériiliant musicians like tenor saxist
Éãáiã t"litt"t, ciarinetist and ar-ranger M"ú; MãiÉk, trumPeter Yank LawKin;;.'d;itt and arranser Dean caide, pianist Gil Bowers, guitanst RaY-Bauduc N;;; íáãát., drummerBob Haggart' à"á EâÃitt.u"d arranser ôil;i*d i" iggs, the Personnel
.-".ããined more constant than most in those earlv recordins -
l"o]iiáÍá"à sÉútít., " "Mu stkrat "íii"ti',ããtá]t, íà? i." eacr, Sweet PaPa," áãlrürc7"õããe I'iü;;' Lo"ã sotq," "susar .Foot -Blues"-and ils
"êi" Milj originals, iu*o"t 'Àáã"ã* Hãssutt -"South patade'' and "The B^iq St"-t,'
§itãá
Winnetka." When in 1937 trumpeters to**v Dorsey hired away Lawson and the more recentlY lolneo
i'üi;ãEó*
Ôirarlie Spivak as well as aÍrang-er õàã" fi"-ááide, morale sunk' ln 1939 tnã:bu"à landed the Camel Calavan
Íeahrring vocalists Doro"ááiã-toi"., i[;-Ól"i*, Helen Wãrd and lohnnY ü;rce; atd b.sut io de-emPhasize
it.Jiii'eÉ"a so-und. When Lawson 'rã*iiãá-ii Ís41, so dld dixieiand and
i;;1ãã, *Íh
itá eisht-Pjece smaller
óãii.a the Bób Cats, besan ""itswinging again. When the dratt É'.à,]ó-úi-lt ur-to
ut
end, Crosbv Íiirted
brieÍlv with movies, then
tormeo
another band that concentrated on ballads.
laulsn cougat Known Íor his tangos, rumbqg, con-gas
à"ã f,ári"s once-Íeatured Rita HaY*á*f, *itn tf,e band, "Cugie" is more oÍten thought oÍ Íor his ÍiamboYant Lâti" p...ó"ali§, suPerb showmanship, ànd succession oÍ wives,- inÀuue Lane and Charo'-Senãi"-ú"q--t"*ute vocalists, the Cugat J"ã"À ãhàr*, and good South American
PoPuiar ã"*"'*áá" hlim immenselY as a *ith tt. Public. Cugat bega:r then led violinist in Phil Harris's band, iü;;ii;iEá"d ai NewYork sWaldo4Âãt"áãijãi.t. The peak oÍ the band's
*"ãi"ãt
áúJ"êss was reached in the
early Íorties.
$am Donahue leÍt A tenor-saxophonist, Donahue o{ the best ê."ã-r*pu t', Ío.* -one ú;at il the couniry. Its brieÍ success íãÃ-i"iãt.úpted bi Donahue's- enÚ.s" NavY after Pearl ii#;;]-hã he took over Artle Harbor. 'Shãwa In the Navy,
and develoPeê it,into one oÍ the swingingest bancts ol me
fla.e
ffi;,lir.;"nd
Piesêrved on V-Discs'
Eddu Duchln
A showman at the Piano, hjs musical soal was slmPiY tothem . Please llt? ne olo' dancers-and Please Casino, Park rãàt".áa at thaCentral i'l;;-Y;k'; óoshest dance spot, he
leader Leo Reisman there in
"à"iu"éà fSiãt. Hl. national popularitv grew with the coast-to-coast broadcast ol
iü'cã.i"ãt:Saiundav tea dances and i;ã ããiesãt-other clàssv spots as well ãí several radio series. The society
ü"dl;ãd;. lried to reorsanize ,his sound more conventionallY as otner but ãtãü". tti.d to imitate his, his totallY ffiãú piàno stYle reisned, removed Írom the rest ot the band' In iêiiÍ t.-ai.a oÍ leukemia, and several tut..
The Eddy DuchLn
"ããr. produced in HollYwood.
SÍorywas
Jean 00ldHsn0 Gone by the time the Biq Band Era beoan, it was a star-studdect, magnlbased Íicéntband -Detroit. oÍ the mid-twenties, Goldkette's sidemen inin Bix ãÍ"íJtúàr, brilliant musicians asDorand-TommY limmv ;k", É;&;t -i;
ã,
Vénuti ànd Eddie Lang'
t**uauer, Pee Wee Russell' .ú.í útrqu", Don MurraY and manY
Éiái,Éã others.
Llonol ilam0mn An exuberan! hiqh-spirited and ioy-
Íul inÍluence on )azz and blq. Danos tãtl" Éampton le{i Bennv Goodman in 1940 to stàrt his own band' His showin his ;;;;hit ã"d total immersion iu. reÍlected in the Íine iazz
-ütiã *üãiãi"". ."s"t to ioin him: Charlie iüil1ri., O"iícv ]ones,- Illinois lacL""Í iú"Lv ThoinPson, Ioe Newman' Érnià Rovà], Cai Ànderson, KennY Óãiliu*,'Art Farmer,. and-.singers wlllrams
Dinah Washington and Joe íãrãàti Jiróàvãred bY HamPton' Bis Hiq: "FlYin'Home."
Ersllns Hauhms
His swinging, enthusiastic Alabama
St"t" CãitÉáiá"s cême out oithe-South immediatelY. began ãittu"ti"s attention through their re-
i"- igs6 ánd
lanru Elgart
his A colorÍul saxist who played -in two t""tt êt, L.t Elqart's band until the ãiÍiiúJ to Iead iheÍr own outÍits'
Lcs Hgarl
trumPet Íor Cha-rlie Plaved 'S;íáÉ, lead Éút.,v Bérisan and. Hal
Mcln§re, then Íormed his own band' Bill Finegan *iit át.át sements bYjazz humPeter and Nelson Riddle, úúk Travis and his brother Larry on sax.
