Benny Goodman
Apologies for the late posting!!
[NOTE: The fifth post in the Musical Theory series of posts is below.]
[NOTE: The fifth post in the Musical Theory series of posts is below.]
Link (Official Website):
http://www.bennygoodman.com/index.php
http://www.bennygoodman.com/index.php
Name: Benjamin David Goodman
Born: May 30, 1909
Died: June 13, 1986
Instrument: Clarinet
Benny's Beginnings:
Benny learned to play clarinet in a charity run youth band. He quickly became quite proficient at the instrument, and played professionally in many bands while still in his youth. By the age of 16 Benny was playing with one of Chicago's top bands, and at age 17 he made his first recording. He began recording albums under his own name two years later.
Benny and his brother became fairly successful working musicians, and Benny attempted to convince his father to retire. His father had always worked shovelling unrefined lard, a smell that Benny couldn't stand. As soon as the boys were in a position to help out their father, they tried to do so. But Mr. Goodman wouldn't have any charity, and was rumored to have said, "You look after yourself, and I'll look after myself." Shortly after this, Mr. David Goodman was hit by a car while getting off a streetcar, and died in hospital. This death would haunt Benny, who wished his father could have seen him become a great success.
In the late 1920's, Benny headed off to New York and gained his reputation as a solid and reliable playing by playing with Red Nichols, Isham Jones, and Ted Lewis. In 1932 he formed his own band, auditioning for New York radio two years later. His radio broadcasts from New York had been too late to attract a large audience on the East Coast, but had an avid following in California. However, Benny did not hit the "bigtime" until his band played the Palomar Ballroom in 1935.
Racial Integration:
Benny Goodman is said to be to Jazz what Elvis was to Rock and Roll. Jazz was largely considered to be black music, and Benny was able to bring a taste of it into white culture. He was also a pioneer in racial integration, breaking taboo on many occaisions by hiring black musicians to play with white orchestras. This was something that may have been taboo in the Northern and Central states, but it was actually illegal in the South due to the Jim Crow laws. Benny had enough fame and money not to need to tour in the South where his band would be subject to arrest, and so he simply hired the musicians that would be suit the gig, regardless of race.
The Bigtime:
Much like last week's Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman was also a perfectionist. He has been called arrogant, cheap, and demanding by many who worked with him. Any musician who did not meet Benny's standards on a gig would receive his signature glare, dubbed "The Ray". However, most appreciate Benny's perfectionism as it led him to be the most technically proficient clarinetist of his time. Any accusations of Benny being cheap were understood as stemming back to his penniless childhood in Chicago, where he would have been trained to watch what little money he had with care.
Benny's band, whether a trio, a quartet, a sextet, or a full big-band had great success throughout the thirties, even playing the legendary Carnegie Hall on January 16, 1938. Unfortunately, in the forties many of the talented musicians were signing up for service or getting bigger paying jobs as factory foremen, and Benny Goodman lost popularity. The new fad was crooners, such as Frank Sinatra, and Benny didn't fit into that profile. He embrassed bebop throughout the fourties and the fifties, but with limited success. Jazz seemed to have simply outgrown him.
Despite the ever changing music world, Benny continued to play in the Swing style he was best knn called arrogant, cheap, and demanding by many who worked with him. Any musician who did not meet Benny's standards on a gig would receive his signature glare, dubbed "The Ray". However, most appreciate Benny's perfectionism as it led him to be the most technically proficient clarinetist of his time. Any accusations of Benny being cheap were understood as stemming back to his penniless childhood in Chicago, where he would have been trained to watch what little money he had with care.
Benny's band, whether a trio, a quartet, a sextet, or a full big-band had great success throughout the thirties, even playing the legendary Carnegie Hall on January 16, 1938. Unfortunately, in the forties many of the talented musicians were signing up for service or getting bigger paying jobs as factory foremen, and Benny Goodman lost popularity. The new fad was crooners, such as Frank Sinatra, and Benny didn't fit into that profile. He embrassed bebop throughout the fourties and the fifties, but with limited success. Jazz seemed to have simply outgrown him.
