Rise of the Big Bands:
Dance, Music, and Entertainment of Harlem

The term big band is used to describe a group of five or six brass players, three or four reed instruments, and four rhythm musicians. The success of the big band was largely dependent on its acceptance by the dancing public. The revolution of the "Swing Era" was led by black bands and black audiences before being broken into by the first white band leader, Benny Goodman. 1935 marked a break-out year for big bands as Benny Goodman was given the chance to play on a coast to coast radio show. All of America could now hear the sound of the big bands that Harlem had given birth to.

The music that defined Harlem in the twenties founds its creative link in the black bands. Black bands made use of ballrooms when most of the hotel and vaudeville rooms were reserved for white bands. However, these bands, such as the Duke Ellington Orchestra, became main attractions for whites to enjoy in nightclubs.

Aside from Ellington's Band there were several other bands known for their progressive sound.These bands played jazz tunes in both ensemble pieces as well as soloist features. These soloists included Fletcher Henderson and the McKinney Cotton Pickers, both of whom acted as models for later big bands to emulate.