Harry Goodman

Harry Goodman (born June 21, 1906, in Chicago, Illinois, US; died October 22, 1997, in Gstaad, Switzerland) was an American jazz musician (double bass and tuba) who later became a music publisher. He was an active professional musician from the mid-1920s through 1939, participating in 208 recording sessions.

His first recording (“’Deed I Do”) was made in late 1926 with Ben Pollack and His Californians, which also included Glenn Miller, his brother Benny Goodman, Gil Rodin, Fud Livingston, and vocalist Frank Sylvano. In the following years, he played on recordings with the studio bands of Benny Goodman, Jimmy McHugh, Jack Pettis, and producer Irving Mills. In the 1930s, he also participated in recordings by Hoagy Carmichael (“Rockin’ Chair”), Jack Teagarden, Red Nichols, Gil Rodin, The Charleston Chasers, Wingy Manone, Harry Rosenthal, Red McKenzie’s Mound City Blue Blowers, Teddy Wilson, and Lionel Hampton, among others. He was a member of the Benny Goodman Orchestra from 1934 to 1939, including the 1938 concert that was the first jazz performance at Carnegie Hall. He also appeared in the television series American Masters.

After he left his brother’s band in the spring of 1939, he never performed as a bassist again. He ran various businesses, including a restaurant in Manhattan. He and his younger brother Gene (Eugene) Goodman founded a music publishing company, Regent Music. They later started Jewel Music and, in 1953, ARC Music, with Leonard and Phil Chess.

Goodman spent much of later years in France and died in Switzerland at age 91.

Although Harry Goodman played with many of the great swing music ensembles, he was not considered one of the great bassists. John Goldsby called him “a good journeyman player with the right family name.” Gunther Schuller wrote "Harry Goodman was at best competent but, more often than not, weak."

Birth and Death Data: Born (Chicago (city and county seat of Cook County, and largest city in State of Illinois, United States of America)), Died October 22, 1997 (Gstaad (village in the municipality of Saanen in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass, tuba, songwriter

Notes: Brother of Benny Goodman. Tuba and string bass player.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 80 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-62301 10-in. 5/21/1930 Barnacle Bill, the sailor Hoagy Carmichael Orchestra ; Carson Robison Jazz/dance band, with 2 male vocal solos and male vocal chorus instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor MS-92210 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Makin' whoopee Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92211 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 I would do most anything for you Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92212 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Rose room Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92213 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Pardon my love Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92214 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 St. Louis blues Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92215 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Can't we be friends Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92216 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Royal Garden blues Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92217 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 When we're alone Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92218 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Sometimes I'm happy Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92219 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Anything goes Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92220 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Down by the river Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92221 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Ding dong daddy from Dumas Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor MS-92222 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) approximately late April 1935 Stompin' at the Savoy Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-92546 10-in. 7/1/1935 Sometimes I'm happy Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-92547 10-in. 7/1/1935 King Porter Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-92549 10-in. 7/1/1935 Jingle bells Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-96299 10-in. 11/22/1935 Sandman Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor PBS-97017 10-in. 9/27/1935 Madhouse Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-02103 10-in. 10/7/1936 Riffin' at the Ritz Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-02460 10-in. 11/5/1936 Bugle call rag Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-03549 10-in. 12/9/1936 When you and I were young, Maggie Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-03550 10-in. 12/9/1936 Gee! But you're swell Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Helen Ward Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-03551 10-in. 12/9/1936 Smoke dreams Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Helen Ward Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-03552 10-in. 12/9/1936 Swing low, sweet chariot Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
(Results 1-25 of 80 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Goodman, Harry," accessed January 4, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100167.

Goodman, Harry. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 4, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100167.

"Goodman, Harry." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 4 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100167

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