Swing Changes: Big-Band Jazz in New Deal America
Ware has written a fascinating social history of swing jazz, which dominated popular music from about 1935 to the late 1940s. He characterizes swing as the preeminent musical expression of the New Deal ethos, which emphasized individualism within a cooperative national collective. Explaining the social context that allowed swing to flourish, Ware describes the importance of Downbeat magazine; the United Hot Clubs of America; booking agencies; live, commercially sponsored radio broadcasts; and the jukebox. The author also details the New Deal contradictions over race and gender that fostered integration yet provided few opportunities to women and the African Americans who pioneered the musical form. He ends with the eclipse of swing by bebop. This clearly written and well-researched social history of New Deal America through its popular music is highly recommended.David Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, SeattleCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.