RAG MusicWorld Music
Music of a wonderful world

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!

Playlist

The appeal of large ensembles! Recommended masterpieces and popular songs of big bands
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1Take the A TrainDuke Ellington
Take the A TrainDuke Ellingtonplay_arrow
In Japan, it’s known by the title “Take the A Train”…
2Sing Sing SingBenny Goodman
Sing Sing SingBenny Goodmanplay_arrow
A quintessential swing jazz classic that needs no introduction…
3CaravanSWR Big Band
CaravanSWR Big Bandplay_arrow
Notably used in the film “Whiplash,” the…
4In The MoodGlenn Miller & His Orchestra
In The MoodGlenn Miller & His Orchestraplay_arrow
The opening melody appears in commercials, movies, TV shows…
5Tea For TwoLeith Stevens and his Orchestra
Tea For TwoLeith Stevens and his Orchestraplay_arrow
Vincent Youmans and Irving ...
6Love For SaleAnita O’Day
Love For SaleAnita O'Dayplay_arrow
The composer who gained popularity with urban, sophisticated lyrics, Ko...
7Pennsylvania Six-Five ThousandRay McKinley
Pennsylvania Six-Five ThousandRay McKinleyplay_arrow
The Ame… who gained popularity for their advanced arranging techniques
8My Blue HeavenArtie Shaw
My Blue HeavenArtie Shawplay_arrow
Walter Donaldson and George…
9It Don’t Mean a ThingLjubljana Academy of Music Big Band
It Don't Mean a ThingLjubljana Academy of Music Big Bandplay_arrow
An American-born jazz composer and pianist...
10A String Of PearlsBBC Big Band
A String Of PearlsBBC Big Bandplay_arrow
Among the many pieces in the big band repertoire...
11All the Cats Join InColeman Hawkins
All the Cats Join InColeman Hawkinsplay_arrow
Mr. Ray Gilbert, Mr. Eddie Sauter…
12Some Skunk FunkThe Brecker Brothers
Some Skunk FunkThe Brecker Brothersplay_arrow
By the Brecker brothers, Randy and Michael...
13I’m Getting Sentimental Over YouTommy Dorsey
I'm Getting Sentimental Over YouTommy Dorseyplay_arrow
Clarinetist Jimmy and the trombone playe...
14Watch What HappensElla Fitzgerald
Watch What HappensElla Fitzgeraldplay_arrow
In 1960, Michel Legrand and Jacques…
15Let’s DanceBobby Byrne
Let's DanceBobby Byrneplay_arrow
Mr. Benny Goodman, for over 50 years…
16Ace HighTab Smith
Ace HighTab Smithplay_arrow
The 'ji…', which is used by many media outlets in Japan as well…
17Anitra’s BoogieCarmen Cavallaro
Anitra's BoogieCarmen Cavallaroplay_arrow
A great jazz pianist from New York…
18Somebody Stole My GalBenny Goodman
Somebody Stole My GalBenny Goodmanplay_arrow
For Japanese people—especially those from the Kansai region—it feels very familiar...
19Don’t Be That WayPeanuts Hucko
Don't Be That WayPeanuts Huckoplay_arrow
In Japan, the title is “That Won’t Work”...
20Give My Regards To BroadwayWerner Müller
Give My Regards To BroadwayWerner Müllerplay_arrow
The musical that became a hit in 1904, “Li…“
21Love for SaleBuddy Rich
Love for SaleBuddy Richplay_arrow
The leader of a jazz big band often...
22Salt PeanutsDizzy Gillespie
Salt PeanutsDizzy Gillespieplay_arrow
Along with Charlie Parker, the Big Bang…
23Atomic B.Tobias Becker Bigband
Atomic B.Tobias Becker Bigbandplay_arrow
Atomic B was founded in 2016 in Neuk…
24Body And SoulBob Florence
Body And SoulBob Florenceplay_arrow
The leader of the big band was a man named Bob…
25Charles BridgeJazzrausch Bigband
Charles BridgeJazzrausch Bigbandplay_arrow
Charles Bridge, in 2017…
26Down By The RiversideOliver Nelson
Down By The RiversideOliver Nelsonplay_arrow
Oliver Nelson, and Gil Evans as well...
