Person · Male
Benny Goodman
clarinetist and bandleader
- From
- Chicago, United States
- Active
- 1909–1986
- Rating
- ★ 3.5
- Releases
- 409
- swing
- jazz
- big band
- classical
- modern classical
- vocal jazz
About
Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing".
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From 1935 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on January 16, 1938, is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz's 'coming out' party to the world of 'respectable' music."
Goodman's bands started the careers of many jazz musicians. During an era of racial segregation, he led one of the first integrated jazz groups, his trio and quartet. He continued performing until the end of his life while pursuing an interest in classical music.
Member of
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The Benny Goodman Quartet eponymous
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Benny Goodman and His Boys eponymous
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The Benny Goodman Septet eponymous
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The Benny Goodman Trio eponymous
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The Benny Goodman Sextet clarinet, eponymous
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Benny Goodman and His Orchestra eponymous
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Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra clarinet
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Gene Krupa’s Swing Band clarinet
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Benny Goodman Big Band eponymous
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Benny Goodman Quintet eponymous
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Buck and His Band clarinet
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Hollywood Hucksters clarinet
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The V‐Disc All Stars eponymous
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Rhythm Makers Orchestra clarinet
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Benny Goodman & His Music Hall Orchestra eponymous
Discography
Albums
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A Swing Session With Benny Goodman
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Session for Six
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Easy Does It!
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Classics In Jazz
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B.G. in Hi-Fi Apple Music
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Benny Goodman Combos
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The Benny Goodman Story, Vol. 1
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The Benny Goodman Story, Vol. 2
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Benny Goodman plays selections from the Benny Goodman story Apple Music
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Benny In Brussels Volume 2
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Benny in Brussels Volume 1
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Benny Goodman Plays World Favorites
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Hello Benny!
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Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 And 2
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Benny Goodman Today
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From Broadway To Paris
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Trio And Quartet 'Vol 2'
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Clarinet Concertos
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Benny Goodman in Stockholm 1959
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Benny In Brussels
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His Orchestra and his Combos 1941 - 1955
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String Quartets 19, KV 465 & 20, KV 499 / Clarinet Quintet KV 581
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Contrasts / Mikrokosmos (excerpts)
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The King Swings
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Collection
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Giants of the Big Band Era: Benny Goodman
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Yale Recordings, Volume 8: Recordings From Benny Goodman's Private Collection
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In Moscow 1962
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The Yale University Music Library - Benny Goodman - Volumes 9 and 10
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Benny Goodman with Arturo Toscanini, Béla Bartók, Joseph Szigeti, Earl Wild
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The jazz masters 100 años de Swing
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Yale Recordings, Volume 10: The Original Benny Goodman Quartet
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The Classics
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Mozart at Tanglewood Apple Music
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Benny Goodman Trio & Quartet 1935/1938
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Ain't Misbehavin'
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Let's Dance
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I Grandi Del Jazz - Benny Goodman - Verve Jazz Masters 33
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Malipiero / Debussy / Ravel / Shulman
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New Sextet Sessions
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All that Jazz, Vol. 33: Benny Goodman – The Essentials, Vol. 2: Live at Basin Street
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Moon Glow
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House Hop
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The Complete Happy Session Sessions (Restauración 2022)
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Absolutely The Best
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This is Benny Goodman
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Symphony no. 2 / Clarinet Concerto
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Three Classic Albums Plus
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Body and soul
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the legendary small groups Apple Music
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Session for Sextet
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Benny Goodman Today
EPs
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Henderson Stomp / Limehouse Blues / Dinah
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Melody in A / Chicago / After You’ve Gone
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The Goodman Touch
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B.G. In Hi-Fi, Part 3
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2 for the Record
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King Porter Stomp
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The Benny Goodman Story, Part 3
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Plays Selections Featured in the Benny Goodman Story Part 2
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The Great Benny Goodman
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Date With the King
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Die Benny Goodman Story
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Plays Selections Featured In The Benny Goodman Story Part 1
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The Benny Goodman Story, Part 2
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Plays Selections Featured in the Benny Goodman Story Part 4
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Clarinetitis - Benny Goodman 1928-1929
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Sometimes I'm Happy
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That's A-Plenty
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The Young B. G.
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Sound of Jazz
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Stompin' at the Savoy Apple Music
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Sing, Sing, Sing
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Benny & Ella
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Stompin' at the Savoy Apple Music
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Jazz de Poche N° 24
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Bach Goes to Town
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Swing International
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Benny Goodman With Gene Krupa and His Chicagoans
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And the Angels Sing
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Texas Tea Party
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That's Good...man!
