Charlie Barnet

Charlie Barnet, born into a wealthy New York family, was a great fan of Duke Ellington's big band. As homage, perhaps, in the early '30s he started his own. A solid sax player, he was an enthusiastic advocate of other, greater talents, many of whom he hired. In this regard, he remains one of the few bandleaders to have ignored racial distinction, which unfortunately had a negative effect on his career. While he could afford this, it was still a risky and forward-thinking move, and one which resulted in forward-looking music as well.