Benny Goodman & Glenn Miller's Famous 1939 Carnegie Hall Concert

A Great Moment In Jazz History Lives Again In This Superb Tribute Act

"Go and hear it the next chance you get, whatever age you are. Its memory will add joyous years to your life"

- Dick Laurie, News International 

A year after Benny’s triumphant Carnegie Hall 1938 debut The King of Swing returned and this time he challenged the new kid on the block, Glenn Miller. Both bands were out to impress,  and the result was one of the hardest hitting nights in swing  history.

 

Who won the battle?   Come down and decide for yourself!

As a follow up to the hugely successful recreation of Benny Goodman's famous 1938 Carnegie Hall The Jazz Repertory Company presents clarinettist and band leader Pete Long and his 14-piece orchestra in this hugely entertaining “Battle of the Big Bands” featuring such classic hits as:  

 

In The Mood * Sing Sing Sing * One O’Clock Jump * Bach Goes To Town * Little Brown Jug * Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) *  Bugle Call Rag * Stairway To The Stars * Don’t Be That Way * The Sheik Of Araby * It Must Be Jelly ‘Cos Jam Don’t Shake Like That *  Pennsylvania 6-5000 * and many more.

 

In October 1939 the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers celebrated its 25th anniversary with a week of free concerts at New York's Carnegie Hall.  On the 6th of October the bill featured the two hottest swing bands of the day – those of Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller.

 

Goodman’s Orchestra was first on and began with all guns blazing as Benny wanted to show the new kids on the block just who was the King of Swing.   At the start of Goodman’s 1938 debut at Carnegie Hall the band was somewhat nervous about appearing at the esteemed concert hall but this time around they were brasher, faster and full of confidence – even stealing Miller’s current hit Sunrise Serenade –  Benny was playing dirty!

 

A few months before this “battle” Miller’s orchestra had broken through to stardom and become a million selling band.  They were on cracking form on this evening; the hits kept on coming, culminating in a rip-roaring Bugle Call Rag.

 

The Jazz Repertory Company’s production of “Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller at Carnegie Hall 1939” was a highlight of the 2014 London Jazz Festival selling out the 900 seat Cadogan Hall and receiving a rapturous reception. 

Please Note the current concert does not feature Anthony Kerr or Enrico Tomasso.