Thursday, April 29, 2010
Benny Goodman/Clarinetist
The King of Swing
1.What events in your early life made you get interested in the arts?
When my father signed myself and my two brothers Harry and Freddie up at the Kehalah Jacob Synagogue for basic music lessons for a quarter. I played the clarinet, Harry played the tuba and Freddie played the trumpet. I was ten, Harry was twelve and Freddie was eleven.
2.What role did mentors play in helping you develop the interests and talents you have as an artist?
My mentors helped me learn how to play the clarinet. Their passion for it inspired me to want to learn how to play it. They showed me the keys, chords, notes and fingerings.
3.What was the world of art like in your particular art field when you entered it?
It was fun but I was a kid and not a lot of kids were in the music field. The adults and older people sometimes didn't take me seriously. Like one morning on August 8, 1923, I had an emergency call from a bandleader named Bill Grimm. His orchestra played on the day-excursion boat that plied between Chicago and Michigan. Grimm's clarinetist was sick so I took his place. I was stepping onto the stand when I heard someone say “Get off there kid! Stop that fooling around!” Turning slowly I looked at him, and he looked me up and down disdainfully. I tried to tell him who I was but he wasn't in any mood to believe me. Fortunately, Grimm arrived before actual trouble could break out. He introduced me to the man. His name was Bix and we shook hands.
4.How did the major cultural, economic and political situations of the time impact your work?
The major cultural impact felt on my work was when I started a trio. It was not the traditional trio because I let a black man in my jazz trio named Teddy Wilson. He was accepted by the audiences. The economic impact on my work was while I grew up in a poor family we didn't suffer much. Having so much steady work made me feel rich and gave us the income we needed to feel comfortable. I bought a black convertible and other things I wanted. So by having money the economic impact on me was good. Political situations didn't really affect my work a lot. People still came out to support me.
5.What were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in your art?
My major accomplishments were performing at the Symphony Hall located in Boston in 1938, performing at Carnegie Hall in 1938 and at Paramount Theatre in 1939. I have performed with such great artists like Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. My jazz trio which consisted of myself, Teddy Wilson on piano and Gene Krupa on drums. I loved being known as the King of Swing. The methods I used to become so successful were hard work and practicing.
6.What were the key opportunities you had that led to turning points in your life and art?
When I was working in Murph Podolsky's band which led to a lot of other jobs. Another opportunity was performing in Bill Grimm's orchestra on the day-excursion boat that plied between Chicago and Michigan. Starting my jazz trio. These were some turning points in my life.
7.What personal choices did you make to become successful?
I made the choice not to be like other kids. I chose to play the clarinet instead of playing with kids my age. I chose to work which kept me around adults most of the time. I'm glad I made this choice because my hardwork has made me very successful.
8.What hardships or roadblocks did you have to overcome in order to be an artist?
I had to act older than I was since I was around adults. I was on the road a lot working which kept me away from my family which was hard because I missed them. I was sometimes critized so I had to practice a lot to show people why I was the best.
9.What kind of limitations did you run into as both an artist and a person?
Since I started as a child I wasn't always initially accepted until the adults got to know me and could see how well I could play. In the being of my career I played with another band. We were replaced by another band. This made me upset because I felt we were as good if not better than the other band. Since I have my trio I haven't had as many limitations except when we first started a lot of our jobs were out of town which kept me away from my family. I was pleased though people seemed to love our jazz trio and that most people accepted Teddy. This helped to break the color barrier of blacks being in bands which made me feel good since I had let Teddy in our trio.
10.What personal stories (anecdotes) best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?
It all started with my father David Goodman who signed me and my brothers Harry and Freddie up at a synagogue to learn how to play instruments. I didn't know at the time that playing the clarinet would turn out to be so much fun. I really developed a passion for the instrument. My hardwork and determination has made me successful. It has made me the King of Swing.
By: Jasmine Dreher
Biliography: Stanley Brown, Benny, King of Swing; William Morrow & Company, Inc., 105 Madison Ave. New York, N. Y. 10016. 1979.
