Benny Goodman - Plays for the Fletcher Henderson Fund (1952) Vinyl • WNEW Radio

Catalog Number:

GL-516

Musical Styles:

1950s, Big Band & Swing, Jazz Funk, Jazz Instrument, Jazz Pop, Jive, Jump Blues, Radio Play/Show, Vocal Jazz

Sleeve Grade:

Very Good Plus (VG+)

Record Grade:

Very Good Plus (VG+)

Condition Details:

Vinyl plays with some crackles and a few light-clicks (play-graded). Cover has a few creases near edges; light-scuffing (front/back); heavy discoloration on back with discoloration spots, writing near top-right of back. Inner-sleeve is generic white. Spine is has no text and wear with splits. Shelf-wear along top-edge, heavier across bottom-edge and corners, splits across both, moreso on bottom. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

1. China Boy
2. Body And Soul
3. Runnin' Wild
4. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
5. After You've Gone
6. Basin Street Blues
7. Rose Room (In Sunny Roseland)
8. Honeysuckle Rose
9. I Found A New Baby
10. One O'Clock Jump

About The Record:

Plays for the Fletcher Henderson Fund, by Benny Goodman, is a live compilation from a 1951 radio broadcast on Martin Block's Make Believe Ballroom program over WNEW, dedicated to honoring Fletcher Henderson, the pioneering African American bandleader whose arrangements shaped Goodman's swing era success. This album holds historical significance as a tribute to Henderson, who faced health and financial struggles after a 1950 stroke and died in 1952, highlighting his crucial role in providing Goodman with discounted big band charts that bridged early jazz and swing. Featuring Goodman on clarinet, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Gene Krupa on drums, the trio reinterprets Henderson's arrangements, like Blue Skies, Sugar Foot Stomp, and King Porter Stomp, in a stripped-down format that emphasizes improvisation and rhythm. Running approximately 30 minutes, the album reflects the waning swing era while showcasing interracial collaboration in a segregated music industry. Although no new hit singles emerged, King Porter Stomp, a major 1935 chart-topper, stands out as a reimagined highlight from Goodman's earlier successes.