A swing music preservationist and long time clarinetist, Stan Rubin has amassed a library of over 800 big band jazz arrangements by painstakingly transcribing original recordings with longtime friend, Bob Friedlander. While an operation on a benign brain tumor in 1984 sidelined Stan's clarinet playing career, his namesake 16 piece orchestra keeps the Swing Era sound alive with weekly performances at Swing 46, a jazz and supper club featuring live swing music nightly, steps from Times Square and New York's Theater District.

Every Wednesday evening, the Stan Rubin Orchestra, usually led by the multitalented Herb Gardner and featuring several singers, salutes the authentic big band sound of the 1930's and 40's, faithfully performing the music of jazz greats like Benny Goodman and Harry James, with a few arrangements of some unexpected modern selections for good measure.

Now, Swing 46 is not one of those cool, cramped downtown joints housed in the basement of some old townhouse, where the musicians sit spitting distance from the audience and you risk soaking your neighbor with every sip of your martini. The spacious stage room at this Midtown music venue sports large banquettes and banquet tables, where tourists from Jersey to Japan and dapper swing dancing locals sit to catch their breath after cutting the proverbial rug on the sizable dance floor.

While the space is meant to resemble a classic Swing Era supper club, the food generally doesn't do the designation justice. The cocktails are expensive and so sweet it's silly, so stick with spirits poured straight from the bottle or a relatively reasonably priced beer for $7.

Despite the site's shortcomings, the music at Swing 46 hits the mark and is worth a listen at least once, so keep that in mind the next time a family member or friend visiting from out of town suggests a trip to Times Square.

ESSENTIAL INFO:

-Total Cost: About $50 per person for drinks and a $15 cover. Tax and tip included.

-A smaller, stripped down incarnation of the band, called the Tigertown 5, plays "New Orleans Jazz" from 7:15-8:15 PM. The Stan Rubin Big Band hits at 8:45 PM and plays until 11:45 PM.

-Reservations can be made for dinner, but on a Wednesday evening, you won't have a problem scoring a table for drinks and dancing as a walk-in.

NEARBY: As mentioned above, the food at Swing 46 should be skipped. Instead, head to Gazala Place just up 9th Avenue for some Middle Eastern cuisine and a BYOB policy.