SHnnau Ennls
ãàtàl"qt. Hawkins' trumPet was backed uP bY the talented horns- oÍ íirÍÉ". aia Pãut Bascomb. Biq Hits:
'ri;;;à;iõ;tión"
and "AÍter Hours'"
Horase HGldt
A cornv, thouqh thoroughly success-
Íul. danóe band, Íull oÍ gimmicks ancl musical tricks. The band includect ii;;;ki" Cãrlà, who played piano -with i,iJ r,àãa-. Éãúnd his bãct, but Hetdt like musicians talented also attracted Âloi"ã n"v, trumpeter Bobbv Hackett ã.rd titts.i Gordon MacRae'
Ã. sinqer whose reputation was made
tlGtchGr HGndGrs0n
Angel."
inÍluence on the Big An '#;ãimmeasurable so,,nã, Hãnderson Íronted one oÍ thã Íinest bands oÍ the late twenties ãnd earlv thirties, establishilg a§wing iÉãt would be used bY Benny "út. êãodman to kick ofÍ an enüre era'
*itf, Éai Kemp's band, his own group à""Luàa on Bob HoPe's radio series' Thàme song: "Got a Date with an
$eD tlGlds
A noveltY band whose tt..o*ãáhom
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
all
stYle was
üe successÍul sweet
and arranser, his inlecõãá;ãá -tú"sing inshumentals were uoútl
B1
communicated by an ensemble that included some oÍ the greatest jazz musicians oÍ all time: louis Àrmstrong,
Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Buster Bailey, Fats Waller, l,ester
Young, Benny Morton, Don Redman,
Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams,
J.C.
Hiqginbotham, Edgar Sampson and banjo player Clarence Holiday, Billie
Holiday's Íather. Hendergon's arrangements oÍ "Sometimes I'm Happy" "BIue Skies," "Down South Camp Meeting" and more were written to help launch the Goodman band.
When Henderson disbanded in 1934, he joined Goodman's band Íor halÍ a year, üen leÍt to organize another group oÍ his own which Íeatured Roy Eldridqe, Ben Webster, Hilton leÍÍerson, Iohn Kirby, Sid Catlett and t'letche/s brother Horace. In 1939 he retumed to Goodman again as arranger and pianist, then Íormed another band in 1941. Though his own bands never achieved the popularity and success that his arrangements brought to other bands, his contribution to swing was Íorever evident and
grateÍully acknowledged. Bis Hit: "Christopher Columbus."
ilcnard Hlm[8r À
hnam Jones
Eddie Kusborski. In the late thirties, the
One oÍ the most popular Big Bands oÍ the mid-thirties, it was also one oÍ the most richly romantic sounds around.
Future stars like trombonists Jack Jenney and Sonny Lee, trumpeters Pee Wee Erwin and George Thow, pianist Howard Smith and young saxist-vocalist Woody Herman were all part oÍ the line-up. Jones, a proliÍic songwriter, was responsible
Íor
a multitude oÍ hiis, among them: "l'll See
You in My Dreams," "lt Had To Be You," "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else," "You're Just a Dream Come True" and the Íirst hit version oÍ Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust."
SDllts J0nGs à wild group whose perÍectly mimick-
ed parodies oÍ other bands
and
original comedy routines oÍ its own were coupled with some first-rate
musical technique. Jones, Íormerly a
whole band in itselÍ, has made iazz history. When boogi.e-woogie swept the country in 1940, Hines was there. Featured in his band at the time were baritone Billy Eckstein, tenor saxist
ludd Iohnson, Charlie (Yardbird) larker, _ Dizzy Gillespie -Hits:and singei "Rosettã," Slrrah Vagshn. Biq "Boogie-Woogie on St. louis Blues," Jelly" and "Stormy Monday
-I-elly, Blues."
chude H0üln$ A
pianist, his band played iisht,
restrained swing and feaiured two
popular singers oÍ the time, Orlando Robeson and trumpeter Ovie Alston. lhe_qre Song: "l W-ould Do Anythinq Íor You."
uflfl ]tuds0n A
songwriter who composed melodies, he íormed his bandln 1936 with
Eddie Delange, a lyric writer. The Hudson-Delônge Oichestra played
gentle swing and moody balladi. Most
successÍul collaboration: "Moon-
glow."
ha nau Hutton Seductive and talented, she began her
côreer Íronüng an all-girl orchestra, went on to wave her baton beÍore
some Íine male musicians. Needless to say,lhe primary attraction was always
Ina Ray. 82
\{ith an Àngel."
stan llsnt0n Organized in 1941, Kenton's band got
a late start and gained slowly
in
popularity until it dominated whaiwas leÍt oÍ the Big Band gcene in the ÍiÍties. It was a big band with a big soundtoo big according to many critics oÍ the üme. Kenton, Ioved and respected by the musicians who worked Íor him, was out to modemize Big Band jazz,
and Íor a large number oÍ cheering Íans, he succeeded. Undemeaih the screamin_g brass, things were hap-
ing to critic George Simon, "some oÍ the most thrillinq, some oí the most
Dlclt Juruens His novelty band was a big hit in
other bands like it. Their romantic sound Íeatured trumpeter Eddie Kuehler and the vocals oí Eddy
His excitinq piano, with the power oÍ a
"You're the Top," "Heart oÍ Stone," "lf s Easy to Remembey'' and "Got a Date
with millions.
Biq Band scene.
Eafl ttathal Hlnes
iliuries suÍÍered in a car crash. Big Hits: "Hands Across the Table,''
pening. Stan the Man, six and a hálÍ
a well-trained organization popular
Chicago's
"Pyramid Music" when he entered the
sound and grew less stylized, bút iá 1940 it Íinished ninth in Metronome's sweet-band poll and morale wae low. That same year Hal Kemp died oÍ
top studio drummer in Hollywood, ran
on radio, he became known Íor his gimmicky successÍul leader
band attempted a more swinging
tig
ballrooms, and-though
he went in Íor mickey-mouse comedy eÍÍects, the music was a lot better thaÃ
Íeet oÍ pure energy, produced, accord-
aggravating, some oÍ the most impressive, some oÍ the most exciting, some oÍ the most boring and certainly some oÍ the most conhoversial sounds, music and/or noise ever to emanate Írom any bis band." Big Hits: "Adios," "Taboo," "Gambler's Blues" and his theme, "Àrtistry in Rhythm."
