Duke Ellington/Benny Goodman

[Special Brew]

I just discovered I love stuff like Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. I like the more energetic songs I've heard, but I'm not sure what kind of music this is, or where I can find some more artists like them. I'm guessing the more energetic songs are swing, but I don't know. I know some of their stuff is jazz though.

[Thanks]

It's a style of jazz music called swing or big band. Outside of Ellington, who I'm obsessed with, I actually know very little about this style of music. Some others I would recommend are Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Harry James, and Artie Shaw.

For the big band sound in a slightly more contemporary context, try some 1950s and 60s Charles Mingus, who I started to really really like only after I got into Ellington. Even more contemporary, check out the Dave Holland Big Band, which is a fantastic group that just started a few years ago.