SWF Jazz Session, Stadthalle Freiburg 1959

By the end of the 1950s, Benny Goodman was effectively "out," at least according to the New York beatniks. Bebop, cool jazz, and hard bop dominated the jazz world. Yet the grand master of swing would not be beaten; he wanted to show that his jazz could still be relevant and fresh. For a tour that would also take him to Europe, Goodman put together a mini-big band that aimed to sound as contemporary as possible without forgetting its roots. As a vocalist, he hired a true diva with incredible stage presence: Anita O’Day. The brilliant concert from October 15, 1959, at the Stadthalle Freiburg proves that Goodman was far from washed up at the time.