I{oward, whose big hit with the bandl was a sentimental ballad called "My
uraune ilhg
Last Goodbye."
The Waltz King's soft sounds belonged
to the senior citizens-King's biqqest
Sammu llaue The ultimate oÍ whai {he
Íans-and the band's schmáltzy áúsic critics
reÍerred to as mickey-mouse music, this mechanically precise band invited listeners to "Swing and Sway
with Sammy Kaye." The clarinetist was particularly adept at placing the program pedectly Íor dancers, iÍ not listeners, and usually iet a large stable oÍ vocalists carry the solos. À successÍul stage band, Kaye's greatest success was his "So You Want to Lead a Band" series in üeaters and on television, which invited members oÍ the audience to compete Íor prizes by waving a baton in Íront of his musicians. Biq Hits: "Daddy," "Harbor Liqhts" and "lt Isn't Fair," Íeaturing the voice oÍ Don Cornell.
Íeatured its leader's attractive sãx. The
group play-ed regularly at Chicago's Aregon Ballroom.
0ndu lffFlt "Andy Kirk and His Clouds oÍ Joy" established itselí like Count Basie's band, in Kansas City around 1933. Its simple, swinging sound Íeatured Mary Lou Williams, oÍten cailed one oÍ the most brilliant jazz pianists oÍ all time, tenor saxist Dick Wilson, trombonist Ted Donnelly, drummer Ben Thigpen
qnd guitarist Floyd Smith. Thouqh
Kirk's pleasing personality won him
some oÍ the better musicians and the band's arrangements were oÍten outstanding, it never achieved the pin-
nacle oÍ popularity
it
seemed to
Hal llsmD
deqerve. Biq Hits: "Froggy Bottom,"
One oÍ the mogt popular sweet bands oÍ the era, Kemp's early Íans included fred Waring and Prince (later King)
"The Lady Who Swinqs the Band" and "Floyd's Guitar Blues."
oÍ Ensland. AÍter a 1932 engagement at Chicaqo's Blackhawk Restaurqnl the band really caught on. Its simple style and mellow sound was created by arranger lohn Scott Trotter, and was reÍlected in the easygoing personality oÍ Kemp as well. VocãlistÁ Skinnay Ennis, Bob Allen and Maxine Gray appeared with ihe band, asdida George
number oÍ talented musicians like
trumpeter Earl Geiger and hombonist
"lYalkin' and Swingin'," "Cloudy,"
llau llrcer Eloy.
in- its early days at Chicago's
Blackhawk Restaurant
as a lom-
bardo-like novelty band, Kyser's early gimmicks were perÍectly perÍormeà and popular, iÍ not always musical. A hiqhly intellÍgent leader, Kyser latched on to the idea of giving away prizes to his audience Íor guessing song titles, out oÍ which sprêng the hiqhly
successÍul radio show, "Kqv -Kvqpr-s
College oÍ Musical Knowledge"'.,c succegsion oÍ singers wori(ect wIIn
fml ;*:r,lli'"YdmlY Eill: íú;á, Lrcv Átn Polk, HarrY Babbitt,
êi""t Sims and a handsome tenor ;;à'd Michael Dousl"r, h.ltPt as talk show host Mike known today il;óH. -Éi 1942 the band had
ãi.oánsed with lts mickeY-mouse jazz ááünd ana was attracting top-rate musicians like lead s-axist Noni tserià.ãli. tã,iã" .axist Herbie Havmer-and
no"t Hillman. Bis Hits: ã"itãitsi Y'Éràiãã-ttá Lond and Pass the Arn;;;iü;;/'-'ean't Get out oÍ This Mood."
0uu L0mDardo
'The Sweetest Music This Side,-oÍ
Hããven'' won Guy Lombando and His Roval Canadians a reputation as o-ne
ãiiÉ
Éãst-loved, most imitated Bis
Éands oÍ all üme. Though the critics Íound him less than musically satistyi"õ, tt àp"ople who danced to him Íor twá oeneraiions were given exactly whatihey wanted. The band has sold máre reóords than anY other dance band, played Íor more Presidential í"á"á"'.al'Balls and created more hit ãã"ãó. Otsunized bY brothes. GuY, Óãril"", ÉUert, itwaá GuY-lombardo who shaped the grouP and along the wài, ácciuired thá reputation oÍ beins itãi'rià.Ét most respêcted manin the É;i""*'l'The biq-trick," Lombardo ÉÀr sáia, "is to be iecognized without an announcer telling You who it is"' The Íormula that the band became ãônsistently identiÍied with began in the ãárlv úenties in London, Ontario, lgns; ãtâ ter.t changed. Among itq (DerÍ) membeis: saxists Fred "t."ái"" Hiámáíand Mert Curtis, mellophonist Düâtev Fosdick, pianist Fritz Kreitzer,
ãúãá"t ê.orsé
Go-ans andvocal-
ú-fàntv Gaúner. Big Hits: "Boo Éoo," "Coguette,'l "Sweethearts on Êã"ia"," "Seems Like OId Times," "Gi;;-'Me a Little Kiss," "You're "Heartaches," Drivinq -"Everywhere iriúÉ Me CrazY," wr,ite Lies,"
You
Go" and many more.
Johnnu L0ng
A sweet band best known Íor ils glee ãlub's version oÍ "À ShantY in OId Shanty Town," its subdued music was pleasánt and danceable.
Hal
mchun0
Rau mc[lnl0u An inspired drummer, he was a membei oÍ Smith Ballew's band and band ;:Éãá;. oÍ Wil BradleY's outÍit in
Éátárã oroanizins his own ÍÕaZ. ffró"sh thãt band ]asted less tfrurra v.at, ii cut some successÍul iazz "Hard Hearted Han-. siãás, *uâ. a movie, Hit Parode oÍ ;;hianá -igriZ. "otáUlv *ih Count Basie and TonY When McKinleY was draÍted, Mu*t ". qrabbed uP bY CaPtain Glenn t á-*ás Ãfter the wàr, he Íormed a more Àoohisücated band with the progressive Eddie Sauter as arranger and Íeatured excellent young mlrsicians like ouitarÍgt Mundell Lowe, Íollowed
úiit.t.
