When Swing was theThing is a collection of profiles of bandleaders,musicians and singers. Benny Goodman, Glen Miller and other still-famous namesshare the book with less-knowns such as Ernani Bernadi and Zeke Zarchy. Some ofthe players, including Miller himself, were long dead before Tumpak began hisresearch, but he managed to interview a great many big band musicians beforethe inevitable march of time claimed them.
WhenSwingwas theThing offers little context; its not intended as a history of the era andits music and not all the points hold up. Comparing the enthusiasm that greetedGlen Miller in the late ‘30s to the mania for Elvis and the Beatles is probablypushing analogies too far. But for fans and students of swing, Tumpak has gatheredmuch supplementary material, especially when shedding light on talented sidemenwhose reputations have faded over the decades.
