Benny Goodman\'s Style of Music

Benny Goodman's Style Of Music

Benny Goodman's Disciplined and Multi-Faceted Musical Style

Benny Goodman is one of the biggest names in not only jazz, but also American popular music as well. Born in 1909, he is most known for his work as a composer and jazz clarinetist; however, he was also an excellent saxophone master and classical musician as well. Throughout the years, Goodman's musical evolution included stylistic elements of classical, New Orleans jazz, big band, more intimate combos, and bop music. He is said by many to be the master of big-band swing music, but also explored smaller combos in which he gave great showcases to upcoming artists. The disciplined and multi-faceted nature of his stylistic techniques proves his mastery as an artist and earns him his enormous reputation.

Most Americans remember Goodman both for his composing and his mastery of clarinet in big band compositions. In fact he is known world-wide for his compositions and influence as a big band leader. He transcended the fate of many great jazz artists when he broke into mainstream music. He avoided a life of obscurity, like many of both his predecessors and disciples, and reached immense fame of great American charts. He has recorded with American favorites, such as Billie Holiday. Transcending his genre, Goodman also became one of the most prominent influences of jazz clarinetists. However, not many have seen the evolution of Goodman's style through the years. This evolution and development of a variety of styles is what makes him such an accomplished musician.

The first style to characterize the musical prowess of the great Benny Goodman is that of classical clarinet. Very early on in his career as a musician, Goodman studied classical Clarinet with Franz Schoepp (Groove Music, 2008). Later in his career, Goodman occasionally returned to his classical roots to continue to develop his skills within the genre. In 1935, he privately played Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, which he also recorded several years later. Throughout his life, he perfected a "legitimate," (Groove Music, 2008), and masterful technique on the clarinet while incorporating fundamental elements of his classical training.

This early training was also responsible for his love for jazz coming out of New Orleans in the beginning of his stint as a professional musician. During his time spent in the "Austin High School Gang," Goodman imitated the style of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, (Grove Music, 2008). He was heavily influenced by the group's clarinetist, Leon Roppolo. His style also reflected the influences of other greats out of New Orleans such as Sydney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and King Oliver. This style incorporated elements of upbeat tempos, brass band roots, and ragtime improvisations. Goodman was later influenced by the style of Bix Biederbecke after the two clarinetists met in 1923. This influence was responsible for Goodman's "on-the-beat attacks, careful choice of notes, and across-the-bar phrasings on his recordings in 1928 of a Jazz Holiday and Blue," (Groove Music, 2008). During this period, he was also known for his solo skills on both the alto and baritone saxophone. He was heavily influenced by the dark, warm tone of clarinetist Jimmy Noone, (Gridley, 2005).

Later in the 1920's and early into the 30's, Goodman mainly played as a prominent and highly desired freelance musician. He did a lot of studio work for major radio stations and Broadway productions, such as Richard Whitling's 1931 production of Free for All, (Groove Music, 2008). In 1934, he landed the spot on NBC Radio's production Last Dance.

Goodman transitioned into the world of swing and big band after he formed his first big band in 1934. This early group incorporated twelve musicians, including saxophones, three trumpets, two trombones, and four rhythm musicians for recordings with Colombia Records. Compositions for this group were mainly written by the great Fletcher Henderson, who was famous for works such as Jelly Roll Morton's King Porter Stomp, (Groove Music, 2008). The band showed great charisma along with dedicated discipline within the group. Here he began his tradition of encouraging his musicians to rise to his skill level, which later became a staple of his compositions. Big bans were usually made up of ten or more musicians grouped into three sections based on individual instruments, (McGridley, 2005). The first section was the rhythm sections, composed of piano, guitar, bass, and drums. The brass section included trumpets and trombones. Finally, the saxophone section was also known as the "reed section" because of its associations with and incorporations of most wood wind instruments. This section was made up mainly of alto and tenor saxophones, but sometimes also included baritones as well.

1935 saw the creation of the Benny Goodman Trio, yet another development in the evolution of Goodman's style. The trio was made up of legendary jazz musicians; Teddy Wilson, Gene Krupa who he had played with in his radio days, with Goodman leading and composing. In this era, Goodman followed a much more mature style, as seen in After You're Gone, (Groove Music, 2008). In these recordings, he explored a complete range of the clarinet and was prone to play in "blue thirds," (Groove Music, 2008). In 1936, the trio became a quartet with the addition of Lionel Hampton on the vibraphone.

One night in 1938, Goodman got the chance of a lifetime, and has been thereafter accredited with bringing swing music into national recognition. He and his band performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City, bringing swing to the world. A look at this night from the first hand perspective of Ralph De Toledano in his "The Night Swing was Born," reveals the breathtaking ability of Goodman, both as a clarinetist and a composer. This was the performance which brought swing world renowned fame, "an earthquake of violent intensity rocked a small corner of Manhattan last night as swing took Carnegie Hall in its stride," reported New York Sun journalist Irving Kolodin (De Tolenado, 1999). This first hand description of Goodman's disciplined and perfected style is an amazing testament of his own influence on the genre of swing. Since this night, Goodman has been attributed as being the king of swing, (De Tolenado, 1999). Goodman was also mastering his skills and styles of composition. Unlike all other white band leaders and composers at the time, Goodman was the first to incorporate black musicians into his groups and compositions. His compositions embodied the big band style. However, possibly as a result of his earlier roots, his compositions incorporated more saxophones than other big band composers. Along with other swing big names, Goodman also incorporated more high-hats in pieces, (McGridley, 2005).

His is a smoother rhythm than seen in earlier jazz composers. Goodman is also known for using more extensive written arraignments in his compositions, which most melodies played in part by every section. There was also much more of an emphasis o solo improvisations of various artists, which typically followed him throughout his entire composing career.