Uv
lófr""v GraY, clarineüst
Peanuts
Ét;üild trumóeter NickTravis. Bis iiili'Yoírr Come a Lons WaYÍrom St' Louis."
Ellinqion sound. hs iazz inshumentals Aàú=úa bassist Eddie SaÍranski, Iater g-rquP, i màinstav oÍ Stan Kenton's á"J-óí Éâttads, vocalists AI §obel, Càrt Dã""v, Glória Van, ruth GaYIor' immenselY
Blllu mau An arranger Íor Charlie Bamet and êtê"" Viti.., his own band came well ãitãr-ti,. Bis Band Era, a. danceabie and ioyÍully-swinging outÍit.
LUGHU
MIilhdCT
boasted ihe iafênts His exciting group ãi sidemei -like trumpeters Henry (Red) Allen, Charlie Shavers,-Harry
Eài.ó", Dizzv Gillespie and FreddY W.Lrter, piànists BillY KYle, -Elhs Larkins and Bill Dogqett and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Uaughn Monroe
Handsome and romantic-looking, his Éuritã"ê i".pired manv.a girlish crush and his bánd's emPhasis was on
sinoino-this-his own and his groups,
úá" tttítpf,v Sisters and the Moonmaids.
Nss Moruan
trsddu marün
Thouqh iazz greats have alwaYs prã1.éa his saxóphone, Martin's was
one oÍ the most musical sweet bancts oI iÉãtãã. Má"tin's success besan atthe Roosevelt Grill in Manhattan, witEthe
Best remembered Íor his tromboçe
á"vi,iõ,'-ã-.púJiv .the "wah-wah'i ãúâ ü."a'while- he. PlaYed .with
Freddv Martin's band, his own -r-YJo band at New York's Biltmore Hotel
ôõtóJ"t help oÍ trombonist RuPs Má;;ã" and'his "wah-wah" sounds' Thã=Éand also included vocalists Hài"" Ward, Merv GriÍÍin, B-uddY CÉik a"d handsome baritone Stuart
music and Íea;iávãd easv-goins -hls ó*n original-songs, f,rréd .o*" ôÍ
.u"ã ót two oÍ the band's biggest hits, "Itrá Hut Sut Sons" and "WhY Don't
ozzlG llcE0n
Wáàe. Violinist-vocalist Eddie Stone
His talented clarinet and genuine ã"tt"Jiasm endeared him to Glenn úiler earlv in 1937, when he became in.-iiir1ãürician Miller hired Íor his ã*n Éa"d. He left Miller in 1941, iiis band, with the helP oÍ =üiiri"ã ã"ratoét Dave Matthews, closer to an
and Helei Ward' An
the hoops, it Íated aÍter the war aiong with so many others.
amono ihem "Does Your Heart Beai tor úéittá"d "You re Nobodv Till Some-
body Loves You."
lono beÍore their "Ozzie and Harrie{' óeries, Ozzie and his girl singer Harriet Hilliad were two oÍ the *id-tt i"ti"t' most musical band -sing-
Wã Oo This More-OÍten?" The latter u"o.u."d on the back side oÍ one oÍ
W
TchaiÉovsky's Piano Concerto' Its success was so great that Martin
;;;. fÉ;
nidrcial move that wôn him even
Rau
ê.iãJ C"n"erto, called "l
Bequn in Enqland in the early thirties, ÚáÉlá;. .*..i band was one oÍ the best B3
tÉê biqqest record hits oÍ all time, lÍ;"i"Ét We Love," IYrics in Íact -to
Gáã- to Íocus ón a concertized aoóroach to dance music, a com-
;;;;6t
s,ràc.st, and made hits oÍ the
Éea.rãn" and "lntermezzo"'
popular band overseas entertaining THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
Look at
6ãnd itselÍ was relaxed and
oleasani.
iÍ
musicaliY unexciting,
backing uP their romanüc duets'
llüle
lhere was. When he arrived here in
Miller, Jack Teagarden, Charlie Spi-
his talent-Charlie Spivak and Peewee Erwin on trumpets, Will BradleY
the drummer's discoveries. In 1936 he
1934, he had Glenn Miller assemble
vak. Jimmv McPartland were among
as his Íellow hombonist, tenor sax Bud
was back, with new talent in trumpeters Harry Iames and ShortY Sher-
Van Epps on guitar and bassist Deimar Kaplair. Thouôh they perÍormed some
outÍits and Pollack went on to lead
Freeman, clarinetist Iohnny -Mince, Claude Thomhill on piano, George
qood iazz, wiü Miller's arrangements, üe band's specialty was baliads, sung by Al Bowllv and occasionally Noble himselÍ.
xylophonist with perÍect
musical taste, his ten-piece band
swung with a subtle, subdued excitement.Norvo appeared as a soloistwith Paul Whiteman, then in 1935 with a sextet that Íormed the base oÍ his 1936 outiit. Scores by Eddie Sauter and the
exciüns voice oÍ Mildred Bailey, Norvo's wiÍe, gave the band a tre-
mendous commercial Íollowing durInslrumentals in-
ing those years.
"l
Would Do Ãnything Íor cluded You," "Do You Ever Think oÍ Me?" and "Remember." Bailey reconded some, fine sides like "lt AII Beqins and Ends with You," "lt Can Happen to You" and "Smoke Dreams." In 1938, the band began a seriee oÍ personnel changes and the mood oÍ the group began to change. Norvo's biggest band, and hig last was assembled in 1941, with just
Íor two recordingsTaught Me Daning in a Hurry"beÍore üe recordinE strike went into enough time
"Iersey Bounce" and "Arthur Murray
eÍÍect. Norvo went back to a small iazz
group shortly aÍterwards, Íeaturing
discoveries Milton Rogers on trumpei, Eddie Bert on trrcmbone, Àaron Sachs on clarinet and Ralph Bums on piano.
