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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
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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.