[otterhound]

I'm a huge Count Basie fan, but his contemporaries like Bennie Goodman and Glenn Miller leave me cold. None of them swing hard like the Count; they all seem to be more syrupy and pop with more ballads and easy listening type stuff. Cab Calloway is a better, but no Count.
 
But I'm sure there are other hard swinging big bands out there. Can anyone point me to some?

 

[Claritas]

Teddy Wilson's band.
 
Muggsy Spanier's Great Sixteen.
 
Some Jimmie Lunceford records.

 

[Hoagie]

I'm not a fan of glen miller at all. Bennie goodman is more hit or miss. Sing, sing, sign is one of my favorites.

Some time ago, I bought a new cd. Can't remember where I read about the band. The name of the band is Big Bad VooDoo Daddy. I think I was expecting some sort of New Orleans blues, but it turned out to be a current swing band out of California.

I have bought several more and they make me smile every time. Swing is not dead yet

 

[Shaffer]

Try this one. The Billy May Orchestra was a formidable big band with a kick to it.

 

[Claritas]

Earl Hines' band.

 

[JoeDoe]

Buddy Rich Big Band, Duke Ellington, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Roy Hargrove Big Band

 

[ralphp@optonline]

  I'm a huge Count Basie fan, but his contemporaries like Bennie Goodman and Glenn Miller leave me cold. None of them swing hard like the Count; they all seem to be more syrupy and pop with more ballads and easy listening type stuff. Cab Calloway is a better, but no Count.
 
But I'm sure there are other hard swinging big bands out there. Can anyone point me to some?

Woody Herman
 
Artie Shaw
 
Benny Carter
 
Duke Ellington