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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1939)
/ h* ) ; In the latter part of the nineteenth century, the a»o«t popular forms of entertainment were minstrel; shows, traveling acting troupes, circuses, and other shows of that type. At this time, newspaper tfttyjrheo was un known. and it nraa the custom for Amna to precede their performance with a gala street parade, led by a blaring brans band, la the South. • round New Orleans, jh-.muter* want ing more “flash'’ began using small n< K'<> bands <lr*-->>«-<l in flashy uni forms and plenty of bran* buttons and *hiny buckles; these negro bands were the first “ja**,” or •4am” bands. Being unable to read mask, these negro- bands depended entirely spon * their sense of rhythm, and played such wild; highly-syncopated music that listeners on the sideline* were mU* 1 *ith the same feelings that modem day “jitterbugs” are seised with, whatever H ia. : - From these first negro jasz bands carte the six and ?agven piece oem- hou that were popular until about 1H22 These bands, composed u*ua By of piano, trumpet. MgApatb net, drums, and banjo, played much in an "etrery man for himself” style, but from records made by some of the groups, suck .** The Original Dixieland Jaxs Band, and Bix Beider- herke’s Wolverines, it is proved that they played the fine*t form of jasx, in a style that many modem .musicians try to imitate. In 1922 jaxx underwent a distinct brought about by one Paul titeman, who cam* into Atlantic ity with an orchestra larger than used previously, composed of a ir of strings, g saxophone section, a brass section, and a rhythm sec tion. Whiteman’s “symphonic jaxx” caught on so fast, that soon the trend of all jaxs was from the un restrained type featured by the small bands to the smooth, orchestrated [n , i \ type that WhiteoMUffc 1 band played. From the “Whiteman” type swing, another type orchestra evolved, the stylists” such as Guy Lombardo, Hal emp, and others, who feature a th, sweet, sedate type musk. The “styiisis” milled jaxx for a while. Many of the greatest jaxx mu sicians were forced to quit their style and join one of the more “commercial” bands, in order to make a living. To them it was agony, for playing “wriken” musk xfter night. never varying, sad not having any APRIL, 19S9 . ; . tj i t • I j I S ' 1 ♦ : tc, i i : -i smaller jaxx bands. were the private, sions that the I free moments, and popular where cians. Soon, pro began using ji their wares to Hew York, small dubs the swing id a rushing noticing musk, opened •wing music era fMr swing favor in the field began in 18*4, heights by 1936. *arae a new style torn I—r ftyle. I-arge vrikten to improvim , as they had in runt against their The escape f om this condition drmal jam sas- hcld in their soon became were mdsi- of small clubs to exhibit public. In atid other cities, eir portals to md their arms i. Newspapers, taste for this for a new paved the way gain renewed The change and reached new Out of the change whkh is half old modern commercial Is are used, and are played, but the individual hi s a chance to ad lib and improvise a i much as in the old Iwnds. swing has become more modern md first “jaxx bend’ modem Ford or ifM “horsels is precise am [ tgcbnkal. Out of the trend came Bei my Goodman’s great band, Glen Gra r and the Casa Loma orchestra. The bands. Chick Webb, Louis Armstrong’s band, and recently Artie Shaw, Jan ‘ Savitt, Charley Bhmei t. Gene Krupa. Harry James, and ot lers whose bands are coming into th > public eye, and ear. The developm lent of swing is similar to the developi lent of the automobile. A hand like A tie Shaw's is as much more modem md developed than the the 90’* as a k is over the dW orchei tra wdrk* on the same • pel •• t \e firdt one*, as much auto me bile whrk* on the same ml as the ho «les* carriage, is just • littld more polish and a few changes here and there through the y mrs and a little “stream lining” for mxiera effect. , U swing Wtusk an art? Art is anything creative, whether it be the craftsmanship of a sculptor, silver* smith, or pal liter, and the swing mu- iskian is eertiinly a creator, for every time he “ad I bs” a melody* he change* on the origii el theme to suit his style and mood, ai d makes a new melody of it. It Is aak that '•jaxx cannot last,” but it will |ast as long as there are people to piky it and listen to it. The style may (jhange one way or other. but the form will remain.