Big Band Sounds

William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. He led his popular Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years and was a leading figure of the swing era in jazz and, alongside Duke Ellington. His theme songs were "One O'Clock Jump" and "April In Paris".

Basie and his band kept active in the post WW 2 years and even up into the 1970's although there were many changes in personnel over the years.

Benjamin David Goodman was an American Jazz musician, and bandleader who played the clarinet. He was known as the King of Swing. In the mid 1930's he led one of the most popular music groups in America. When he and his band performed at Carnegie Hall in 1938, it was described as a coming out party for jazz. Jazz had finally made it into mainstream American music.

Benny Goodman's band helped to launch the careers of many jazz musicians, and he was one of the first to have a racially integrated group, in an era where segregation was prominent, even in musical groups.

Alton Glenn Miller was an American Jazz musician, as well as an arranger, composer and band leader. His signature recordings included In the Mood, Tuxedo Junction, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Pennsylvania 6-5000 and Moonlight Serenade. Miller was very interested in the military, but when he choose to volunteer, he was told that he was too old. Instead, he became a special assistance officer. Unfortunately when Miller went to entertain the US Troops during WW 2, his plane went down in bad weather. His body was never recovered, and the world lost a giant in the Big Band Era.