When the draft made talent scarce, Norvo switched Írcm xylophone to vibraphone and ioined Benny Good-
man ôs halÍ oÍ an exciüng iazz quartet that also included Teddy Wilson and Slam Stewart. Woody Henaan later
hired Norvo, who organized
the
Woodchoppers within the larger band.
tull 0sb0rn8
À
Slack. They too were to leave Íor other
smaller groups.
LOUIS
PflMA
A qood iazz trumpeter, he was better knówn Íor his bandstand antics. His
nod ü0ru0 A brilliant
ôck, clarinetist Irving Fazola, saxist Dave Matthews and pianist FreddY
crooner, oÍten compared to Rudy
Vallee, he Íronted a good swing band in the early üirties, later switched his style to slide bumpets and bombones
blown through megaphones.
Ionu Pastor A saxist who began with Artie Shaw s orchesba, his own band Íeatured a
good sax quintet led by lohnny McAÍee and dixieiand bumpeter Maxie Kaminsky. Among its many singers were Pastor himselÍ and 17-year-old Rosemary Clooney.
B8n P0[aclt His own great band broke up in 1934,
riqht beÍore the Biq Band Era got under way-but its most brilliêni musicians were alumni oÍ Poilack s
orchestra. Benny Goodman, Glenn B4
colorÍul bands Íetetured his own vocals as well as duets with Lily Ann Caro1 and ]ater Keeley Smith, and were
commercially successÍul.
]azz lans were highly impressed by this proqressive band orqanized in 1944 bv the handsome saxist. Trum-
peters Sonny Berman and MarkY Markowitz, trombonist Eari Swope and drummer Don lamond wou]d gair: later Íame with Woody Herman. The outÍit was ahead oÍ its time musicallv and an enigma to the general public. In 1945 a Íire at Palisades Amusement
Park in New Jersey deshoyed the band's music and some oÍ its instruments and Raeburn reorganized with an even more nrodem sound. Geolge Handy's scores were Íor listening, jazz
rhythms that, while brilliant, never made ii commercially.
Charlie Shavers on trumpets, Benny
Morton on trombone, Tony Moüola on suitar, Israel Crosby on bass and Specs Powell on drums. Scott's methoàs, oÍten considered sliqhtly crazY bY
School oÍ Music, Nonetheless, he knew what he wanted out oÍ his orchesha and got it. Young singing discovery Dorothy Collins, later to become Mrs. Raymond Scott, appeared with the band íor a while. The two appeared together on the "Lucky
Strike Hit Parade" series, Scott as conductor and Dorothy as the show's
Ieatured singer.
mffi snau, Billed as Milt Shaw and Hig Detroiters, the band played New York's Roseland Baliroom during the early ihirties.
One oÍ the íirst black bands to play
His electriÍied, Hawaiian sounding quitar and üe accomPanYing voices ót ttre King Sisters won this large, happv band a solid Íollowing among listeilàrs tuned to their regularly broadcast radio shows.
whiie nightclubs, it Íeatured jazz
soloists Sidney Bechet and Charlie Parker and, in 1937, a young singer named Lena Home,
Pil
Siltalnu
His ali-qirl band included Evelyn and
Jan $aullt
Her Magic Violin and Arlene Francis
A child prodigy on the violin, he
became the yôungest musician to ever play in the Philadelphia Symphony. -the ilv mid-thirties, his radio dance bánd-Jan Savitt anci His Top Hattersbegan attracting national attention and the prodigy became a sought-
after swing bandleader.
Featured
vocalist Georqe TunneJl, known
as
Bon Bon, was the band's star, and one
oÍ the Íirst blacks to ever work wiih a white band. OÍ the many recordings
he made with Saútt, the most reguested was "720 in the Books," a úeiody named aÍter its number in ihe Savitt }ibrary to which lyrics were succession
saxist Jerry Jerome, pianist Mel Powell and drummer Cozy Cole. Expandedin 1944, it became one oÍ the Íinest studio bande in the country and Íeaiured Ben Webster on tenor sax, Les Elgart and
ll0ile slssle
frlulno nsu
A
Íollowinq beÍore he ever Íronted a big band. Orsanized in 1940, the 13piece outÍit had a pseudo-iazz style better Íor listening"than dancing and only lasted a Íew years. Scott ihen Íoúed another sextet Íor CBS, an impressive, racially integrated group thát included bumpeter Emmett Berry,
his musicians, included asking the entire band io enro]l at the Julliard
Boud iaoDurn
added.
tor and absent-minded dreamer, his 1937 sextet on CBS won him a
oÍ
vocaiists Íollowed aÍter Bon Bon's depar4ure, the most Íamous a young movie star
named Gloria DeHaven. By the early
Íorties, savitt was patteming the band's style after the Jimmie LunceÍord band, then added an excellent string section, exoanded in 1945 to l8 musicians Íor a Érank Sinatra theater tour.
naum0nd scon Pianist, composer, arranger, conduc-
as Mistress oÍ Ceremonies on his latethirties "Hour oÍ Charm" radio series.
GhanllG $nlualr As a sideman, his lead humpet won
him Íame in üe bands oÍ Ben Pollack, the Dorsey Brothers, Ray Noble, Bob
Crosby, Tommy Dorsey and Jack
Teagarden. His own band, organized in 1940 with the help o{ G]enn Mii}er, broke up aÍter only a Íew months and Spivak took over a Washington group that had been led bv Bill Downer. With arrangements by Íormer bandleader
Sonny Burke and trombonist Neison
Riddle, Spivak landed an engagement
at the Glen Isiand Casino. The only thing missing was his exciting, open horn, which he blew through a mute. Once Harry James unieashed his own trumpet Spivak did the same and the band's sound improved tremendously. By 1942 Spivak had taken on
bassist Jimmy Middleton, drummer Dave Tough, vocalist Gerry Stevens and the Stardusters, Ied by singer]une Hutton. In 1943 the Charlie Spivak band appeared in Pin-Up Grrl with
Frant Driggs Collection
Betty Grable, and that same year Irene
having held on somewhat longer than
Stardusters.
most oÍ the Biq Bands, Thornhill broke up his group Íor good.
