Sam Wooding and His Orchestra

Sam Wooding & His Orchestra were a popular big band in the early '20s, working in a variety of East Coast clubs just as the audience for this type of music began to blossom. His group was chosen to be the orchestra for a musical revue, entitled Chocolate Kiddies, in 1925, which turned out to be a fabulous opportunity despite geographically separating Wooding's outfit from what would become all-out fanaticism about jazz big band music on the home front. Wooding fronted an 11-piece outfit in the show, which also included comedians, dancers, and 30 chorus girls. If there was a st...