27Days Of Wine And RosesWoody Herman
Days Of Wine And RosesWoody Hermanplay_arrow
Duke Ellington and Count Basie…
28Nocturne in Eb major (Opus 9 #2)Peter Beets & Northern European Jazz Orchestra
Nocturne in Eb major (Opus 9 #2)Peter Beets & Northern European Jazz Orchestraplay_arrow
Nocturne in Eb major…
29Soul Bossa NovaQuincy Jones
Soul Bossa NovaQuincy Jonesplay_arrow
Even if you don’t know the title, you’ve heard it somewhere…
30Moonlight SerenadeGlenn Miller
Moonlight SerenadeGlenn Millerplay_arrow
In 1939, the trombonist Glenn Mi...
31I Will Wait for YouMichel Legrand
I Will Wait for YouMichel Legrandplay_arrow
A French composer who worked on numerous film scores…
32Der verdammte BeatBigband Dachau
Der verdammte BeatBigband Dachauplay_arrow
Der Verdammte Beat is ...
33BirdlandMRT BIG BAND
BirdlandMRT BIG BANDplay_arrow
Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter…
34ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BANDIRVING BERLIN
ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BANDIRVING BERLINplay_arrow
In 1911, to Irving Berlin...
35One O’Clock JumpCount Basie
One O'Clock JumpCount Basieplay_arrow
American jazz pianist and bandleader…
36One Night StandHarry James
One Night StandHarry Jamesplay_arrow
Before the arrival of the modern jazz era, big...
37April in ParisCount Basie and his Orchestra
April in ParisCount Basie and his Orchestraplay_arrow
A Broadway musical released in 1932…
38Opus OneSWR Big Band
Opus OneSWR Big Bandplay_arrow
Opus One was R in 2005 by CK...
39Little Brown JugBBC Big Band Orchestra
Little Brown JugBBC Big Band Orchestraplay_arrow
Known in Japanese as “Cha-iro no Kobin” (Little Brown Jug), it was taught…
40CHERRY PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM WHITEPeresu Puraado gakudan
CHERRY PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM WHITEPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
With the light resonance of a trumpet and a passionate man...
41BakeBeats & Pieces Big Band
BakeBeats & Pieces Big Bandplay_arrow
Nocturne in Eb major…
42Move To The BigbandBen Liebrand feat. Tony Scott
Move To The BigbandBen Liebrand feat. Tony Scottplay_arrow
Move To The Bigband is...
43Cafe De FloreThe Matthew Herbert Big Band
Cafe De FloreThe Matthew Herbert Big Bandplay_arrow
Cafe De Flore was, in 2003…
44Cucurrucucú PalomaPeresu Puraado gakudan
Cucurrucucú PalomaPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
Breathe a beautiful Mexican soul into the Cuban mambo…
45Honeysuckle RoseFats Waller
Honeysuckle RoseFats Wallerplay_arrow
Early jazz was featured in films and television shows, night…
46Mambo de ParisPeresu Puraado gakudan
Mambo de ParisPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
Dama..., who led the mambo boom of the 1950s...
47Crazy About MamboPeresu Puraado gakudan
Crazy About MamboPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
A powerful brass section and a dynamic rhythm...
48Mambo NegroPeresu Puraado gakudan
Mambo NegroPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
A blend of traditional Cuban rhythms and American bi...
49La PalomaPeresu Puraado gakudan
La PalomaPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
A Spanish habanera-style melody, brought out through Cuban…
50Market MamboPeresu Puraado gakudan
Market MamboPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
Led by Pérez Prado from Cuba...
51Black Horse MamboPeresu Puraado gakudan
Black Horse MamboPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
A Cuban classic packed with the charm of mambo music…
52Silbando MamboPeresu Puraado gakudan
Silbando MamboPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
A song that represents the golden age of mambo, with whistling...
