Big Band music

[Texanne]

A lot of my friends cannot understand my love for the Big Band music of the 1930s and 40s. I just love this music. I grew up in a household in which Big Band music was important, and I still love to listen to it to this day.

Artists like Glenn Miller, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Charlie Barnet (Skyliner is my personal favorite song from the era), Artie Shaw, Billy May, Stan Kenton, Sy Zentner, Kay Keyser, Benny Goodman, Gene Kruppa, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Xavier Cugat .. and the singers: Frank Sinatra, of course, Ella Fitzgerald, Teresa Brewer, the Andrews Sisters, Tex Beneke, Anita O'Day, Rosemary Clooney. They may all be dead now, but their music can still bring it.

Are you a fan of the Big Bands?

 

[TxStHorn]

I love it.

Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman are my favorites, but all those you listed are great.

The arrangements absolutely amaze me, sometimes. But then again, Brian Wilson's musical arrangements amaze me as well (another topic).

I can't understand how someone could not love that era of music.

 

[l00p]

Glenn was the standard it seems but along with him I love Xavier Cugat (this man was a PIMP. His list of women is staggering, Bang-Bang, Xavier), Duke and the Count.

Texanne, I have on cassette somewhere a fantastic special on Glenn Miller. I will record it for you sometime if you want. It is touching. It was off of NPR or public radio in D.C. over a decade ago.

 

[badexcuse]

Anyone without Glenn Miller in their cd collection is badly missing out.

 

[1918Speedway]

^ ^ ^
Absolutely! I'm a Glenn Miller fan as well, and I never get tired of his music.

 

[Sii]

Count Basie and Duke's band are my favs

 

[tallgrant]

Insisted on having Moonlight Serenade played during my wedding reception. Fantastic stuff!

 

[jmatt]

I'm more partial to Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington, but Glenn Miller was greatness.

I have those guys, plus stuff by Harry James, Artie Shaw, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Woody Herman and some others in my collection.