Nicknamed “Mad Mab,” saxophonist and bandleader Charlie Barnet is one of the more colorful figures in jazz history, and was more than a bit of a playboy throughout his life. Charlie was unusual in a couple of ways, having been one of the few jazzmen to be born a millionaire … not to mention being married eleven times!  Although his orchestra isn’t usually mentioned among the first tier of big bands during the late 30s and early 40s, Barnet’s was, arguably, one of the most popular bands in the country during that period.

He eschewed the more popular sweet sound of the 1930s dance bands in favor of a harder style of swing that sometimes bordered on bop.

The three tunes to the left are only three of the many seemingly signature songs associated with the Charlie Barnet Big Band. At the (top) is Cherokee–also known as Indian Love Song–a jazz standard written by the British composer and band leader Ray Noble and published in 1938. In the (center) is Caravan, with a vocal by Bill Derry. Finally at the (bottom) is Barnet’s own Skyliner, written and first recorded in 1945.