Benny Goodman was a clarinettist and band leader, equally at home with small bands or fronting a large orchestra, whose music covered the spectrum of jazz and popular music in the four decades spanning World War Two, and who earned the nickname of “The King Of Swing” as a pioneer of that style of jazz.

He was so popular that he racked up well over 150 hits in the quarter century or so from 1930 to the early 1950s. Indeed, so successful was his catalogue, this collection has been extended across two volumes: this 94-track 4CD covers the years from 1931-38, and a 3-CD set The Benny Goodman Hits Collection Vol.2 1939-53 (ACTRCD9137) deals with the rest.

This collection comprises all hits with his orchestra and small bands during these years on the Melotone, Columbia and Victor labels. It features his No.1 hits from these years and includes: Moon Glow, It’s Been So Long, Goody-Goody, The Glory of Love, These Foolish Things, You Turned The Tables On Me, Goodnight My Love, This Year’s Kisses, Don’t Be That Way and I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart. It includes performances by featured vocalists Jack Teagarden, Billie Holiday, Mildred Bailey, Scrappy Lambert, Ann Graham, Helen Ward, Ray Hendricks, Margaret McCrae, Jimmy Rushing, Betty Van and Martha Tilton.

It’s a fascinating and enlightening overview of a key era of popular music when swing arrived on the scene, and a fine showcase for one of the most influential musicians of his times.

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