Which came first: The NBC Orchestra, which was placed on The Tonight Show; or The Tonight Show, which named its house band “The NBC Orchestra”?
According to Wikipedia, the name originates from the Johnny Carson era. I can’t help but suspect a reference to the NBC Symphony Orchestra, which died a prolonged death through the preceding decade.
Predating Johnny, Tonight simply credited the band as Skitch Henderson/Milton DeLugg/Jose Melis and his orchestra.
Here’s something on the NBC Symphony Orchestra.
“Orchestra” was a misnomer during the Carson era; an orchestra has a string section. The Late Show similarly calls their band “The CBS Orchestra,” although that too has no string section (and I’m not counting guitars).
Big Bands (any >10-piece dance/jazz group with 3 or more brasses, 3 or more saxophones, and 3 or more rhythm instruments) typically get grandfathered in. Starting in the '20s, just about every one of them was called So-and-So and His Orchestra.
While we’re discussing the differences between bands and orchestras, I’d like to say that I’ve always had a problem with a “band” that didn’t have any horns. So many rock groups are limited to guitars (including the bass) and keyboards (along with the obligatory drums) that the name “band” doesn’t feel right to me. This is in spite of referring to the “string bands” of Folk, Bluegrass and C&W genres.
A small jazz group (with or without horns) is a “combo” to me. And I guess the bland “group” is about all that makes sense to me about rock ensembles.
It’s probably just me and my antiquated view of things, so carry on.