The Woody Herman Orchestra: The Jazz Doctor

The above probably predates The Thundering Herd, which was the great name that Herman used for years. It was a driving and creative band. Here is the first paragraph of leader Woody Herman’s allmusic bio:

A fine swing clarinetist, an altoist whose sound was influenced by Johnny Hodges, a good soprano saxophonist, and a spirited blues vocalist, Woody Herman‘s greatest significance to jazz was as the leader of a long line of big bands. He always encouraged young talent and, more than practically any bandleader from the swing era, kept his repertoire quite modern. Although Herman was always stuck performing a few of his older hits (he played “Four Brothers” and “Early Autumn” nightly for nearly 40 years), he much preferred to play and create new music.

Here are Four Brothers (with Charlie Parker) and Early Autumn (with Stan Getz). Herman took a crack at classical interpretation with Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man.