One of the most popular and influential bandleaders in America, Benny Goodman
was not merely a brilliant clarinetist, he was a jazz legend widely credited as
"the king of swing". Born in Chicago - the ninth of 12 children born to Jewish
immigrants who met in America - his Polish father, a tailor, and his mother, a
Lithuanian, were poor and struggled to bring up their family. At ten Goodman was
given music lessons at the local synagogue and he became heavily influenced by
New Orleans jazz clarinetists he saw in Chicago clubs. At 16 he joined his first
band, the Ben Pollack Orchest...