The Rise of a Jazz Art World

This 2002 book presents a unique sociological vision of the evolution of jazz in the twentieth century. Analysing organizational structures and competing discourses in American music, Paul Lopes shows how musicians and others transformed the meaning and practice of jazz. Set against the distinct worlds of high art and popular art in America, the rise of a jazz art world is shown to be a unique movement - a socially diverse community struggling in various ways against cultural orthodoxy. Cultural politics in America is shown to be a dynamic, open, and often contradictory process of constant re-interpretation. This work is a compelling social history of American culture that incorporates various voices in jazz, including musicians, critics, collectors, producers and enthusiasts. Accessibly written and interdisciplinary in approach, it will be of great interest to scholars and students of sociology, cultural studies, social history, American studies, African-American studies, and jazz studies. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction 11 The genealogy of the modern jazz renaissance 12 The jazz art world 14 High art an popular art in American music 15 Transforming American culture 18 1 Before the jazz age: professional musicians and good music 21 Professional musicians: the vernacular tradition and “good” music 24 Black professional musicians: the black vernacular and “good” music 32 Mediating the popular: the popular music market and non-professional musicians 37 Highbrow music: the cultivated tradition in American music 42 A separate world: the cultivated tradition and black musicians 49 Negroes Perform Their Own Music Annual Concert Reveals But Little Interest in Serious Composition 53 Conclusion: American music 54 2 The Jazz Age: professional musicians and the cultivated vernacular 56 The jazz craze: popular music and the black vernacular 59 The Appeal of the Primitive Jazz 59 The Primitive “Jazz” 60 Does Jazz Put the Sin in Syncopation? 61 A question of style: vernacular jazz and professional musicians 63 The Jazz Band – What It Is and Isn’t 63 A Word of Warning 64 Some Further Opinions on “Jazz” by Prominent Writers 65 To Discriminate in Music 65 One hundred percent American: white professional musicians and the vernacular as high art 72 ARE AMERICAN HOTELS SPONSORING A TRULY NATIONAL MUSIC? 72 Growing Pains 76 Classical or Jazz? 77 Selvin’s Orchestra, of the Moulin Rouge, New York One of the Finest American Plan Orchestras 78 Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra Make Their Debut on the Concert Stage 81 Uplifting the race: the black vernacular as high art and the harlem renaissance 85 Defending “good” music: jazz and the cultivated tradition 91 Capacity House Fervently Applauds as Jazz Invades Realm of Serious Music 96 What Modern Music Has Done to the Motion Picture Theaters 102 Conclusion: the end of the jazz age 103 A New Era Dawns 103 3 The swing craze: professional musicians, swing music, and the art of improvisation 106 After the crash: the new popular music industry and sweet music 108 The Jazz Pioneers Are Passing Where Do We Go From Here? 108 The swing craze: the return of the cultivated jazz vernacular 116 We’re Coming Out of the Depresh 116 Getting respect: the status of black professional musicians and the swing market 121 Swing’s Black Royalty 121 Swing populism: music, class, and race 132 Swing Is Here to Stay 132 Romantic outsiders: white hepcat musicians as rebels 144 The Dilemma of Jazz 144 MUSICIANS DESERT GIN & WEED TO SWING AGAIN 152 The art of swing: improvisation and jam sessions 156 Conclusion: swing as an American art 164 Is Swing Dead? 164 4 The rise of a jazz art world: jazz enthusiasts, professional musicians, and the modernist revolt 167 Hot jazz: jazz enthusiasts and the rise of a jazz art world 169 Don’t Talk About Collectors – I Married One with a Wax Head 169 The righteous elite: jazz connoisseurs, longhairs, and jitterbugs 184 Consider the Critics 188 Is Jazz Music? 190 Genuine jazz: jazz romanticism and the black vernacular 196 Modern swing: professional musicians and the modernist ethos 208 Situation Between the Critics and Musicians is Laughable 208 How to be a Jazz Critic 212 Groovin’ high: bebop, hipsters, and the modernist revolt 214 Conclusion: things to come 224 Rebop, Bebop, and Bop 224 5 The New Jazz Age: the jazz art world and the modern jazz renaissance 227 Hard times: American popular music and the jazz cult 229 Car’s Creed – Do Yourself No Good 232 The new jazz age: growth and change in the jazz art world 235 The November Revolution 243 Music Educators Take a Long, Close Look at Jazz 246 The modern jazz renaissance: new directions in jazz music and the modern jazz musician 252 Freedom now suite: black music and the politics of modern jazz 261 New Black Music 267 The literation of jazz: jazz criticism, literature, and the jazz tradition 270 Conclusion: the end of the modern jazz renaissance 276 Conclusion 279 Jazz and American culture 281 The sociology of culture 284 Bibliography 289 Index 297 Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction......Page 11 The genealogy of the modern jazz renaissance......Page 12 The jazz art world......Page 14 High art an popular art in American music......Page 15 Transforming