Race in the Swing Era

Race was one of the key contradictions of jazz and swing and had been a central instigator in the formation of jazz. In the 1930s, race was thrust into the forefront of discussions on swing more so than the previous decades. The Swing Era, as it was later called, began when the Great Depression was economically devastating the country and many white people experienced a class shift that made them essentially equal to the black people. Competition for jobs increased but white artists were still at an advantage compared to black artists due to the Jim Crow societal norms. The market was dominated by white agents and audiences which made it easier for white artists to get gigs while marginalizing black artists.

One of the biggest reasons for the emergence of racial dialogue during the Swing Era was the jazz critic Hammond. Hammond was a well-educated, cultured, rich and white. He became a man who could make or break a band’s reputation (Swing Changes P 58). He criticized Duke Ellington for making deals with Irving Miller and the Cotton Club and for his “racial insensitivity to the troubles of ‘his people’” (Stewart 2/12). Hammond held the belief that black artists played “superior swing” than white artists and that Ellington compromising so worsened the status of black people in American society (Swing Changes P60). This compromise brought black artists further under the control of the “white hegemony” in jazz (Stewart 2/12). Paradoxically, Hammond was instrumental in furthering the hegemony.

Hammond’s rise to fame occurred with his insistence to Benny Goodman to integrate his band which pushed Goodman away from the mainstream and resulted in the declaration of Benny Goodman as the King of Swing (Swing Changes P55). This move exemplified the racism of the times where a white man was declared the best in what had previously been touted as a black art form. White bands did not have to perform as well as black bands because white audiences did not demand it (Stewart 2/12). Events such as this made race a central topic of discourse in the Swing Era.

Comment- Phil Coren < http://blst14philcoren.blogspot.com/ >

New York: The Center of 1920s Jazz

New York was more important to jazz in the 1920s than Chicago due to its socioeconomic situation and the prevalent culture in New York. New York, and Harlem in particular, experienced a massive influx of African Americans from the Southern United States after the end of World War 1. They came seeking better economic opportunities and formed a black community in Harlem. In Chicago, artists were contracted to and limited by the gangs of Chicago and received no support from the Black middle class.  The migration to New York led to cramped conditions in Harlem but provided an economic freedom and brought together the “traditional highbrow culture” of the Black middle and White upper echelons and the “lowbrow nightlife” through the piano (Gioia, 91). At this time, the soloist had been solidly established and New York responded with enthusiasm.

After World War 1 though, New York saw the birth of a new style of jazz that celebrated both the solo and the ensemble and responded to New York’s call for music the patrons could dance to. This was the emergence of the big band. Composers such as Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington gathered many jazz players and formed dance orchestras that entertained clients in both high class venues like Carnegie Hall and nightclubs like the Cotton Club. New York was the “center of American Theatre” and provided many opportunities to spread jazz to many audiences through revues that brought together what would be later called “The Street” and Broadway (Stewart 2/3). The revues evolved jazz to a performance art, unique to New York and provided a “stage on which to display that jazz was more than music” (Stewart 2/3). Most well known for playing this New York style, Duke Ellington and his band flourished through the 1920s and 30s. During this time, most audiences tended to be white and the performers black. Radio took over as the primary form of disseminating information and music and racism led to black performers not getting the same opportunities as the white performers.

Fletcher Henderson lost his band due to this racism but not before becoming the epitome of New York jazz. He furthered jazz’s multi-genre reach by increasing its speed and improvisation to make it swing. His band played at the Roseland ballroom which later became the “best known dance club in New York” (Stewart 2/3). This epitomizes the New York jazz style, one of collaboration between the art genres.

Commented on Leah Bleich’s post at < http://leahbleichblst14.blogspot.com/ >