Benny Goodman Orchestra’s famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert

The Benny Goodman Orchestra’s famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert

Sunday 26 January 2020, 15:00

Past Event
The Benny Goodman Orchestra’s famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert Past Event

Programme

Pete Long and his Goodmen
Joan Viskant
vocals

The return of the show that has sold out Cadogan Hall on all four previous occasions.

Bandleader and clarinettist Pete Long (Ronnie Scott’s Big Band, Echoes of Ellington and sax star of Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra) presents a superlative recreation of one of the greatest concerts in jazz history.

The 16 musicians of Pete Long and his Goodmen will recreate Benny Goodman’s famous Carnegie Hall concert which took place on 16 January 1938. Benny’s line-up that night included stars such as trumpeters Harry James and Ziggy Elman, drummer Gene Krupa and pianist Jess Stacey (who, it was said, stole the show with his great solo in Sing Sing Sing). It was also the first time ever that black and white jazz musicians appeared together on the concert stage in the USA with Lionel Hampton on vibes, Teddy Wilson on piano, and stars of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras making guest appearances.

At the original concert, the musicians played without amplification and the wonderful acoustics of Cadogan Hall make it possible for our anniversary concert to do likewise.

‘Pete Long and his musicians have gone to great lengths to re-create this concert, including original arrangements, period instruments and even the stage seating plan. The result is an evening of fabulous music that swings like crazy!’ (Jon Hancock, author of Benny Goodman – The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert)

‘The single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz’s “coming out” party to the world of ‘respectable’ music’ (AllMusic)

‘Pete Long’s clarinet stood up to Richard Pite’s full power tom-tom drumming on a vintage Slingerland kit of the type played by Gene Krupa. When the Basie-style rhythm section played the long introduction to “One O’Clock Jump” I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.’ (Hi-Fi News and Record Review)

‘In Pete Long, reeds player, raconteur, bandleader and all-round wit, we have a genuine home-grown treasure. If his projects have attracted few column inches in the past, it is partly because Long, who knows this music inside out, appears to wear his expertise so lightly. In another life, he might easily have been a vaudeville entertainer.’ (Clive Davis, The Times)

Ticket Information

£37, £29, £24, £19

Children under 18 (accompanied by a full paying adult) & Students under 25: half price

All orders are subject to a transaction fee, except if made in person. See booking information for details, payment methods and delivery options.

This event has passed.

Series Discount

Book all four 2020 Jazz Repertory concerts and save 25% (offer ends 25 January 2020; all tickets must be booked at the same time)

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