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Big band

A big band is a large musical ensemble that plays jazz music, especially swing.

The band is divided up into a number of sections, by instrument; each section usually has four or more members. All bands usually have a rhythm section[?], made up of drum set[?], bass, piano, and possibly guitar. There are also sections for trumpets, trombones, and saxophones (who sometimes double on flute or clarinet).

Sometimes there will also be a percussion section, especially if the band plays latin jazz[?] or salsa music.

Big band music peaked in popularity during the 1940s, and much of the best-known popular music of the era was recorded by them. The bands of Cab Calloway, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, Woody Herman[?], Glenn Miller, Boyd Raeburn[?], Paul Whiteman, Artie Shaw, Les Brown, and (who else)? are amongst the best known.

This is a list of band leaders taken from Julien Vedey's book Band Leaders (London, 1950):



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