Meanings of Jazz in the 1930s

     What is the difference between the 1920s and the 1930s in terms of the symbolic meaning of jazz? In the 1920s jazz was considered as the cultural thread or rebellion against the society, one that is characterized as “a dangerous social miscegenation” (Swing Change, p53). As Gioia shows, even average black family felt hostility to jazz so that jazz wasn’t allowed to be played in their house in Harlem (p91). But in the 1930s jazz came to take on “ideological meanings” in more explicit way. What made this change possible?

     One of the reasons is that the jazz moved into the mainstream, and was recognized as part of a part of popular culture. As jazz moved into the mainstream, the society was still segregated. So People had to face the substantial contradiction inherent in jazz; racial inequality in jazz.  In this context, many criticisms were published during the 1930s to discuss the racial inequality in jazz industry.

     The biggest reason lies in this emergence of swing critics in 1930s and following movement toward swing integration. The major person in this movement is John Hammond. He was a producer, talent scout, and musical critic. He discovered many black jazz stars including Count Basie and Billie Holiday.  He was brave enough to criticize Duke Ellington in terms of political and racial matters. His argument focused on “his racial insensitivity to the troubles of ‘his people’” (Lecture, February 14, 2013). Duke made a compromise racially and economically by entering Cotton Club (Lecture, February 14, 2013). Cotton Club was famous for a segregated night club where many white audiences came to expect the black performers’ exoticism represented by “jungle” sound.  So for a commercial success he had to succumb to the segregated tradition in jazz industry.  But there was the change of his attitude toward race between the 1920s and the 1930s. He could get through in 1920s without mentioning race but he no longer avoided race in 1930s mainly because of the emergence of critics like Hammond. This change of his attitude is good example of the shift of meanings of jazz from the social threat to the political meanings.

     Hammond also had a powerful influence in shaping the musical styles of Benny Goodman, known as “King of Swing”.  He led Goodman to break the segregated practice deeply rooted in jazz industry; Goodman hired the black musicians as sidemen in his white band for the first time and also hired Fletcher Henderson as an arranger. The first moment of swing integration was represented by his concert with black jazz players in Carnegie Hall which was regarded as for European music.  

     It was in Down Beat which many critics including Hammond published their article. Down Beat, which was founded in 1934, judged music on the basis of their ability not their color. Its policy is that “It reported the progress toward racial equality taking place within the music profession.”(p75). So it handled with more political and racial issues as Hammond criticized Duke. It attacked the racism within the music industry. So it was critics who provided the ideological meanings to jazz.  In a way, it played a role as a dialogue between jazz musicians and white jazz fans. The new conversation between jazz players and white jazz critics through magazines made possible because black musician came to take criticism by white critics more seriously.

     Swing era brought numerous changes to jazz industry. The biggest change was the herald of jazz integration.  Swing integration was pushed forward by these swing critics and radio broadcasting as Invisible media. To abolish the segregation within jazz music, race had to be discussed more explicitly.