The King of Swing
1.What events in your early life made you get interested in the arts?
When my father signed myself and my two brothers Harry and Freddie up at the Kehalah Jacob Synagogue for basic music lessons for a quarter. I played the clarinet, Harry played the tuba and Freddie played the trumpet. I was ten, Harry was twelve and Freddie was eleven.
2.What role did mentors play in helping you develop the interests and talents you have as an artist?
My mentors helped me learn how to play the clarinet. Their passion for it inspired me to want to learn how to play it. They showed me the keys, chords, notes and fingerings.
3.What was the world of art like in your particular art field when you entered it?
It was fun but I was a kid and not a lot of kids were in the music field. The adults and older people sometimes didn't take me seriously. Like one morning on August 8, 1923, I had an emergency call from a bandleader named Bill Grimm. His orchestra played on the day-excursion boat that plied between Chicago and Michigan. Grimm's clarinetist was sick so I took his place. I was stepping onto the stand when I heard someone say “Get off there kid! Stop that fooling around!” Turning slowly I looked at him, and he looked me up and down disdainfully. I tried to tell him who I was but he wasn't in any mood to believe me. Fortunately, Grimm arrived before actual trouble could break out. He introduced me to the man. His name was Bix and we shook hands.
4.How did the major cultural, economic and political situations of the time impact your work?
The major cultural impact felt on my work was when I started a trio. It was not the traditional trio because I let a black man in my jazz trio named Teddy Wilson. He was accepted by the audiences. The economic impact on my work was while I grew up in a poor family we didn't suffer much. Having so much steady work made me feel rich and gave us the income we needed to feel comfortable. I bought a black convertible and other things I wanted. So by having money the economic impact on me was good. Political situations didn't really affect my work a lot. People still came out to support me.
5.What were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in your art?
My major accomplishments were performing at the Symphony Hall located in Boston in 1938, performing at Carnegie Hall in 1938 and at Paramount Theatre in 1939. I have performed with such great artists like Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. My jazz trio which consisted of myself, Teddy Wilson on piano and Gene Krupa on drums. I loved being known as the King of Swing. The methods I used to become so successful were hard work and practicing.
6.What were the key opportunities you had that led to turning points in your life and art?
When I was working in Murph Podolsky's band which led to a lot of other jobs. Another opportunity was performing in Bill Grimm's orchestra on the day-excursion boat that plied between Chicago and Michigan. Starting my jazz trio. These were some turning points in my life.
7.What personal choices did you make to become successful?
I made the choice not to be like other kids. I chose to play the clarinet instead of playing with kids my age. I chose to work which kept me around adults most of the time. I'm glad I made this choice because my hardwork has made me very successful.
8.What hardships or roadblocks did you have to overcome in order to be an artist?
I had to act older than I was since I was around adults. I was on the road a lot working which kept me away from my family which was hard because I missed them. I was sometimes critized so I had to practice a lot to show people why I was the best.
9.What kind of limitations did you run into as both an artist and a person?
Since I started as a child I wasn't always initially accepted until the adults got to know me and could see how well I could play. In the being of my career I played with another band. We were replaced by another band. This made me upset because I felt we were as good if not better than the other band. Since I have my trio I haven't had as many limitations except when we first started a lot of our jobs were out of town which kept me away from my family. I was pleased though people seemed to love our jazz trio and that most people accepted Teddy. This helped to break the color barrier of blacks being in bands which made me feel good since I had let Teddy in our trio.
10.What personal stories (anecdotes) best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?
It all started with my father David Goodman who signed me and my brothers Harry and Freddie up at a synagogue to learn how to play instruments. I didn't know at the time that playing the clarinet would turn out to be so much fun. I really developed a passion for the instrument. My hardwork and determination has made me successful. It has made me the King of Swing.
By: Jasmine Dreher
Biliography: Stanley Brown, Benny, King of Swing; William Morrow & Company, Inc., 105 Madison Ave. New York, N. Y. 10016. 1979.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
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