Despite the ever changing music world, Benny continued to play in the Swing style he was best known for, as well as some classical clarinet, right up until he died at the age of 77, in New York city.
own for, as well as some classical clarinet, right up until he died at the age of 77, in New York city.
Born: May 30, 1909
Died: June 13, 1986
Instrument: Clarinet
Benny's Beginnings:
Benny learned to play clarinet in a charity run youth band. He quickly became quite proficient at the instrument, and played professionally in many bands while still in his youth. By the age of 16 Benny was playing with one of Chicago's top bands, and at age 17 he made his first recording. He began recording albums under his own name two years later.
Benny and his brother became fairly successful working musicians, and Benny attempted to convince his father to retire. His father had always worked shovelling unrefined lard, a smell that Benny couldn't stand. As soon as the boys were in a position to help out their father, they tried to do so. But Mr. Goodman wouldn't have any charity, and was rumored to have said, "You look after yourself, and I'll look after myself." Shortly after this, Mr. David Goodman was hit by a car while getting off a streetcar, and died in hospital. This death would haunt Benny, who wished his father could have seen him become a great success.
In the late 1920's, Benny headed off to New York and gained his reputation as a solid and reliable playing by playing with Red Nichols, Isham Jones, and Ted Lewis. In 1932 he formed his own band, auditioning for New York radio two years later. His radio broadcasts from New York had been too late to attract a large audience on the East Coast, but had an avid following in California. However, Benny did not hit the "bigtime" until his band played the Palomar Ballroom in 1935.
Racial Integration:
Benny Goodman is said to be to Jazz what Elvis was to Rock and Roll. Jazz was largely considered to be black music, and Benny was able to bring a taste of it into white culture. He was also a pioneer in racial integration, breaking taboo on many occaisions by hiring black musicians to play with white orchestras. This was something that may have been taboo in the Northern and Central states, but it was actually illegal in the South due to the Jim Crow laws. Benny had enough fame and money not to need to tour in the South where his band would be subject to arrest, and so he simply hired the musicians that would be suit the gig, regardless of race.
The Bigtime:
Much like last week's Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman was also a perfectionist. He has been called arrogant, cheap, and demanding by many who worked with him. Any musician who did not meet Benny's standards on a gig would receive his signature glare, dubbed "The Ray". However, most appreciate Benny's perfectionism as it led him to be the most technically proficient clarinetist of his time. Any accusations of Benny being cheap were understood as stemming back to his penniless childhood in Chicago, where he would have been trained to watch what little money he had with care.
Benny's band, whether a trio, a quartet, a sextet, or a full big-band had great success throughout the thirties, even playing the legendary Carnegie Hall on January 16, 1938. Unfortunately, in the forties many of the talented musicians were signing up for service or getting bigger paying jobs as factory foremen, and Benny Goodman lost popularity. The new fad was crooners, such as Frank Sinatra, and Benny didn't fit into that profile. He embrassed bebop throughout the fourties and the fifties, but with limited success. Jazz seemed to have simply outgrown him.
Despite the ever changing music world, Benny continued to play in the Swing style he was best knn called arrogant, cheap, and demanding by many who worked with him. Any musician who did not meet Benny's standards on a gig would receive his signature glare, dubbed "The Ray". However, most appreciate Benny's perfectionism as it led him to be the most technically proficient clarinetist of his time. Any accusations of Benny being cheap were understood as stemming back to his penniless childhood in Chicago, where he would have been trained to watch what little money he had with care.
Benny's band, whether a trio, a quartet, a sextet, or a full big-band had great success throughout the thirties, even playing the legendary Carnegie Hall on January 16, 1938. Unfortunately, in the forties many of the talented musicians were signing up for service or getting bigger paying jobs as factory foremen, and Benny Goodman lost popularity. The new fad was crooners, such as Frank Sinatra, and Benny didn't fit into that profile. He embrassed bebop throughout the fourties and the fifties, but with limited success. Jazz seemed to have simply outgrown him.
Despite the ever changing music world, Benny continued to play in the Swing style he was best known for, as well as some classical clarinet, right up until he died at the age of 77, in New York city.
own for, as well as some classical clarinet, right up until he died at the age of 77, in New York city.
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