Benny Goodman : From “King of Swing” to Third Stream

Clarinetist and band leader Benny Goodman was born in the Chicago slums in 1909. He first played in dance bands and eventually organized his own band, which became so popular that he was known as the King of Swing. As a clarinetist, he also was attracted to classical music, particularly the clarinet music of Mozart, Debussy and Brahms. Gunther Schuller, describing Goodman\u27s ability to play in both jazz and classical styles said, In a sense, Benny was the first Third Stream musician, moving easily in and out of jazz and classical music, from the Palomar Ballroom to Carnegie Hall... 1 This paper explores Goodman\u27s musical career in both the classical and jazz worlds, defines the term “Third Stream” and describes how Benny Goodman fits this term. Selected works Goodman explored as a classical clarinetist as well as some of the music written for and commissioned by him are discussed in detail