The appeal of large ensembles! Recommended masterpieces and popular songs of big bands
As the name suggests, a big band is a band made up of a large ensemble.
While swing jazz from before the modern jazz era is especially well-known, big bands are also a popular format in pop music.
Many will remember that in Showa-era music programs, dedicated big bands performed as backing ensembles for singers.
This time, we’ve gathered a selection of masterpieces born from big band performances.
Many of these pieces are used in commercials and film scores, making this a collection that even beginners can enjoy!
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The Appeal of Large Ensembles! Recommended and Popular Big Band Classics (31–40)
One O’Clock JumpCount Basie
One O’Clock Jump, composed by American jazz pianist and bandleader Count Basie.
Alongside Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington, he is regarded as one of the leading figures of swing jazz and big band music.
Written during his golden era, this popular piece is notable for its distinctive saxophone rhythms and the brilliant melodies of the brass section.
It’s a lively, upbeat tune that lifts your spirits just by listening!
I Will Wait for YouMichel Legrand
Michel Legrand, the French composer and pianist who worked on numerous film scores, was also deeply devoted to jazz.
Many of his film compositions incorporated jazz, and he also released jazz albums independently of his film work.
Cafe De FloreThe Matthew Herbert Big Band
Cafe De Flore is a track on “The Process, The Parts, The Many And The Few,” released in 2003 in an electronic jazz style.
The Mattes Herbert Big Band is a big band made up of top musicians from the UK jazz big band scene.
Matthew Herbert, born in 1972, is a British electronic music composer.
He is also a remixer and producer, and leads his own big band.
He began working under various names in 1995, and as “Matthew Herbert’s Brexit Big Band,” he also toured Japan.
One Night StandHarry James
Before the advent of the modern jazz era, big band swing was the mainstream of jazz.
One of the renowned orchestras was Harry James’s big band.
“One Night Stand” remains a classic big band piece that is still performed today.
From This Moment OnBohuslän Big Band
“From This Moment On” is a track included on the 2011 jazz album “Don’t Fence Me In,” performed in a big band style.
Bohuslän Big Band is a big band with roots in Swedish military bands, founded in 1994 as a modern jazz ensemble.
The appeal of large ensembles! Recommended and popular big band masterpieces (41–50)
Little Brown JugBBC Big Band Orchestra
Known in Japanese as “Chairo no Kobin” (Little Brown Jug) and even included in school textbooks, this American folk song became famous as a jazz standard through the performance of American trombonist Glenn Miller.
The “brown little jug” refers to a bottle of liquor, and the original lyrics depict a couple struggling with alcoholism; however, because the melody is bright and charming, child-friendly lyrics were later added.
It’s a piece with a simple, catchy tune and enjoyable solos for a variety of instruments!
Honeysuckle RoseFats Waller
Early jazz was highly entertainment-oriented industrial music performed in films, television shows, and nightclubs, with little difference from other commercial music.
Fats Waller was a famous composer and pianist of that era, and he also favored the use of big bands.