Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra stand as a pivotal force in the development of big band jazz and swing music. Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr., born on December 18, 1897, in Cuthbert, Georgia, was a classically trained pianist who transitioned into jazz and moved to New York City in the early 1920s. There, he formed what would become one of the most influential jazz orchestras of the decade. The group was known for its tight arrangements, featuring soloists who would become legends in their own right, such as saxophonist Coleman Hawkins and trumpeter Louis Armstrong, who had a brief but impactful stint with the band.

Under Henderson's leadership, the orchestra became a laboratory for developing the musical framework that would define the swing era. They crafted and performed scores of arrangements that expanded the jazz vocabulary, blending improvisation with written parts in innovative ways. While Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra did not achieve the same level of commercial success as some of their contemporaries, their musical contributions cannot be understated. Albums like "Do That Thing" and "The Fletcher Henderson Story" encapsulate their role in the progression of jazz. The band's work in the 1920s and 1930s set the stage for the later successes of bandleaders like Benny Goodman, who famously repurposed many Henderson arrangements to great acclaim. The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra dissolved in the late 1930s, but its legacy is preserved through their substantial recorded output and the continued celebration of their influence on jazz history.

Genres

Big Band

Dixieland

Hot Jazz

Man's Orchestra

Ragtime

Swing

Vintage Jazz

Latest Release

Do That Thing

Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra

Album - 25 Tracks - Released December 1, 2018