1940-1941

The second Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (the one he organized after taking a few months off to partly recover from sciatica) is heard on this CD during their first recordings. Cootie Williams and Jimmy Maxwell are in the trumpet section, trombonist Lou McGarity and tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld have solo space, bassist Artie Bernstein drives the rhythm section, and Helen Forrest takes some fine vocals. Eddie Sauter's often-radical arrangements (including "Benny Rides Again," "Taking a Chance on Love," "Superman," and "Moonlight on the Ganges") really challenge the clarinetist and are quite often classic. In addition, an excellent small-group date with Williams, Auld, pianist Ken Kersey, and Charlie Christian includes "Breakfast Feud," "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," and "Gilly."