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Benny Goodman Combos
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Orchester-Parade
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Plays Selections Featured in the Benny Goodman Story Part 3
Singles
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Why Don't You Do Right / Flying Home
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The Man I Love / Oh, Lady Be Good
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Don't Be That Way / And the Angels Sing
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Hunka Dola / The Jumpin' Jive
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There's a Small Hotel / Blue Lou
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Undercurrent Blues / Hi ’Ya Sophia
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The Freedom Train / God Bless America
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Opus ½ / Opus 1
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A Smooth One / Celery Stalks at Midnight
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After You’ve Gone / King Porter Stomp
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First Rhapsody for Clarinet
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All Star Strut / King Porter Stomp
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I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues / Ain't-Cha' Glad?
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Basin Street Blues / Beale Street Blues
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Clarinetitis / That’s a Plenty
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The Sheik of Araby / Everybody Loves My Baby
Live
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I Want to Be Happy (live on the Ed Sullivan Show, June 19, 1960) Apple Music
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Live in Hamburg 1981
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Live Coast to Coast
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Yale University Archives, Volumes 11 & 12: NBC Broadcast Recordings, 1936-45
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Lausanne 1950
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Today
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Live Swing Sessions 1943-1949
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Benny Goodman on the Air - Original 1935-36-38 Broadcasts
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Benny Goodman in Brussels, Volumes 1 & 2
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Basel 1959
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Bangkok 1956 Apple Music
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Berlin 1980 Apple Music
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Benny Goodman at the Tivoli
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The Complete 1937 Madhattan Room Broadcasts
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Yale Recordings, Volume 9: Live at Basin Street, 1954
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At Click 1948
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Roll 'Em
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Live at the Rainbow Grill '66 and '67, Volume 6
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Live at the Carnegie Hall 6 October 1939
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The Yale University Music Library, Volume 2: Live at Basin Street
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Live at Carnegie Hall: 40th Anniversary Concert
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Ciribiribin
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Live at North Sea Jazz Festival 1982
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Benny Goodman Spielt Mozart
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At the Madhattan Room - Dec. 18, 1937
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The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert Vol.3
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The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert Apple Music
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Trio and Quartet - Live in 1937
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Benny Goodman Swings Again
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Let's Dance: Live in Concert at the Marriott Marquis New York
Compilations
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Essential Classics, Vol. 86: Benny Goodman
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Late Night Benny Goodman
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Concerto pour orchestre / Musique pour cordes, percussion et célesta / Contrastes
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Milestones of the ‘King of Swing’
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The Essential Benny Goodman Apple Music
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Rattle & Roll
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35 Essentials of Benny Goodman
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Mitos do jazz, Volume 10: Benny Goodman
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The Real... Benny Goodman
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Why Don’t You Do Right?
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The Very Best of Benny Goodman Apple Music
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Three Classic Albums Plus
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Best Of Benny Goodman
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The Golden Hits of Benny Goodman
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The Yale University Music Library, Volume 3: Big Band in Europe
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The Best of the Big Dance Bands
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Yale University Archives, Volume 2: Big Band 1957-1964
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Yale University Archives, Volume 5: NBC Broadcast Recordings 1936-1943
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Swing, Swing, Swing! - His 48 finest
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Clarinet à la King
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Trio and Quartet Showcase
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Coleção Folha clássicos do jazz, Volume 9
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The Quintessence: New York – Los Angeles – Stockholm 1935–1954
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The Essential Benny Goodman Apple Music
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Radio & Recording Rarities, Volume 23
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The Complete Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert Plus 1950s Material
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The King of Swing! Apple Music
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Glenn Miller / Benny Goodman
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Supreme Jazz: Benny Goodman
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Glenn and Benny
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The Essential Collection
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Sing, Sing, Sing
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Benny's Girls
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Get Happy
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Benny Goodman Apple Music
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The Centennial Collection Apple Music
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Benny's Girls - Goodman's Rare Songbirds
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Benny “Small Group” Goodman
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The Essential Benny Goodman Apple Music
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1939-1951
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Ballad in Blue
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Hello Benny / Made In Japan
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Members Edition
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It’s A Good Day (Original Recordings 1941 – 1950)
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Kings of Clarinet
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In the Mood With Benny Goodman
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King Porter Stomp
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Benny Goodman Apple Music
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King of Swing
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Forever Gold
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King of Swing
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Body and Soul
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Greatest Hits Apple Music
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All That Jazz: The Best of Benny Goodman
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Small Group Recordings, Vol. 3
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And the Angels Sing
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The Best Of... Big Band Legends
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Small Group Recordings, Vol. 2
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Benny Goodman Apple Music
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20 Classic Hits
Links
Listen
Official
Social
Concerts
Sibling
Also known as
Goodman
Tags
- bandleader
- clarinetist
- composer
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- b09ae88f-4156-4caa-b129-1cacb5e1632e
- ISNI
- 0000000123197959
- IPI
- 00012336919
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 6 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.