big band
what it is
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. The terms jazz band, jazz ensemble, stage band, jazz orchestra, and dance band are also used to refer to this type of ensemble.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is big band?
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. The terms jazz band, jazz ensemble, stage band, jazz orchestra, and dance band are also used to refer to this type of ensemble.
What are good big band albums to start with?
Try Begin The Beguine by Artie Shaw, Far East Suite by Duke Ellington, The Essential Glenn Miller by Glenn Miller, and Tex Beneke and his Music in the Miller Mood by Tex Beneke.
Who are some women making big band?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/big-band/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making big band, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20