Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb Kenton was born on December 15, 1911, and died on August 25, 1979. He was an American musician who played piano, wrote music, arranged songs, and led a band. Kenton directed a creative and important jazz orchestra for nearly 40 years.
Charlie Barnet
Charles Daly Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz musician who played the saxophone, wrote music, and led a band. His most important recordings include “Nagasaki,” “Skyliner,” Cherokee, “The Wrong Idea,” “Scotch and Soda,” “In a Mizz,” and “Southland Shuffle.”
Bunny Berigan
Roland Bernard “Bunny” Berigan (November 2, 1908 – June 2, 1942) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader who became famous during the swing era. He wrote some jazz instrumentals, such as “Chicken and Waffles” and “Blues,” but he was most well-known for his skilled jazz trumpet playing. His 1937 recording of “I Can’t Get Started” on RCA Victor was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1975.
Harry James
Harry Haag James was born on March 15, 1916, and died on July 5, 1983. He was an American musician best known for leading a big band as a trumpet player. His band achieved great commercial success from 1939 to 1946.
Jimmy Dorsey
James Francis Dorsey was born on February 29, 1904, and died on June 12, 1957. He was an American musician who played the clarinet and saxophone, wrote music, and led a big band. He created the jazz and pop songs “I’m Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary People)” and “It’s the Dreamer in Me.” Other important songs he recorded include “Tailspin,” “John Silver,” “So Many Times,” “Amapola,” “Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil),” “Pennies from Heaven” with Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and Frances Langford, “Grand Central Getaway,” and “So Rare.” He played clarinet on the important jazz songs “Singin’ the Blues” from 1927 and the original 1930 recording of “Georgia on My Mind.” These songs were added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz musician who played the trombone, wrote music, conducted bands, and led ensembles during the big band era. He was called the “Sentimental Gentleman of Swing” because of his smooth trombone playing.
Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and writer of both fiction and non-fiction. Many people consider him one of jazz’s greatest clarinetists. Shaw led one of the most popular big bands in the United States during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Jimmie Lunceford
James Melvin Lunceford lived from June 6, 1902, to July 12, 1947. He was an American jazz saxophonist who played the alto saxophone and led a band during the swing era.
Cab Calloway
Cabell Calloway III was born on December 25, 1907, and died on November 18, 1994. He was an American jazz singer, songwriter, and bandleader. He often performed at the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he became a well-known singer during the swing era.
Chick Webb
William Henry “Chick” Webb was born on February 10, 1905, and died on June 16, 1939. He was an American drummer and bandleader who played jazz and swing music.