Which instrument associated with Benny Goodman is a single-reed woodwind?

• A. Trumpet
• B. Saxophone
• C. Bassoon
• D. Clarinet

Answer: (D)

Benny Goodman is best known as a clarinetist, and the clarinet is a single-reed woodwind. A single-reed instrument uses one small reed on the mouthpiece that vibrates to produce sound, which is a hallmark of the clarinet. The trumpet belongs to the brass family, so it isn’t a woodwind. The bassoon uses a double reed, not a single one. The saxophone, while also a single-reed woodwind, is not the instrument most closely associated with Goodman’s fame. So the clarinet is the best match here.