[Dixielandjazz] Big Bands & Charts -- Goodman

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Steve Barbone wrote:

> Got the below off list from a pal of mine (great professional musician)
> originally from this area (Mid-Atlantic USA), now leading a swing band in
> Florida and using some of the original Goodman Charts.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>>Hey Steve...
>
>>Some years ago I had occasion to talk to Pee Wee Irwin about the Goodman 
>>band
>>and he said the trumpet section sat on their books...  The only time they
>>brought them out was if Goodman called a tune that they hadn't played in a 
>>long
>>time...  I suspect that it was the same with most of the bands of that 
>>era...



Zeke Zarchy, the great lead tpt player with many of the big bands including 
the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band of WWII, told me this story.

He joined Goodman the first date after they left LA where they had made such 
a big hit.  I think it was in '35 or '36.  The date was in Salt Lake City. 
Benny's younger brother was band boy.  He forgot the charts on the train.

The band played the first set without charts while Benny's brother went to 
get them.

Zeke, who had never played with the band before, but had heard them on the 
radio, and on records, knew the lead tpt parts from hearing them.

The thought of playing with Goodman's band for the first time, without 
charts seems inconceivable to me, but he did it.

--Bob Ringwald