‘The best friend your car ever had’

‘The best friend your car ever had’

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norman lebrecht

June 21, 2015

Yale is engaged on a restoration of Benny Goodman’s film bequest, which is beginning to disintegrate.

Remember when artists were proud to be sponsored by an oil company?

Read here. The promo’s on the last clip.

goodman_in_moscow

Comments

  • David Crowe says:

    “Swing into Spring” was the first LP I ever purchased with my own money, age 12, after watching the TV special. Still have it.

    • ruben greenberg says:

      Like Mr. Crowe, “Swing into Spring” was the first record I ever had; funny coincidence! On the other hand, I didn’t purchase it; it was given to my parents in exchange for filling up the tank with Texaco petrol. It sufficiently impressed me to want to take up the clarinet, and I’m still at it after all these years; all of this thanks to Mr. Goodman and Texaco.

  • ruben greenberg says:

    It’s good to see old Benny isn’t completely forgotten. He was about the first musician to play both jazz and Classical music; there haven’t been many since either. The world owes him the existence of several major pieces he commisioned from Bartok, Copland, Milhaud and the like.

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