Benny Goodman: Kingdom of Swing
Benny Goodman: Adventures in the Kingdom of Swing
A portrait of the first superstar in American music and a rare inside look at the life of a jazz band on the road in the 1930's and 40's. A swinging film profile of the extraordinary musician and bandleader who helped America through a depression and a war with the snappy optimism of his music. Adventures in the Kingdom of Swing tells Goodman's fascinating story through home movies, rare 1950's rehearsal footage and audio tracks, and a fascinating autobiographical interview with Goodman himself. In addition, talented friends and contemporaries including Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Charlie Parker, and Louis Armstrong lend their anecdotes and memories to this entertaining biography of an American icon.
- premiered on PBS's American Masters
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"produced and directed by Oren Jacoby is a definitive documentary...
a priceless addition to the American Masters series." - Los Angeles Times
"Only the hopelessly dense could fail to appreciate the timeless coolness
of... Benny Goodman in this nifty biographical film." - USA Today
"A highlight of the week." - The New York Times
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