[?] Subscribe To This Site

Benny Goodman

100 Years of the King of Swing

This month, celebrate Benny Goodman. He was born 100 years ago on May 30th, 1909 and lived to June 13, 1986. I’ve found all of my Goodman solo books and played through them the best I can in his honor. He was born in Chicago in 1909 and eventually became noted as King of Swing, Patriarch of the Clarinet and The Professor.

Thinking of clarinet Birthday gifts? Learn more about clarinet equipment, accessories, quality musician tools and other stuff your clarinetists either needs or wants…

Do this favor for me, read through every link on this page and make sure you start a collection of B. Goodman clarinet sheet music and recordings, now.

One thing about Goodman's music you will notice immediately is how FUN and ENERGETIC it is. Burnin’ red-hot jazz is definitely not out of style. Clarinet players today spend so much time on the serious music: Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, Rose Etudes, Messian, etc… Well, how about just letting it all hang out and learn a new style.

Believe me, you'll have the same embouchure, breath, finger and mental challenges of playing clarinet by playing jazz as you do studying legit clarinet. Also, this is a great excuse to learn your scales even that much better.

But, I don’t know how to improvise. That is just fine. How about reading the music and attempting to swing as you read? There are some great books that have Mr. Goodman’s solos written out. I’ll lead to you some of them below.

Now, go get your clarinet, go get your Clarinet, NOW!

Here’s a roadmap to Benny Goodman

1. Listen to him

2. Try to transcribe a Goodman solo

3. Find book, learn a new style

4. Best music recordings to buy

5. Goodman videos on YouTube

6. Best Goodman websites

LISTEN TO BENNY GOODMAN

Download Goodman tunes on Itunes. Check out his Carnegie Hall concert here.

Consume yourself with listening to his style, the excitement of his music and the smooth, yet burnin’ clarinet licks throughout his music.

TRY TO TRANSCRIBE BENNY GOODMAN MUSIC

Try to pick up some of his solos. The best way to learn jazz is to transcribe solos from the recordings. If I were you, try a slow song first. One of the best, or my favorites, is Goodbye.

Start by trying to figure out the key signature and then the first few notes. Then add-on a phrase at a time and once you have the first few notes, start writing them down on musical staff paper. Look at your music but also try to memorize it or feel it the best you can. Having the music internalized in your ear, mind and fingers will help you “know” the solo better as well as pick-up the style quicker.

Play the tune over and over via the recording and then on your clarinet. Play with Mr. Goodman and try to “swing” with him. THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO PICK UP A NEW MUSICAL STYLE.

IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE PATIENCE TO TRANSCRIBE, BUY A BOOK AND READ THROUGH THE MUSIC.

You will actually not pick the music up as well if you never hear the mastery of Goodman and just try to read his music. However, this is better than nothing.

If you do, buy a book and make sure you have a recordings of the music in the book. Hopefully, the recordings are in the same key as the book, if not, it is a good time to start transposing the written solo to go with the recording. Again, note how I’m writing this, buy a book, but LISTEN TO A RECORDING OF THE SOLO. Then, play the solo with the recording. Again, this is a good way to pick up jazz.

Since clarinetists today have a rare chance to play with a jazz band without doubling on saxophone, many clarinetists just don’t try playing jazz. BELIEVE ME, YOU WILL HAVE FUN.

Here is a great place to start. Let’s Dance, Flying Home, Benny’s Bugle, Slipped Disc and Sing, Sing, Sing are all on this sheet music/CD combo. Click on the cover art below for more information.

BEST B. GOODMAN CLARINET BOOKS

Goodman, Composer/Artist is the best of all of the solo methods except that it does not include chord changes over the clarinet or piano parts. It is most easily readable for the classically trained clarinetist who wishes to learn jazz style.

25 of Benny's greatest clarinet solos all wrapped up in one book to include tunes on some of the YouTube videos below: Sing, Sing, Sing; Flyin Home; and Slipped Disc.

Benny Goodman: Swing Classics. Clarinet Solos with piano accompaniment. Six of Benny's solos do include the chord symbols.

Jazz Masters. Goodman. 30 important solos as played by the "King of Swing" includes chord changes. The thorough analysis of Goodman's style by Stan Ayeroff are fantastic. Also, the background behind the solos are informative. This book includes these solos for clarinet only and have no piano accompaniment. You can find this book here.

BEST BENNY GOODMAN RECORDINGS TO BUY

Number one best Benny Goodman recording to buy that is a real piece of clarinet history. The Carnegie Hall Concert in 1938 brought jazz to the historic hall that had only previously performed classical music. Check out this short video on the Carnegie concert...

Now, get the full recording of the Carnegie Hall Concert. This is clarinet at its most exciting.

Here are some other great recordings:

Let's Dance

Moonglow

I Got Rhythm

Check out this great B. Goodman periphenalia on Ebay. Look especially for his clarinet method...

BEST BENNY GOODMAN VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

Do this for me on these videos. Take a good look at Mr. Goodman’s clarinet embouchure. Watch his fingers. How much air does he command before he performs? Listen to his legato (smooth) style. What is exciting about his music? How well is his band playing behind him? Are they “tight” or “loose”?

Sing, Sing, Sing