Benny Goodman, aka the ‘King of Swing,’ was by far one of the best and most impressive clarinetists to ever live. One of his best hit albums is ‘Benny Goodman’s Greatest Hits.’ Although that his music is not recent at all, it’s still a magnificent blast from the past. I say this because it contains his best songs, whether I mean personally or just by the public's preferred songs. It was released 1939. Benny Goodman was a swing and big band clarinetist/bandleader in the 1900’s. He was born on May 30, 1909 in Chicago, Illinois. Benny grew up with very little money, hist parents being recent emigrants from the Russian Empire. Goodman’s father enrolled 10 year old Benny and two of his brothers in music lessons to give them a deep appreciation for music, for 25 cents a lesson. Benny showed astounding skill, even as a beginner; Benny Goodman was a prodigy.
In the middle of the 1930's, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular and fantastic musical groups in the United States. This spectacular album contains his greatest hit, ‘Sing Sing Sing. (with a swing)’ The song was arranged by Jimmy Mundy. The song ‘Goodbye’ was originally written by Gordon Jenkins, but Benny really added his swingin’ flare to it. The song ‘Clarinet a la King’ is absolutely breathtaking in every way and in every minute of the song. In this track, Goodman truly showed his skills in what he was capable of doing. This album gives you a strong urge to just go sway, dance, and twirl. Overall, this album is extraordinary.
