The big brassy jazz bands had become a luxury that people were unwilling to pay for. In empty nightclubs and ballrooms their tricky arrangements were being heard mostly by the waiters, who were appreciative but unprofitable listeners. In the past eight weeks, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Les Brown and Jack Teagarden decided to disband. Gene Krupa and Jimmy Dorsey cut salaries. This week Woody Herman gave up too.
The "Herman herd" came to a stop just one year after it won the 1945 band-of-the-year poll by the jazz magazine Metronome. Last week Metronome counted up its 1946 votes and awarded...
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