53The Groove MerchantThad Jones
The Groove MerchantThad Jonesplay_arrow
The older brother is the pianist Hank Jones, and the younger brother is…
54I Got It Bad And That Ain’t GoodDuke Ellington
I Got It Bad And That Ain't GoodDuke Ellingtonplay_arrow
Duke Ellington and Paul …
55Hello DollyLouis Armstrong
Hello DollyLouis Armstrongplay_arrow
The 1964 American musical “Hello…”
56From This Moment OnBohuslän Big Band
From This Moment OnBohuslän Big Bandplay_arrow
From This Moment On is…
57Bumblebee MamboPeresu Puraado gakudan
Bumblebee MamboPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
The classic piece of classical music, “Emperor Sultan”…
58Mambo on SaxPeresu Puraado gakudan
Mambo on SaxPeresu Puraado gakudanplay_arrow
A powerful brass section and lively percussion…
59Begin the BeguineCole Porter
Begin the BeguineCole Porterplay_arrow
A jazz stan... composed by Cole Porter
60BLUES ON PARADEHarunobu Hara to Shaapusu & Furattsu
BLUES ON PARADEHarunobu Hara to Shaapusu & Furattsuplay_arrow
As one of Japan’s leading big bands, Ja...
61Open beautyDon Ellis
Open beautyDon Ellisplay_arrow
Distinguishing it from the big bands of the swing era, the mod...
62La vie en roseLouis Armstrong
La vie en roseLouis Armstrongplay_arrow
The trombonist from the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra…
63Get UpBob Mintzer
Get UpBob Mintzerplay_arrow
Even as we entered the fusion era, the Big Bang…
64Jump, Jive and WailLouis Prima
Jump, Jive and WailLouis Primaplay_arrow
In the 1930s and 1940s, Nightk…
65Scrapple From The ApplePeter Herboizheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass
Scrapple From The ApplePeter Herboizheimer Rhythm Combination & Brassplay_arrow
Scrapple From The Ap…
66Feeling Good (Joe Horrocks cover)Mighty Fraser Big Band
Feeling Good (Joe Horrocks cover)Mighty Fraser Big Bandplay_arrow
“Feeling Good” was in 1965…
67Sugar BluesClyde McCoy
Sugar BluesClyde McCoyplay_arrow
Originally, in 1920, Clarence Willia...
68Cry Me A RiverGroover Big Band
Cry Me A RiverGroover Big Bandplay_arrow
The American composer Arthur Hamilto...
69SpacetripJazz Bigband Graz
SpacetripJazz Bigband Grazplay_arrow
Space Trip was released by AC in 2012…
70Chug de saudadeSap Big Band
Chug de saudadeSap Big Bandplay_arrow
Chega de saudade is a 20...
71ManhattanGeorge Russell
ManhattanGeorge Russellplay_arrow
Modern jazz began to attract attention in jazz when…
72RangeGiorgio Gaslini Big Band
RangeGiorgio Gaslini Big Bandplay_arrow
Rangte was released in 1971 and...
73Gold In The CaneJoe Sample & NDR Bigband
Gold In The CaneJoe Sample & NDR Bigbandplay_arrow
Gold in the cane is 20…
74Hello, HelloLutz Krajenski Big Band, Juliano Rossi
Hello, HelloLutz Krajenski Big Band, Juliano Rossiplay_arrow
Hello, Hello was in 2011...
75Love BeamsMark Taylor & The Bigband
Love BeamsMark Taylor & The Bigbandplay_arrow
Love Beams was rel… in 2015.
76Wersi WalkORF Big Band & Karel Krautgartner
Wersi WalkORF Big Band & Karel Krautgartnerplay_arrow
Wersi Walk was introduced by WM in 1973…
77Georgia on My MindSANT ANDREU JAZZ BAND
Georgia on My MindSANT ANDREU JAZZ BANDplay_arrow
It even became the state song of the U.S. state of Georgia...
78YesterdaysVince Mendoza & WDR Big Band feat. Joshua Redman
YesterdaysVince Mendoza & WDR Big Band feat. Joshua Redmanplay_arrow
Yesterdays was rel… in 1998
79Theme of Honda Construction CompanyShibusa Shirazu
Theme of Honda Construction CompanyShibusa Shirazuplay_arrow
It started with underground activities and then—
80Midnight SunLionel Hampton
Midnight SunLionel Hamptonplay_arrow
In jazz, an instrument called the vibraphone is played…
81Martini TimeMarty Patch And His Orchestra
Martini TimeMarty Patch And His Orchestra
Martini Time was, in 1958…