MusicHound Swing: The Essential Album Guide

From the traditional to the neo-retro, from jump blues to Western swing to rockabilly, more than 300 acts falling under the Swing banner are covered in the usual MusicHound style. Accompanying CD. 100 photos.

It don't mean a thing if you ain't got that SWING!

In 1935 Benny Goodman and his band began to rock and the swing era shifted into high gear. And as we dance into the new millenium, swing is again the thing. From the vintage sounds of the classic swing artists to the rollicking licks of western swing to the hottest neo-swing bands patrolling the planet in the never-ending quest to bring new life to the dance floor, MusicHound Swing sweats and swaggers and tells you who's hot and who's not. And you'll get a taste of rockability, jump blues, and boogie-woogie to boot. More than 300 acts from yesterday and today are given the royal MusicHound treatment, including:

Louis Armstrong * Mildred Bailey * Count Basie * Sidney Bechet * Big Bad Voodoo Daddy * Cab Calloway * Nat King Cole * Harry Connick, Jr. * Bing Crosby * Bob Crosby * Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis * Sammy Davis, Jr. * Duke Ellington * Benny Goodman * Fletcher Henderson * Peggy Lee * Guy Lombardo * Joe Jackson * Harry James * Louis Jordan * Gene Krupa * Billy May * Mighty Blue Kings * Amos Milburn * Glenn Miller * Jelly Roll Morton * Red Norvo * Carl Perkins * Louis Prima * Nelson Riddle * Roomful of Blues * The Brian Setzer Orchestra * Artie Shaw * Dinah Shore * Frank Sinatra * Noble Sissle * Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers * Dinah Washington * Paul Whiteman * Mary Lou Williams * Lester Young and many more.

Besides telling you "what to buy," MusicHound Swing is packed with in-depth biographical essays and details on artistic influences, musical development and trademark qualities. More than 100 photos and a free CD help bring the music to life.