Benny Goodman led his first band in 1934. The music they played had its roots in the Southern jazz forms of ragtime and Dixieland, while its structure adhered more to arranged music than its more improvisational jazz counterparts. On August 21, 1935, Benny's band played the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. The gig was sensational and marked the beginning of the years that Benny would reign as King: the Swing Era.

See also http://www.last.fm/music/Benny+Goodman+&+His+Orchestra
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