Benny Goodman - Live At Carnegie Hall (1938)

For any artist, to play at New York’s Carnegie Hall is a momentous occasion. But when you’re making history at the same time, it’s all the more impressive. This was certainly the case for band leader and clarinetist Benny Goodman on 16th January 1938, who was only 28 years old at the time of his debut concert there. Despite being apprehensive to play at such a prestigious concert hall, it sold out weeks in advance, and he and his swing band were part of a defining moment in music history. It was the first jazz concert to ever take place at the celebrated venue, as well as presenting one of the first racially integrated groups to perform in front of a paying audience. It is still recognised today as one of the most influential moments in jazz history.

The fact that this recording was made available to the public was, in many ways, pure chance. Unbeknownst to Goodman, the entire concert was recorded and only two copies were made: one for The King of Swing himself, the other for the Library of Congress. Goodman confesses on the introduction track (recorded in 1950) that he filed his own copy away, and it wasn’t until his daughter found it hidden in a cupboard that anyone realised what a masterpiece had almost been forgotten: hence the 12-year gap between concert and release.

Once Goodman was on board with the idea of the concert, no half measures were taken when assembling the band. Joining Goodman on this recording is an impressive line up of players, including guest appearances by members of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands: Benny Goodman trio and quartet regulars such as Teddy Wilson on piano, Gene Krupa on drums, and Lionel Hampton on vibraphone appeared alongside trumpet players Harry James and Cootie Williams, as well as Count Basie himself.

The concert starts with “Don’t Be That Way” where Goodman takes the first solo of the night and Krupa delivers an energetic drum break that sets a lively tone for the rest of the evening. Many soloists get a chance to shine on the ambitious jam session “Honeysuckle Rose”: the great Lester Young sets off with a swinging saxophone solo, followed by the likes of Count Basie’s piano, Buck Clayton’s impeccable trumpet playing, and Freddie Green on guitar to name a few. The quartet and trio quieten things down in numbers such as “Body and Soul” and “Avalon”, where musicians impress with stylistic and effortless playing, and are certainly met with enthusiastic rounds of applause. 

The highlight of the concert, undoubtedly, is Goodman’s staple by Louis Prima: “Sing, Sing, Sing”. Krupa drives the signature sound with the tom-tom passages, and the band sounds energetic and assured, but the dazzling soloistic highlight is from pianist Jess Stacy. Having never been asked to solo on the piece before, Stacy crafts an introspective, melodic and graceful improvisation that contrasts against the clamour of the band, full of classical flourishes that befit the nature of the venue, and has sparked a legacy surrounding it ever since. 

Goodman was used to playing in venues with dancefloors (what most thought was a prerequisite for swing music), and was concerned this wouldn’t translate into the new setting of a seated audience. Despite the lack of dancefloor, this recording establishes there was no lack of enthusiasm from the audience, who erupt into rapturous applause frequently. Benny Goodman would return to Carnegie Hall over another two dozen times throughout his musical career, having built upon the success of 1938. There is no doubt that even though time has passed, the excitement of this album is palpable. The dynamism of solo playing, the tight sound of the band, and the electric responses of the audience all culminate into one of the most transformative concerts and recordings jazz has ever seen. To have been there to have heard it in all its glory would have been an experience like no other – but in the absence of that possibility, this recording really does come incredibly close.