The Genesis
Famously dubbed the "King of Jazz," he popularized a polished blend of classical music and jazz.
Who is Paul Whiteman?
This man was dubbed the "King of Swing."
Who is Benny Goodman?
In August 1935, Benny Goodman's band performed a legendary, highly energetic set at this ballroom in Los Angeles.
What is the Palomar Ballroom?
By the late 1960s and 1970s, the big band format transitioned heavily into __________ and universities
What are high schools?
Also known as "free jazz" or "progressive big band," this movement shifted large ensembles away from dancing and into listening and radical experimentation.
What is the avant-garde movement?
They established the true blueprint for big band jazz.
Who are Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman?
Characterized by large 10-to-16-piece ensembles, big band musicians provided the energetic soundtrack for this dance craze.
What is the Lindy Hop dance craze?
Swing music created America’s first distinct modern "youth culture." Teenagers and young adults—dubbed "________"—developed their own slang, clothing styles (like zoot suits), and high-energy dance steps.
Who are Jitterbugs?
The post-era evolution of big bands was marked by radical experimentation, structural transformations, and technological shifts that allowed large ____ ensembles to survive outside the dance hall.
What is jazz?
Avant-garde bands, pioneered by artists like Sun Ra and this artist, relied on atonality, radical chord structures, and collective (un-conducted) improvisation.
Who is Stan Kenton?
This person began his legendary residency at Harlem’s Cotton Club in 1927.
Who is Duke Ellington?
This bandleader formed the Army Air Force Band. This played a massive role in entertaining American forces during World War II.
Who is Glenn Miller?
A masterpiece of Kansas City-style swing, driven by heavy blues riffs and a driving rhythm section.
What is "One O'Clock Jump?"
The introduction of the ________ 12-inch Long-Playing (LP) vinyl format in 1948 changed everything. No longer restricted to three-minute singles, big bands could record massive, multi-movement suites and extended thematic albums.
What is Columbia Records?
The Revival movement exploded again in this decade.
When were the 1990's?
While notoriously male-dominated, the 1920s also featured trailblazing female groups like _________________, who even made sound-on-film shorts in 1925.
Who are Helen Lewis and Her All-Girl Jazz Syncopators?
This bandleader was famous for his loose, rhythm-driven Kansas City style.
Count Basie
This wartime draft stripped bands of prime players, and severe shortages of gasoline, rubber, and shellac (used for records) made touring and pressing vinyl incredibly difficult.
What was World War II?
This year, Duke Ellington Orchestra delivered a legendary performance featuring a 27-chorus tenor saxophone solo by Paul Gonsalves. The event made national headlines, proved big bands could still electrify massive crowds, and revitalized Ellington’s late-career touring schedule.
When was 1956?
Revival bands (such as the Mingus Big Band or the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) keep the original arrangements alive by acting as _________ dedicated to icons like Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
What are "living museums?"
These three cities were major epicenters for big band musicians.
What are New York City, Chicago, and Kansas City?
During this year, the musicians' recording strike began.
When was 1942?
This group, led by James Petrillo, ordered a strike and recording ban against major record labels to demand better royalties. This halted new big band releases.
Who is the American Federation of Musicians?
As national touring became impossible, the primary employer of stable, high-paying big-band work shifted to television networks. Late-night talk shows integrated permanent big bands as house accompaniment, famously exemplified by ____________ and The Tonight Show Band.
Who is Doc Severinsen?
In downtown Tucson at The Century Room, this 17-piece big band performs classic swing and modern reinterpretations weekly.
What is the Century Jazz Orchestra?