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Definitely a GREAT piece of music. I'd never really thought about its influence on rock and roll but you are SO right! Thanks for this enlightening piece as well as your link to the 50 Songs that Gave Birth to Rock and Roll. I will listen to all of these more closely!

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Thanks Dan! I tend to think of this tune as so familiar that it's easy to overlook how hard it actually rocks.

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For sure! My mother played it a lot as a kid and then Woody Allen used it for some great dramatic effect in films such as Manhattan Murder Mystery.

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Lets talk about the two others who really made Goodman's version stand out.

1. Gene Krupa on drums. This guy your great grandfather's, John Bonham. He totally changed the way people played the instrument.

Without him, it would be like Black Sabbath without Tommy Iommi.

2. Jess Stacy on piano. His unscripted piano solo at that Carnegie Hall show is stuff of legends.

If you want to see how much he improved that version, listen to, The Benny Goodman Story's version of the song. It does not feature a piano as Stacy refused to be paid a standard day's wage for his part, which was less than other musicians.

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Joe--Excellent points all. Volumes could be (and I'm sure have been) written about the drum solo here and the role Krupa played in bringing his instrument to the front of the production. Goodman had a knack for surrounding himself with the best musicians in the game. As you correctly suggest, this is on full display at Carnegie Hall. Thanks Joe!

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