The 80th Anniversary of Benny Goodman's Concert at Carnegie Hall

Gary North - January 16, 2018

Last Saturday, I wrote about Benny Goodman's 1938 concert at Carnegie Hall. Read it here: https://www.garynorth.com/public/17598.cfm.

This was a landmark event. We read on History.com.

Jazz has been called “America’s classical music,” a label that does more than just recognize its American origins. The label also makes the case that jazz is worthy of aesthetic consideration alongside music usually thought of as “classical.” In the current era, when programs of Duke Ellington and J.S. Bach often draw the same highbrow crowds, that argument hardly seems controversial. In the 1930s, however, the notion was almost laughable, which is what made Benny Goodman’s January 16, 1938, concert at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall so revolutionary. Goodman and his supporting cast claimed a new place for jazz on the American cultural scene that night, in what has come to be seen as the most important jazz concert in history.

Benny Goodman was at the absolute height of his legendary career when his publicist first suggested they book Carnegie Hall. He was a star on radio, on stage and on film, and the label “King of Swing” was already attached permanently to his name. So outlandish was the suggestion that a jazz band might play inside the citadel of American high culture, however, that Goodman is said to have laughed the idea off at first. Once he warmed to the notion, however, Goodman threw himself into the task with characteristic passion. In addition to numbers from the regular repertoire of his own band—which included the legendary Harry James on trumpet, Lionel Hampton on vibraphone and Gene Krupa on drums—Goodman planned a program featuring a brand-new “Twenty Years of Jazz” piece and an extended jam session featuring stars of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie orchestras. The concert sold out weeks in advance, with the best seats fetching $2.75.

Note: in today's money, $2.75 would be $43. The best seats for performances of major groups is in the range of $150.

Modern Drummer focuses on Gene Krupa's performance.

It was the floor tom heard round the world, Gene Krupa’s call to revolution: “Drummers to the fore!” By January 16, 1938, the time of this Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall concert, Gene Krupa had already introduced the extended drum solo to jazz, and his star status had helped elevate the role of drummers. But this famed performance truly sealed the deal. Krupa’s dynamic solo on “Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)” and band-driving command throughout the night remain landmarks in drumming history. More important, the concert marked a turning point, a confluence of historical firsts that opened doors for the future of jazz itself.

Today it’s difficult to comprehend a bygone attitude that questioned the notion of a jazz performance at Carnegie. But seventy-seven years ago, many dismissed the event as a publicity stunt, while hardened purists hissed “Sacrilege!” The hallowed hall, they contended, was a firmament for the likes of Toscanini and Horowitz, not brash “dancehall bands.” Before Goodman’s appearance, orchestra leader Paul Whiteman had incorporated jazz elements into his formally arranged pieces. But Whiteman’s music was a staid affair, sans improvisation, bearing no comparison to the vital jazz that Goodman, “the King of Swing,” brought to the hall.

That evening, Goodman strode onto the stage, resplendent in tails, and his big band swung into “Don’t Be That Way.” Initially the ensemble seems a tad reserved. But most likely they’re intentionally building suspense. Krupa swings smoothly and slyly prods the band, dropping unexpected bass bombs during the verse. On his first big drum break, Krupa suddenly unleashes fast, straight 16ths on the snare, and the audience reacts with excitement; the sold-out house is clearly raring for the band to let it rip. After a repeated ensemble decrescendo, Krupa sets up the outro with blazing force and brings the band home hard with four on the floor. From there, the concert steams up and Krupa emerges a hero.

Throughout the diverse program, Krupa leads the way with various ensembles, igniting a calfskin Slingerland kit that boasts a bass drum painted with “BG” and his own “GK” shield—a reinforcement of his central role. In addition to the orchestra numbers, Krupa is featured with Goodman’s famous trio, including pianist Teddy Wilson, and quartet, with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. Also included is an extended jam segment featuring members of the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands. Krupa accompanies the guests and defers to Basie’s elegant piano style, approaching the kit with an appropriately smoother, subtler edge.

The so-called “killer diller” finale, prompting two encores, is reserved for “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Goodman understood that Krupa would bring the house down, but the stickman does more than that: He launches the night straight into the history books.

Here it is. Killer. Diller.

Here is the entire concert.