American culture......Page 18 1 Before the jazz age: professional musicians and good music......Page 21 Professional musicians: the vernacular tradition and “good” music......Page 24 Black professional musicians: the black vernacular and “good” music......Page 32 Mediating the popular: the popular music market and non-professional musicians......Page 37 Highbrow music: the cultivated tradition in American music......Page 42 A separate world: the cultivated tradition and black musicians......Page 49 Negroes Perform Their Own Music Annual Concert Reveals But Little Interest in Serious Composition......Page 53 Conclusion: American music......Page 54 2 The Jazz Age: professional musicians and the cultivated vernacular......Page 56 The Appeal of the Primitive Jazz......Page 59 The Primitive “Jazz”......Page 60 Does Jazz Put the Sin in Syncopation?......Page 61 The Jazz Band – What It Is and Isn’t......Page 63 A Word of Warning......Page 64 To Discriminate in Music......Page 65 ARE AMERICAN HOTELS SPONSORING A TRULY NATIONAL MUSIC?......Page 72 Growing Pains......Page 76 Classical or Jazz?......Page 77 Selvin’s Orchestra, of the Moulin Rouge, New York One of the Finest American Plan Orchestras......Page 78 Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra Make Their Debut on the Concert Stage......Page 81 Uplifting the race: the black vernacular as high art and the harlem renaissance......Page 85 Defending “good” music: jazz and the cultivated tradition......Page 91 Capacity House Fervently Applauds as Jazz Invades Realm of Serious Music......Page 96 What Modern Music Has Done to the Motion Picture Theaters......Page 102 A New Era Dawns......Page 103 3 The swing craze: professional musicians, swing music, and the art of improvisation......Page 106 The Jazz Pioneers Are Passing Where Do We Go From Here?......Page 108 We’re Coming Out of the Depresh......Page 116 Swing’s Black Royalty......Page 121 Swing Is Here to Stay......Page 132 The Dilemma of Jazz......Page 144 MUSICIANS DESERT GIN & WEED TO SWING AGAIN......Page 152 The art of swing: improvisation and jam sessions......Page 156 Is Swing Dead?......Page 164 4 The rise of a jazz art world: jazz enthusiasts, professional musicians, and the modernist revolt......Page 167 Don’t Talk About Collectors – I Married One with a Wax Head......Page 169 The righteous elite: jazz connoisseurs, longhairs, and jitterbugs......Page 184 Consider the Critics......Page 188 Is Jazz Music?......Page 190 Genuine jazz: jazz romanticism and the black vernacular......Page 196 Situation Between the Critics and Musicians is Laughable......Page 208 How to be a Jazz Critic......Page 212 Groovin’ high: bebop, hipsters, and the modernist revolt......Page 214 Rebop, Bebop, and Bop......Page 224 5 The New Jazz Age: the jazz art world and the modern jazz renaissance......Page 227 Hard times: American popular music and the jazz cult......Page 229 Car’s Creed – Do Yourself No Good......Page 232 The new jazz age: growth and change in the jazz art world......Page 235 The November Revolution......Page 243 Music Educators Take a Long, Close Look at Jazz......Page 246 The modern jazz renaissance: new directions in jazz music and the modern jazz musician......Page 252 Freedom now suite: black music and the politics of modern jazz......Page 261 New Black Music......Page 267 The literation of jazz: jazz criticism, literature, and the jazz tradition......Page 270 Conclusion: the end of the modern jazz renaissance......Page 276 Conclusion......Page 279 Jazz and American culture......Page 281 The sociology of culture......Page 284 Bibliography......Page 289 Index......Page 297 "This book presents a unique sociological vision of the evolution of jazz in the twentieth century. Analyzing organizational structures and competing discourses in American music, Paul Lopes shows how musicians and others transformed the meaning and practice of jazz. Set against the distinct worlds of high art and popular art in America, the rise of a jazz art world is shown to be a unique movement - a socially diverse community struggling in various ways against cultural orthodoxy. Cultural politics in America is shown to be a dynamic, open, and often contradictory process of constant re-interpretation. This work is a social history of American culture that incorporates various voices in jazz, including musicians, critics, collectors, producers, and enthusiasts The origins of jazz were in the barrelhouses of New Orleans and the speakeasies of Chicago. By the nineteen fifties, a musical renaissance transformed jazz into a high art form. Paul Lopes shows how the rise of a jazz art world was a unique movement--a socially diverse community of musicians, critics, collectors, producers, and enthusiasts that struggled in various ways against cultural orthodoxy in America. This accessible, interdisciplinary book will be of great interest to scholars and students of sociology, cultural studies, American studies, African-American studies, and jazz studies. This book presents a unique sociological vision of the evolution of jazz music in the twentieth century. Analysing organizational structures and competing discourses in the field of American music, Paul Lopes shows how musicians and the art world that grew around them transformed the meaning and practice of jazz