# Best Band Leader Of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2001, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021 "2001-07-27T23:00:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/db5fbb/32.png) [@jabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabe)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/1 "2001-07-27T23:00:37Z")
I would have to say James Brown. He was such a musical genious. He also had a great eye for talent. Anyone who “discovered” Maceo Parker and Bootsy Collins deserves some credit. To see James Brown in concert is one of my life goals. Sadly, I dont think this will ever happen, although he is playing in Toronto this fall and I have friends there to stay with!! Whoo hoo!! Anyway, what do all y’all think? peace, JB ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/2 "2001-07-28T02:48:07Z")
Cab Calloway. But that’s just MHO. ---
**Author:** ![jabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/db5fbb/32.png) [@jabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabe)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/3 "2001-07-28T02:57:20Z")
Cab Calloway and James Brown were both in ‘The Blues Brothers’ movie. There must have been some pretty damn good music floating around that set. peace, JB ---
**Author:** ![Wartime\_Consigliori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@Wartime\_Consigliori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wartime_Consigliori)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/4 "2001-07-28T03:05:31Z")
If we’re talking bandleaders, somebody outta bring up Duke Ellington and/or Count Basie. And how about raising the roof for Artie Shaw, maybe. BTW–Cab and James are great, without a doubt. Good Topic! ---
**Author:** ![sk8rixtx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@sk8rixtx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sk8rixtx)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/5 "2001-07-28T17:49:21Z")
Chino Moreno, Brandon Boyd, or even Willie Salazar. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/6 "2001-07-28T19:20:51Z")
Frank Zappa Anyone that could make a band play HIS music… technically complicated as it was… HAD to be a great bandleader… (of course, he never was completely satisfied with his bands, though some came close) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/7 "2001-07-28T21:22:03Z")
Duke Ellington, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/8 "2001-07-28T23:02:41Z")
Stan Kenton. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/9 "2001-07-28T23:07:47Z")
Also…let us not forget the clown prince of band leaders… **Spike Jones** ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2001, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/10 "2001-07-29T20:02:01Z")
Duke Ellington in first, Glen Miller next and Chick Webb a close third. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/11 "2001-07-30T04:34:41Z")
sun ra and charles mingus are right up there. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/12 "2001-07-30T15:07:22Z")
John Phillips Souza ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/13 "2001-07-30T16:13:54Z")
Not “best,” but among my favorites: James Reese Europe John Phillip Sousa Duke Ellington Cab Calloway Glenn Miller Paul Whiteman ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/14 "2001-07-30T19:03:38Z")
art blakey gets my vote, how could i have forgotten? the shame… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-band-leader-of-all-time/74021/15 "2001-07-30T20:25:59Z")
Does John Williams count? If so…he and Glenn Miller. (also one of the sexiest in my opinion-Glenn MIller, NOT John Williams-yeah, I’m weird.) And Figrin Dian and the Module Nodes…(Star Warriors should get this one…sorry couldn’t spell the name right…)