Benny Goodman - 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert
/Label: Columbia
Year: 1938
Genre: Jazz
Recommending Person: Jim Sherry
This historic concert is often cited as allowing Jazz to be accepted by mainstream audiences, at least according to Wikipedia. It is one of the best selling Jazz albums of all-time and possibly the most famous concert in Jazz history. This was the first performance at Carnegie Hall that had integrated performers.
I do not listen to Jazz. Never made the attempt, I enjoy it, but it always reminds me of New York City. I'm not sure if that's because of Woody Allen movies, the TV show Louie, or because directors associate Jazz with the city. However, whether it's been imprinted on my mind, throughout the album I was imagining a drive through the Five Burroughs. That's when I felt like an idiot. On the 2nd disc from the 1999 re-release Benny Goodman has introductions to different parts of the album. He talks about how they went through 20 years of Jazz starting with Dixieland Jazz performing the song "Sensation Rag".
I feel like an idiot, because Benny Goodman is trying to take the listener through the History of his most beloved musical Genre. It's a journey of TWENTY years. On my 2nd listen it is so obvious how contrasting the styles are from one song to another, they are as different as The Beatles and Def Leppard. The change from "Shine" to "Blue Reverie" is the transformation of Jazz music of the time changing from entertainment to emotion. The happy go lucky, and likely racist, Shine is about a braggart who we are supposed to laugh at, Blue Reverie is a beautiful song that seems tense and with a sense of love lost. The song releases pure emotion without the responsibilities to purely entertain an audience.
The album gets better every time you listen. The number of solos on my first listen is just what I thought Jazz was, determining a backdrop and everyone gets a turn to play off that line, but much of what was written about the event talks about the rarity that these individuals got to perform solo's. Once again, I know nothing.
This was a fantastic listen, especially with additional context, and I am thankful to my grandfather for the recommendation. If I had any foresight I would have put this on January 16th, the 77th anniversary of the Concert. Fun note: 77 Years before this concert, America was about to go into the Civil War.
Best Time to Listen: Anytime really, but again because all but one song are instrumental it's a nice album to work with, but I would say that this album is enjoyed more thoroughly if you sit back and listen with headphones on.