Daye replaced June Hutton and the
Dlclt
stailE
A saxist with Ben Bemie, heolganized his own band in 1936 with a colorÍul sound built around his own talented hom.
Jac[ Ieagailen One oÍ the most admired and wellliked musicians in jazz history, his
trombone reÍlected his warm, relaxed personality and won him the respect oÍ
other musicians throughout his long career. He organized his band in 1939 aÍter a long association with the Ben
Pollack band and Paul Whiteman's orchestra. Lead trumpeter Charlie Spivak, saxist Emie Caceres, trumpeter Lee Castaldo, guitarist Allen Reuss and clarinetist Clint Garvin
were Íeatured in that Íirst aggregation.
Rudy Vallee
# á{
BeÍore Teagarden was Íorced to
reorganize with less costly musicians, some excellent sides were cut among them: "The Sheik oÍ.A.raby," 'T Gotta Right to Sinq the Blues," "Peg o' My Heart,l' "Somewhere a Voice is Calling" and "Red Winq." Singers Dolores O'Neill and "Pretty Kitty" Kallen also
appeared with Teagarden's initial group. His 1940 band was egually good and in 1943, his iast big band,
Íeaturing the trumpets oÍ his brother Charlie and Jimmy McPartland, disbanded. Biq Hit "Basin Street Blues."
Glauds In0rnhlll Soft and mellow or exciting and Íullbodied, this brilliant pianisf s band was
one oÍ the best around. Organized in
nudu uallce His megaphoned crooning began winning Íeminine hearts in 1938 and was the primary attraction oÍ his
Connecticut Yankees. By the time the Biq Band Era had begun, Vailee was doing most oÍ his singing on radio,
especially the Fleischmann Yeast
program.
Iod tusems HÍs was a band primarily Íor singers, among them Perry Como, Mary Lee, Marvell Maxwell (later Marilyn Max-
well), Red Ingle and whistlinq Elmo Tanner. Big Hit: "Heartaches."
laulrenee ur8llt His waltzes, polkas and ballads have,
despite criücal scoÍÍing, kept his Íormula and his accordian sucôessÍul since he Íirst led a band in 1925.
Paul ulhlteman A true veteran oÍ the Biq Band scene, this Ílamboyant showman had been
nurturing some oÍ the greatest iazz
talent around since 1918. The Dorsey brothers, Jack and Charlie Teaqarden, Bix BeÍderbecke, Frankie Trumbauer, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Henry Busse, Mike Pingatore, Ray Bargy, and singers Binq Crosby, Mildred Bailey, Iohnny Mercer, Morton Downey, Red McKenzie, Ramona, Jack Fulton and Joan Edwards all owed much oÍ their success to The Kinq oÍ.lazz. He was the Íirst in 1924, to premier in concert
Gershwin's "Rhapsody
in
Blue,"
a
I940, it Íeatured clarinetist Irving
piece he had commissioned, the Íirst to
Harris and Bob Jenney. Thornhill's popularity grew aÍter a 1941 booking at the Glen Island Casino and a Íew months later suddenly disappeared. Reorganized on the West Coast it included ôrranger Gil Evans, Danny Polo on clarinet Jackie Koven on
sections. While other bands prayed Íor
Fazola, trumpeters Conrad Gozzo and Rusty Diedrick, and trombonists Tasso
trumpet and vocalist Terry Ailen. Among the new band's recordings were "Somebody EIse Is Takinq My
Place," "There's a Small Hotel" and ihe oÍ "Buster's Last
progressive jazz
Stand." Thomhill entered the Navy in
popularize arrangements, Íeature a girl singer, use Íull brass and reed
a two-week engagement at New York's Paramount Theater, Whiteman
was booked there Íor two years-at $12,500 a week. In 1938 he brouqht
in Joe Mooney and Tutti Camarata to
write new arrangements and
the Modernaires to sing, but his style was begÍnning to Ílounder next to the new sounds oÍ Goodman and the Dorseys. His later bands were stronger, but by the time the war started and musicians
became scarce,
he gaye it
bandleaders oÍ all time.
to work with him again and unlike many other bands which had dis-
TGddU Ulllson His tasteÍul, dÍstinctive band
most oÍ his formersidemen were eager
banded during the war years, Thom-
hill's was just as popular when it retumed. Evans contipued to write
more jazz scores Íor the band; among those outstanding recordings were "Anthropology," "Donna Lee" and "Yardbird Suite." Ballads like "MyOld Flame," "Lover Man," "For Heaven's Sake" and "L,et's Call it a Day" were
also commercial Íavorites. In 1948, THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIGBANDS
up,
remaÍning one oÍ the best-loved and
1942, where he spent üme putting together special shows and dance band units and played Artie Shaw's band. When he began again in 1946,
ceriainly one oÍ the most Íamous
was
organized shortly after th pianist leÍt Benny Goodman. In it were some oÍ
the best musicians around: Ben Webster, Rudy Powell, Doc Cheatham; Bal Baker, AI Casey, À1 Ha]], I.C. Heard and vocalist Thelma Carpenter.
During its one-year liÍetime,
it
re-
corded 20 sides, including "The Man I Love" and "Little Thinqs That Mean So
Much."
