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Artists - B

• Babe Russin - Born in America, 1984 this talented tenor saxophonist plied his trade with some of the biggest and best jazz bands of the 1930s and 40s.
• Beale Street Washboard Band - Beale Street was the main thoroughfare in the black section of Memphis, and home to many washboard bands in the 20s. Surprisingly, perhaps, none of the four musicians in this group came from...
• Ben Selvin - With his distinctive husky voice, Selvin was a gifted musician and dance band leader of the Novelty Orchestra who enjoyed record-breaking success with the song ‘Dardanella’.
• Ben Webster - Born in 1909, American Ben Webster was a jazz saxophonist who is widely considered to be one of the three most influential swing tenors of all time.
• Beniamino Gigli - The career of this remarkable Italian tenor took off in 1914 when he won a singing competition and went on to become a distinguished operatic figure.
• Benny Carter - Born in 1907, Carter was one of the all time great jazz musicians. His incredible talent and versatility made him best known for his band leading prowess.
• Benny Goodman - This popular bandleader began his career playing the clarinet and went on to become better known as ‘The King of Swing’.
• Beryl Davis - The daughter of a bandleader, Davis was a successful big band singer. After touring with her father’s band she went on to join Glenn Miller’s Army Air Force Orchestra.
• Bessie Smith - This hugely successful performer was arguably the most popular female singer of the Blues during the 1920s and 30s, whose talent inspired many modern day artists.
• Betty Grable - This American performer enjoyed success as a singer, actress and dancer and is perhaps most famous for her iconic pose as a Second World War pin-up girl.
• Billie Holiday - This talented Jazz singer was nicknamed Lady Day and had an incredible knack of making classic songs her own – a style of music named simply ‘Billie Holiday Music’.
• Billy Cotton - This famous British entertainer from the 1920s was band leader of one of the very few orchestras to survive the dance band craze and went on to become a successful TV and radio personality.
• Billy Kyle - Born in Philadelphia, Kyle was a popular Jazz pianist and accompanist during the 1930s, working with established acts such as Louis Armstrong’s All Stars.
• Billy Mayerl - This English pianist and celebrated composer is generally acknowledged as the master of light music and wrote more than 300 pieces of music.
• Billy Merrin - This artist came from Nottingham and his talents with the piano, the banjo and as a vocalist made him known as the undisputed 'King Of The Midlands'.
• Billy Ternent - This bandleader was one of the most versatile of all. He joined the Jack Hylton organisation in 1927, staying as Jack's right-hand man for twelve years. Duties included that of arranger and deputy...
• Bing Crosby - This iconic American actor and singer’s career spanned more than 50 years. Widely regarded as one of the greatest musical acts ever his work is enjoyed throughout the world.
• Binnie Hale - This English actress was famed for her roles in many top London theatre productions and for musical numbers such as ‘Spread a Little Happiness’.
• Birt Firman - Birt Firman was a Musical Director in London in the late Twenties and  went on to the United States to do radio work, later leading dance bands in London clubs and in Monte Carlo.
• Bix Beiderbecke - This talented 1920s and 30s musician from the United States was most famous for playing the jazz cornet, but was an equally skilled classical and jazz pianist.
• Blue Mountaineers - The Blue Mountaineers was a studio band, the nucleus of which comprised musicians moonlighting from Ambrose's Orchestra!
• Bob Crosby - Best known as band leader of 'Bob Crosby and the Bob Cats', this popular vintage American musician went on to enjoy great success with his radio show.  
• Bob Hope - A born entertainer of legendary status, Bob Hope was an English-born American whose talent earned him many radio and television roles during what was a glittering career.
• Boyd Senter - Boyd Senter was best known as a novelty musician but his 1929 studio group was composed of excellent players, buoyed up by a good rhythm section. Senter's wheezy clarinet is featured on many of his own...
• Brian Lawrance - As a vocalist he was available for freelance jobs during the day, but very busy by night playing violin and singing with his own sextet at the Lansdowne Restaurant in Berkeley Square.
• Bud Freeman - Born in 1906, American Freeman was a well-loved jazz musician who possessed great tenor saxophone and clarinet playing skills.
• Bud Powell - One of the all time great jazz pianists, New Yorker Powell was a key figure in the emergence of the bebop music style.
• Buddy Clark - Samuel Goldberg, changed his name to Buddy Clark, before singing 'I'll String Along With You' with Doris Day. Clark was killed in 1949 after he was thrown from a plane that crashed in Los...
• Buddy Tate - Born in 1912, George ‘Buddy’ Tate first became noticed in the Basie band, and went on to become a fine tenor sax soloist.
• Bunny Berigan - This American Jazz trumpeter enjoyed great success during the Swing era, but his promising band leading career was short –lived after losing his battle with alcoholism.