In 1938 there was no music more popular than Swing, and the man leading the charge was Benny Goodman. But how does a Polish Jew from Chicago become “The King of Swing?”

First of all, he was really talented. No one played the clarinet better at that moment. Secondly, he was white, and that, unfortunately, made music created by Black musicians more palatable to a wider audience. Thirdly, it didn’t matter if you were Black or white in Goodman’s eyes. He only wanted to play with the best. That’s why he was the first bandleader to integrate when he invited pianist, Teddy Wilson, and vibrophonist, Lionel Hampton, to join his group.

By 1938 Goodman and his band were at the height of their popularity. Still, it was a big step to play Carnegie Hall, a hallowed space reserved for the greats of classical music. His manager suggested the venue. Goodman said yes, but it was all so new: to be the first jazz musician to perform there. When asked how long of an intermission he needed, Goodman asked, “How long does Toscanini take?”

Tickets for the concert sold so quickly, Goodman had to buy scalped tickets for family visiting from Chicago. It was not only a big moment for Goodman, but jazz as well. So much so, that there must have been nerves when they started off with “Don’t Be That Way.”

Because the venue was bigger than the dancehalls they played and the audience was seated and quiet, Goodman’s drummer, Gene Kruppa, a distant relative to Animal, tried to jump start the evening by playing over others.

It worked. The audience loosened up and they were treated to a historic night as Goodman played the hits from different eras like Nick LaRocca’s “Tiger Rag” to Count Basie’s “One O’clock Jump.” Then there was a Dixieland jam session with Fats Waller’s “Honeysuckle Rose” in which Goodman invited an all-start lineup of musicians from Count Basie’s and Duke Ellington’s bands to play:

Johnny Hodges, Alto Saxophone
Harry Carney, Baritone Saxophone
Walter Page, Double Bass
Freddie Green, Guitar
Count Basie, Piano
Lester Young, Tenor Saxophone
Buck Clayton, Trumpet

For fun Goodman tossed in a Scottish folk song, “Loch Lomond” sung so beautifully by Martha Tilton, she received five curtain calls. But the highlight of the evening was Louis Prima’s “Sing Sing Sing” a song that signaled jazz songs no longer wanted to be under three minutes just to fit on the first side of a 78 rpm record.

The technology of the day would just have to catch up.