A breakneck tempo that nevertheless seems comfortable — this is the sign of master musicians. Anita kills with a scat/vocalese rendition that takes you on a new trip around this Gershwin classic. I love it. And check out the outfits. Oh, my, so wonderful!

Benny Goodman, along with Glenn Miller and Paul Whiteman, helped define the big band sound in the United States, which reached its maturity in the 1940s. This song, written in 1936, has a throbbing, percussive tone with strong drums (played by Gene Krupa, widely regarded as one of the top two or three big band drummers ever) and wild trumpets, led by Harry James, who founded his own band in 1939. “Sing, Sing, Sing” was Goodman’s signature tune … and it was written by the great Louis Prima, who later when on to have his own band that was busy in the 1950s and 1960s. (Prima worked a lot with Rosemary Clooney, one of my favorite singers.) Benny Goodman said of this song, “was a big thing, and no one-nighter was complete without it.”

Jon Hendricks was probably most famous for his profound musical contributions as part of the Lambert, Hendricks & Ross trio of vocalists who brought scat and “vocalese” to incredible popularity. These styles demand incredible musicians — and they communicate such joy. Jon has worked with everyone, and was active even at the age of 98, putting out an album the year he passed where he added lyrics to the entire album of Miles Davis’ solos on Miles Ahead. He was awarded the French Legion of Honor in 2004. What a life. What a voice!