The 1930s were the peak of popularity for Big Band Swing. Swing bands kept the same instrumentation of the earlier Dixieland, but the bands increased dramatically in size. These big bands were ideally suited to play in dance halls where young people danced to lively new styles like the Lindy Hop, the Charleston, and the Jitterbug.

The saxophone became a standard jazz instrument during this era, replacing the clarinet as the reed instrument of choice (although clarinets were still used.) The saxophone had the advantage of coming in a variety of ranges – soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone – and could easily mimic the expressive qualities of the human voice.

Bands of this size required a leader to provide structure to the music. This leader was similar in function to the conductor of an orchestra, but they did not conduct in the same fashion. A big band leader tended to play their instrument with the band. They would bob their head to keep time, and they would point to each instrument when it was their turn to take a solo. Often these leaders would compose or arrange music for their band. (Arranging is the art of adapting a preexisting song to fit a new ensemble).
 

Some of these big band leaders became quite famous. Benny Goodman was a famous band leader and clarinetist, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. Count Basie was a black pianist, composer, and leader. Duke Ellington, another black pianist, was a giant of jazz music who wrote more than 1,000 songs over the course of his life. It is notable that swing music provided a platform for black and Jewish musicians to achieve fame and earn respect in society that tended to marginalize them.

Because they achieved such fame in the United States, some of these big bands went on tours overseas. Swing music became popular with the youth of Europe. In Germany, swing music and dance became synonymous with resistance to Hitler’s regime. In France, artists like Django Reinhardt played “gypsy jazz” that fused swing with French cabaret and eastern European harmonies.