Race in the 1930's

From the beginning, when jazz emerged in New Orleans, racial discrimination and inequality has played a significant role in the development of jazz.  The tension between blacks and whites was apparent in the African dancing in Congo Square, the assimilation of a black-originated art form into the mainstream of white culture, and most prominently, in the Swing Era of the 1930’s (Swing Changes, February 14, 2013).  The 1930’s were a decade of competition, and musicians strategically prevented other people from profiting economically from their creativity. However, in addition to the competitive nature of the era, jazz simultaneously brought races together to perform and collaborate dialogically. 

Duke Ellington made his mark in the jazz world by not only bringing an unprecedented sense of style and sophistication to jazz, but by understanding how to tactically attain popularity during the harsh times of the Great Depression while staying in his respectful place in a segregated music community.  To do so, Ellington hired a Jewish agent, Irving Mills, to collaborate with and help him popularize his music and get on the radio in return for some of his earnings.  The radio was responsible for a transformation in the musical world as it allowed a passage through segregated barriers and the expansion of the audiences of black musicians.  Ellington recognized the opportunities that the radio brought as listeners couldn’t hear the color of the musician.   

The roles of black performers and white jazz critics played an important part in the racial discourse of the 1930’s.  According to lecture, the white, radical audience represented the “true” fan of jazz (February 14, 2013).  The integration of Swing included this audience critically commenting on the performances and music of the colored musicians. John Hammond, a white jazz critic, publicly attacked Duke Ellington’s musical appeal to the white audience writing, “Ellington’s tact and suave manner disguised a willingness to tolerate racial indignities for the sake of commercial success” (Swing Changes, February 14, 2013). 

Historical collaborations of races in the Swing Era included two different events at Carnegie Hall and The Savoy.  Carnegie Hall contained high culture concerts with sophisticated people watching and listening to performers play European music.  In 1937, Benny Goodman performed with three black musicians.  Although some people walked out viewing the musical integration as inappropriate, the event was largely a success.  In addition, at The Savoy, Benny Goodman performed a musical battle with the black musician, Chick Webb.  These historical events ultimately broke the musical race barrier and experimented with integration. 

Racial discourse has always been apparent in the history and development of jazz.  However, it was in the 1930’s when integration, competition, the radio, and musical relationships developed making race become explicit.  

New York Jazz

            New York city was a heterogeneous race capital in the 1920’s.  The forced community of inter- race, a product of the migration of a myriad of nationalities, created a distinctive form of New York jazz, different from the traditions and style of New Orleans or Chicago.  The modernity of New York had a great significance on the status and opportunity of the black man.  “…in the Negro’s case a deliberate flight not only from countryside to city, but from mediaeval America to modern” (Harlem, 630).  The diversity of the city is reflected in the music as individuals emerge and shape the community.  A new vision of opportunity, social and economic liberty, and improvement of conditions explain New York City’s attraction and uniqueness. 

            In addition to this “great race welding”, Harlem had two separate and different parts.  The first, called the Harlem Renaissance, “was a promised land for a downtrodden race” and focused “on the full range of human expression” (Gioia, 93,94).  This Harlem advocated and supported the black cultural and intellectual life while the other Harlem reflected a harsher reality and a less hopeful future by its poor economics, salaries, and rent payments.  Although these two Harlems seem very different and extreme, they shared a common musical context for jazz and piano.  According to Gioia, “… the Harlem Renaissance created an ideology, a cultural context for jazz, but the Harlem of rent parties and underground economies created music” (94).  With the popularity of the piano, stride became a unique style to New York City. 

            Ragtime was very popular in New York in the 1920’s.  During this time of Harlem rent parties, the sped up, intricate sound of ragtime innovated the form of the stride piano style.  Piano players had to be virtuosic and able to adapt to the tastes of different northern and southern audience members to keep their jobs (James P. Johnson, February 5, 2013).  In order to communicate with their diverse audience and community, a dialogue needed to be present.  Bakhtin emphasizes that every story has someone in mind.  Similarly, jazz is a conversational interaction in which the performers communicate musically to the audience. 

            Jazz was originally rooted in New York before the migration, construction, and change.  According to lecture, New York had an indigenous tradition of both ragtime and jazz before the migration of musicians and bands such as the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Oliver or Armstrong (February 5, 2013).  James P. Johnson held this tradition as he was playing music before New Orleans jazz was even recorded.  Gioia states that, “…no other player of his day sensed so clearly the latent potential of African American music or worked so vigorously to bring it into reality” (98).  Although New Orleans and Chicago carried on the traditions of the African aesthetics, New York’s style of improvisation and vital aliveness creates both art and community. 

            Each Negro and individual from different nationalities came to New York with their own unique motives and desires.  The integration of the people and forced community, the combination of different past and futuristic styles, and the dialogic world of music created a jazz era in New York that’s unique from all others.