Big Band Swing
The Swing period is the only time that Jazz and popular music
coincided.
1929 Louis and Duke escaped the downturn as record companies and players went
bust. Oliver, Morton, Bechet went down the pan. 'Free' radio took over and a few
hot spots like 'The Savoy Ballroom' in Harlem survived.
Everyone wanted to escape the gloom into dancing and the 'free float' of Louis
'above' the hustle and bustle.
'The Lindy Hop' and non-stop dancing at 'The Savoy' with Chick Web (1902 - 39).
'The Roseland' was in elegant Manhattan and all white. For 20 years Fletcher
Henderson was busy writing call and response patterns for three sections and
rhythm. With his 'arranger' Don Redman this was a new invention. Louis, Red
Allen, Chu Berry, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge.
Back to 'The Savoy' after close at 'The Roseland' and the jam fun started, black
and white.
John Hammond steps in to help the destitute musicians. Pours money into jazz
during the depression, why? Scours Harlem for unappreciated talent - Coleman
Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson, Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Lester
Young, Charlie Christian, Billie Holiday ... small group recordings
In 1933 F D Roosevelt's new deal for the American people was a 'confidence
trick', prohibition was repealed to raise spirits and fresh air hit the
speakeasies, the first legal brews were so bad everyone wished prohibition was
back!!
Billy Rose opened an extravagant night club to attract home drinkers back to the
legal night clubs. Goodman fired by Pollack was fiercely ambitious and inspired
by Chick Webb and Fletcher Henderson he gathered a white band together to
compete. Billy Rose hired attractive Helen Ward and Benny ! Then 'Let's Dance'
three hours of radio music ! But his 'book' was not extensive so Mildred Bailey
and John Hammond produced Fletcher. Now the 'swing' music developed at the
'Roseland' and 'Savoy' was broadcast nationally.
Then the Palamar Ballroom LA and nationwide fame.
1936 dancing and records and two weeks at The Paramount Theatre Time Square
establish Goodman and swing as America's 'popular music'.
The Jitterbug and The King of Swing ...
... but Henderson's Goodman charts were orchestrated Louis.
Meanwhile Duke continued -
constantly creative
experimental attitude
'Swing is business' Duke never complained about Goodman's success, he just wrote
some more blues!
Artie Shaw (1910 - ) practised so hard the inside of his mouth bled. Inspired by
Bix and Tram.
Benny had swing and the blues but Artie was technically supreme, wonderful tone,
lyrical and erudite. 'Begin the Beguine' makes Shaw more popular than Goodman.
1938 Artie employs Billie Holliday.
1939 Shaw disbands 'the business part of the music stinks'.
Teddy Wilson jams with Goodman, then record trios as soul mates, then in 1936
into the public band also with Lionel Hampton as the trio becomes a quartet.
Then Cootie.
But swing was too 'commercial' not only for Artie Shaw but also for many jazz
fans.
1938 Goodman makes Carnegie Hall but his band then disintegrated under the
indignation of 'The Ray' and Benny apparent disapproval.
1939 Charlie Christian provides a second coming.
1939 meanwhile Chick Webb employs Ella Fitzgerald and goes out with a fling as
his health finally catches up with him, a mere 30 years old.
Ella goes from strength to strength with Chicks band after he dies.
Glen Miller, 'never made a mistake ... can't be trying' ... but hit after hit !
With Artie Shaw, making swinging morale music during the war ... and Dave
Brubeck's Wolfpack Band.
Art Hickman
Casa Loma Orchestra
Woody Herman and his Band that plays the blues.
Bob Crosby and the Bobcats.
Kay Kaiser and his College of Musical Knowledge.
Earl Hines
Benny Carter
Charlie Barnett
Jimmy Lunceford, precision and polish.
Tommy Dorsey with Bunny Berigan, Buddy Rich, Dave Tough and Frank Sinatra.
Cab Calloway.
1946 eventually the tyranny of 'popular' taste diluted Big Band Swing and the
thrust of popular music veered towards the vocalists and sweet music, Frank
Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
Although Basie and Ellington remained the big bands broke up and jazz continued
in small groups and in the developing sounds of Bebop from Mintons ...
Big Bands hot, or Big Bands sweet
Swing groups have grown to 10 or more players with at least three saxophones,
two or three trumpets, two or three trombones, piano, guitar, bass, and drums.
The rhythm section was responsible for keeping it all danceable (as that's where
the money was). The 'hot' style of Ellington or Basie offered hard-driving
rhythms and solo improvisations, unlike the 'sweet' bands of Glenn Miller or Guy
Lombardo. (As swing bands grew in size they have to emphasize precision over
improvisation [Rockin' In Rhythm has cartoony saxes];
back to jazz tradition