The easiest way is to go to your nearest record store. You can buy Big Band and Swing compilations for next to nothing, then rip 'em into MP3 format ( or ogg vorbis which is superb and totally free open-source audio software.) I picked up a three cd set of 1930s and early 1940s music from a supermarket in a rack next to the check-out for £1.99 sterling.
One of the best free sources I know on the web is Free Music Connection. You have to register and plough through half a dozen preliminary sales screens ( the opt out is a very small "if you're not interested click here" at the top of each page.) Eventually, you get to the Free Music Connection homepage. Best thing to do there is to click on the artist index ( it's huge ). They have some high-quality tracks by most of the well-known Big Bands ( Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw etc ) The index is so large it's best to know what you're looking for ( and the names are arranged alphabetically by first name, so Glenn Miller appears under "G".) Downloads, in MP3 format, take a few seconds.
Over the next few weeks, work allowing, I'm going to put together a file of tracks from the Free Music Connection for SH4. It'll be fun.
When you register you have to agree to accept sales material (spam ) via e-mail, but you can either block them as spam, or use a separate e-mail address you don't visit too often. I've got a couple of "Spam Specials" as I call them.
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