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Every band had its vocalists-boy or girl, oÍten one or more oí each. Singers were important, quite oÍten they communicated even more directly with the audience than did the musicians themselves. In Íact, there were quite a Íew sweet and semi-sweet bands which were actually built around the voices oÍ their featured artists. Special arrangements were made Íor them and the leader depended on them, not only Íor the popularity oÍ his band, but also Íor the major portion oÍ his record sales. The more solid swing bands, however, tended to treat their vocalists much as they treated their Íeatured instrumental soloists, only occasionally using them as the centerpieces Íor special arrangements. Some good examples of this were Chick Webb and Ella Fitzqerald's "Tiskeia-Tasket," Benny Goodman and Martha Tilton's "Loch Loman," Gene Krupa, Roy Eldridge and Anita O'Day's "Let Me OÍÍ Uptown," and Bunny Berigan's "I Can't Get Started," (a recording on which Bunny not only Íeatured his trumpet but also his own singing.) As the Íollowing list shows, there were literally hundreds oÍ vocalists. Their voices ranged in guality Írom terrible to excellent, their style from uninspired to innovative. There just weren't that many great voices to go around and, as with good instrumental soloists, good vocalists were at a premium. The turnover was quite extensive. Toward the end oÍ the Biq Band Era, during the war years, boy vocalists came into their own. The hysteria and adulation that greeted them was almost egual to what was to Íollow years later with the rock groups and vocal groups of the sixties. Mobs waited Íor them at stage doors, hysterical girls screamed and fainted during perÍormances. Taking as their cue Sinatra's startling success as a solo artist a Íew years earlier, a large number oÍ vocalÍsts broke loose Írom the sanctuary oÍ their bands and struck out on their own. For the majority of them it was a disaster. To become a recording star requires more than just a reasonably qoqd voice-one must develop a personal style and a knowledge oÍ music almost egual to that oÍ any other musician. To make i/ reguired total dedication and continuous development. Frank Sinatra, for example, in an eÍÍort (obviously successful) to emulate the breath control oÍ Tomúy Dorsey, was, during his Big Band days (and aÍterwards), preoccupied with physical Íitness. He took breathing exercises and even indulged in underwater sessions to Cevelop his lung capacity. Many years ago, Sinatra commented to his "lÍ voice teacher, John Quinlan: I were starting all over again, I'd get a jobwith a band. I would sing and sing and sing. IÍ a leader gave me Íorty songs a night, I would tell him to give me sixty. There's no teacher like experience." OÍ all the band vocalists who struck out on their own as the Biq Band Era began to Íade, there were a small number who had the talent, the brains, the discipline and the luck to make it all the way to Íame and Íortune as solo singers: Mildred Bailey, Rosemary Clooney, Lena Horne, Peqgy Lee, Anita O'Day, Maxine Sullivan, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Làà Wiley, Perry Como, Dick Haymes, Gordon MacRae, Tony Martin, Iimmy Rushing, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, and a Íew others. Then, oÍ course, there were the super stars and the legends: Billie Holiday, Sinatra, Ella and Bing. A qood number of vocalists Íound their Íutures elsewhere-in Íilms and television: Ôzzie and Harriet Nelson, Betty Hutton, Janet Blair, Art Carney, Dorris Day, Betty Grable, Mike Douglas, Merv GriÍfin, Priscilla and Rosemary Lane, Dinah Shore, Riia Hayworth. THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
87
Jayne Dover
Ivv' Ãnderson
Bunny Berigan
Duke Ellington
Mary Dugan Lorry Clinton Marilyn Duke
Aniv' Arnell
Tommy Tucker
Mildred Bailey Paul Whiteman Red Nowo Glen Gray Benny Goodman
Vaughon Monroe Dorcthy Dunn Kay Kyser Joan Edwards Paul Whiteman Iean Eldridge Duke Ellington
Eugenie Baird Tony Pastor
Glen Gray
Maria Ellingion Duki Ellinqton (not rdateú
Wee Bonny Baker Orrin Tucker Pennv - Banks Red Nichols Rose Blaine Abe Lyman Bonnie BIue
Bettv' Enqels
MõForland Twins Trudy Erwin Koy Kyser Ruth Ettinq Red Nichols
Hden Forrcst) Ianet Blair (LaÍÍertY) (see
Dale Evans
Hal Kemp
Dottie Evans
Anson Weeks
Betty- Bonney Frankie Carle Les Brcwn Anita Boyer Artie Shaw Jerry Wald Tommy DorseY
Cail HaÍl
Nancy Flake Red
Benny Goodman Harry lames Artie Shaw
Jean Bowles Woody Herman
Kav' Fosier Benny Goodman
Betty Bradley Bob Chester Ruth Braclley Bunny Berigan Bettv' Brewer Tommy DorseY Dolores Brown Erckine Hawkins Beatrice Byers Horry James Pauline Byme Artie Shaw Artie Shaw
Connie Francis Tommy Dorsey Ruth Gaylor
Hal MclntYre Hudson-Delange Bunnv Berioan
Georàia Gi'bb (Frãdda Gibson) Pairicia Giimore Enric Madriguera Bettv' Grable Ted Fio Rito Teddy Grace Bob Crosby
Ediü Caldwell
Maxine Gray Hal Kemp Carolyn Gray
Leiqhton Noble Orville KnaPP Ede Carle
Woody Herman Connie Haines Horry lames Tommy Dorsey Sallv' .A.nn Harris Tommv (Red) TomPkins Gloria Hart
(Mariorie Huqhs) Frankie Carle Kay Carlton Henry Jercme LÍlly Ãnn Carol Louis Púma Thelma Carpenter Teddy Wilson
Art
Kassel
Virginia Hayes Ben Cutler
Georgia Carro1 Kay Kyser lune ChristY
Bita Hayworth Cue Xavier Cugat Harriet Hilliard (Nelson) Ozie Nelson
Stan Kenton Savannah Churchill Benn'Y Car(et Bettv' Claire
(\a\re \S\or'§\Rsqts' Iohnry
C.loude TàornJ'ii.l.l
Dotothy Claire
-=ffi.-S*t-..
Nolo
Helen Forrest
'-: .-E-i_--=Ii_-:
=..
.. ....
