Noted clarinetist, composer, and conductor, renowned for his work as the King of Swing, received his education at the prestigious Lewis Institute in Chicago, where he studied under the tutelage of Schillinger and Schoepp. Prior to establishing his own ensembles, he honed his skills as a clarinetist with the orchestras of Bix Beiderbecke, Jules Herbuveaux, Arnold Johnson, and Ben Pollack, and also performed in Broadway theater orchestras.
As his career progressed, he began leading his own orchestras in 1934 at the Billy Rose Music Hall, and later conducted the orchestra on the popular weekly radio program "Let's Dance" from 1934 to 1935. He also performed at numerous hotels, colleges, and theaters, expanding his musical repertoire to include chamber music concerts.
Throughout his illustrious career, he toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, the Far East, South America, and the USSR, making numerous recordings along the way. He was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) from 1945, and collaborated with notable musicians such as Count Basie, Harry James, Mitchell Parish, Andy Razaf, Edgar M. Sampson, Chick Webb, and Teddy Wilson.
Among his most popular and enduring compositions are "Lullaby in Rhythm," "Don't Be That Way," "Seven Come Eleven," "Flying Home," "Two O'Clock Jump," "Air Mail Special," "Dizzy Spells," "If Dreams Come True," "Georgia Jubilee," "Four Once More," and "The Kingdom of Swing."
