AboutTheMusicENGL

Big Band music has its roots in jazz, which itself goes back to the very beginning of the 1900s.

The Big Band era is regarded as 1930 up until the middle/late 1940s, although of course two of the most famous bands, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, and the Count Basie Orchestra played on in to the 1970s until the death of their leaders. In fact theses two bands continue to this day as tribute bands and continue to delight audiences wherever they play.

As far back as the mid 1920's big bands of up to twenty players dominated popular music. The Paul Whiteman Orchestra played from written arrangements, but featured jazz soloists, such as Bix Beiderbecke and Frankie Trumbauer.

Each band had its own particular instantly-recognisable style, due to the individuality of their arrangements and playing. Count Basie, Bennie Goodman, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller and Harry James are just a few examples.

Following WW2, new names such as Oliver Nelson, Stan Kenton, Quincy Jones, Buddy Rich, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis rose to fame. These are the musicians whom the young students of today regard as role models.

A typical Big Band line up includes 5 trumpets, four trombones, five saxophones, piano, guitar, drums and bass.