Linda Keene Red Norvo Paula Kelly Al Donahue KennY Phvllis - Jerry Blaine Peo' [a Centra Artie Shaw Benny Goodman Bonnie lake Artie Shaw Iack lennY .Abbe Lane Xavier Cuqat
Ê
o
o o
Kittv' lane
Glenn Miller BunnY Beúgan Lillian Lane Claude Thomhill Muriel Lane Woody Herman Priscilla Lane Fred Waring Rosemary Lãne Fred Waring
ü o
'É
o
Martha Tilton dnd BennY- Gãodman, Steel Pie4 1938' Francis Hunt Lou Bring Benny Goodman Bettv' Hution Vincent Loqez June Hutton Charlie SPivak Marion Hutton Vincent LoPez Glenn Miller Ida James Erskine Hawkins
Margaret McCrae Bennv Goodman Marion Mann Bob Crcsby Peggy Mann Enoch üqht Dolores Martel Tony Pastor Virginia Maxey Tony Pastor
(Betty BonneY) Franl
Vi Mele IimmY DorseY
Orrin Tucker
Mary lee
Ted'Weems Peoov - -' Lee Benny Goodman Kav' Little Tony Pastor
Shirley Uoyd Ozzie Nelson Imooene ' RayLvnne iulcKinleY Lvnne Phvllis ' Frànkie Carle
Marv' Ann McCall
Woody Herman
Charlie Barnet
Sue Mitchell Woody Herman
Adelaide MoÍÍet Enric Madriguera Liza Morrow Georqe Paxton Ella Mae Morse Freddy Slack
Iimmy DorseY
Bettv' Norton Carl HoÍí Helen O'Connell IimmY DorseY Larry Funk Anita O'Day Gene KruPa Stan Kenton Woodv Herman Dolores (Doáie) O'Neill Jack Teaqarden Bob Chester
Marilyn Maxwell
(MarváI] Maxwell) Ted Weems
Phvllic ' Miles
Frankie Masters Doltv' Mltchell Paul Whiteman
Roz Patton
Vickie Joyce
Ellio! lawrence Lucv- Ann Polk
IimmY DorseY
Kittv' Kallen
Kav Krser
Jack Teaqarden
TommY DorseY
Arlie Shaw
Ginnie Powell Boyd Raeburn
Harry James JimmY DorseY
Carol Kaye
Leah Ray
Sharri Kaye
Read Nancv'Skitch (Lvle) Henderson Reese Gail
Phil Horris
Woody Herman
Woodv Herman Dee Keating Ray AnthonY
Glenn Miller BunnY Berigan Ann Richards Stan Kenton
Lvnn ' Richarde
Harry ]ames
June Bichmond
AndY Kirk Jimmy DorseY
Doris Robbing Bob CrcsbY
Bern Pollack Gale Robbins Art Jarrett
Lvnn ' Roberts
TommY DorseY
Beitv' Roche
Duke Ellinston
Billie Rosers
o
WoodY Herman Lena RoomaY Xovier Cugat Sherman Lvnne ' SunnY Burke Iova - Sherrill Duke Ellinqton
o
Dinah Shore Ben Bernie
é
ó U
o
o
Leo Reisman É E
h l
Bea Wain 90
Peter Dean BeasleY Smith Ethel Shutta
George Olsen
Ginny Sims (Vlrginia Sims) Tom Gerun
Kay Kyser Keely Smith
Louis Prima Helen Southern Larry Clinton
Io StaÍÍord
Tommy DorseY Frances Stevens Jack Denny Red Nichols Boseanne Stevens Ozzie Nelson Maxine Sullivan John Kirby Claude Thomhill Maxine Sullivan
Iohn KrbY Cloude Thomhill
Kay- Swingle
Ted Fio Rito Io Ànn Tally Bob Strong Irene Taylor
Seger Ellis Sister Rosetta ThaDe
Lucky Millinder
Blanch Thompson Fred Waring Marian Thompson Fred Waring Liz Tilton Ken Baker
Ian Garber
Bob CrosbY
Mariha Tilton
Benny Goodman IimmY DorseY Louise Tobin Benny Goodman Bobby Hacketl Will BrodleY Tumminia Josephine JimmY DorseY
Ruthie Vale
Dean Hudson
Bettv Van
'
Bennv Goodman Gloria Van Hal MclntYre Sarah Vaughn
Georqie Auld Earl Hines Billy Eckstine Bea Wain Larry Clinton Helen Ward Enric Madriguera
Hal Mclnüre Freddie Martin Gene KruPa
Harw James Benny Goodman Bob CrosbY Fran Warren Arl Mooney Claude Thornhill Charlie Barnet Dinah Washington Lionel HamPton Francis Wayne Woody Hermon Charlie Barnet Madha Wavne Clauile Thornhill Kav' Weber JimmY DorseY DorseY Brothers Bob CrcsbY
iavne - WhitneY
IohnnY HamP Lee Wiley
Leo Reisman Gioria Wood Kay KYser Nan Wynn
Hal KemP
Hudson-DeLange Helen Young lohnnY Long
Walier Fuller Earl (Fatha) Hines Jack Fulton Paul Whiteman
Gardner Kennv'Guy
Lombardo Gatelv Buddv-Tommy DorseY
Parker Gibbs Ted Weems Charlie Goodman Horace Heidt Merv GrifÍen
FreddY Martin
Dan Grissom Jimmie Lunceiotd Dick Handinq Claude Thornhill Paul Harmon Iohnny Long Bob Haymes Bob Chester
Cail HoÍi Dick Haymes Carl HoÍl
Harry James Benny Goodman Tommy DorseY Rav' Hendricks Benny Goodman Woody Herman Isham Jones
Al Hibler
Duke Ellington Bob Houston lohnnv Lonq -Gienn Miller (USAAF Band) Gene Howand Bob Chester Buddy Huqhes limmY DorseY Lazy Bill Huggins Enoch üght Jack Hunter Elliot lawrence Red inqie
Ted Weems Herb IeÍÍries Earl (Fatha) Hines Duke Ellinqton Bob Jennv Claude Thornhill Bill ]ohnson Bert Block Rav- Kellos Sunny Dunham Dave Lambert Charlie Barnet Gene KruPa Harlan Lattimore Don Redman Fond
leary
Larry Clinton
Jack Leonard
Bert Block Tommy Dorcey Carmen lombando Guy Lombatdo Art Lund ([ondon) BennY Goodmon Macellino Muzzv'Ted Fio Bito
Gondon MacRae Horace Heidt Tonv' Martin Tom Gerun Anson Weeks
Iohn McAÍee
TonY Pasior
Hairy Jomes Bob McCov Horace Heidt Rav' McKenzie Paul Whiteman
Mercer -IohnnvRav AnthonY
Dick Merrick McForland Twins Martv' McKenna SammY KaYe
92
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I{ISTOHY OF THE BIê BANDS
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THE COMPLETE HISTORY OFTHE BIG BANDS
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