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The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945
Here is the book jazz lovers have eagerly awaited, the second volume of Gunther Schuller's monumental The History of Jazz . When the first volume, Early Jazz , appeared two decades ago, it immediately established itself as one of the seminal works on American music. Nat Hentoff called it "a remarkable breakthrough in musical analysis of jazz," and Frank Conroy, in The New York Times Book Review , praised it as "definitive.... A remarkable book by any standard...unparalleled in the literature of jazz." It has been universally recognized as the basic musical analysis of jazz from its beginnings until 1933.
The Swing Era focuses on that extraordinary period in American musical history--1933 to 1945--when jazz was synonymous with America's popular music, its social dances and musical entertainment. The book's thorough scholarship, critical perceptions, and great love and respect for jazz puts this well-remembered era of American music into new and revealing perspective. It examines how the arrangements of Fletcher Henderson and Eddie Sauter--whom Schuller equates with Richard Strauss as "a master of harmonic modulation"--contributed to Benny Goodman's finest work...how Duke Ellingtonp used the highly individualistic trombone trio of Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Juan Tizol, and Lawrence Brown to enrich his elegant compositions...how Billie Holiday developed her horn-like instrumental approach to singing...and how the seminal compositions and arrangements of the long-forgotten John Nesbitt helped shape Swing Era styles through their influence on Gene Gifford and the famous Casa Loma
Orchestra. Schuller also provides serious reappraisals of such often neglected jazz figures as Cab Calloway, Henry "Red" Allen, Horace Henderson, Pee Wee Russell, and Joe Mooney.
Much of the book's focus is on the famous swing bands of the time, which were the essence of the Swing Era. There are the great black bands--Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Earl Hines, Andy Kirk, and the often superb but little known "territory bands"--and popular white bands like Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsie, Artie Shaw, and Woody Herman, plus the first serious critical assessment of that most famous of Swing Era bandleaders, Glenn Miller. There are incisive portraits of the great musical soloists--such as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Bunny Berigan, and Jack Teagarden--and such singers as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Helen Forest.
The Swing Era focuses on that extraordinary period in American musical history--1933 to 1945--when jazz was synonymous with America's popular music, its social dances and musical entertainment. The book's thorough scholarship, critical perceptions, and great love and respect for jazz puts this well-remembered era of American music into new and revealing perspective. It examines how the arrangements of Fletcher Henderson and Eddie Sauter--whom Schuller equates with Richard Strauss as "a master of harmonic modulation"--contributed to Benny Goodman's finest work...how Duke Ellingtonp used the highly individualistic trombone trio of Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Juan Tizol, and Lawrence Brown to enrich his elegant compositions...how Billie Holiday developed her horn-like instrumental approach to singing...and how the seminal compositions and arrangements of the long-forgotten John Nesbitt helped shape Swing Era styles through their influence on Gene Gifford and the famous Casa Loma
Orchestra. Schuller also provides serious reappraisals of such often neglected jazz figures as Cab Calloway, Henry "Red" Allen, Horace Henderson, Pee Wee Russell, and Joe Mooney.
Much of the book's focus is on the famous swing bands of the time, which were the essence of the Swing Era. There are the great black bands--Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Earl Hines, Andy Kirk, and the often superb but little known "territory bands"--and popular white bands like Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsie, Artie Shaw, and Woody Herman, plus the first serious critical assessment of that most famous of Swing Era bandleaders, Glenn Miller. There are incisive portraits of the great musical soloists--such as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Bunny Berigan, and Jack Teagarden--and such singers as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Helen Forest.
944 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 21, 2021
The Swing Era by Gunther Schuller is the second volume of his History of Jazz. There was meant to be a third volume but apparently it was never published. Schuller in this second volume refers to his first volume in many places and does not finish some of his essays on certain artists by saying more will be said in the third volume.
This is a work especially geared for musicologists and for jazz enthusiasts who have listened to the complete works of jazz bands and jazz artists, since I am not either I was not the target audience as there are many, many scores included in the book with an emphasis on solos. Even though I was certainly lost at many times I enjoyed this look at a time in music history when jazz was the popular music.
Schuller divides his work into looking at the major black bands of the era, the major white bands of the era, important soloists, and even some singers. The reader does not get much biographical material on the people involved because always the emphasis is on the music. This work certainly spurred me to listen to more jazz and anybody who enjoys this era of music will find something to like in Schuller's look at the era of swing.
This is a work especially geared for musicologists and for jazz enthusiasts who have listened to the complete works of jazz bands and jazz artists, since I am not either I was not the target audience as there are many, many scores included in the book with an emphasis on solos. Even though I was certainly lost at many times I enjoyed this look at a time in music history when jazz was the popular music.
Schuller divides his work into looking at the major black bands of the era, the major white bands of the era, important soloists, and even some singers. The reader does not get much biographical material on the people involved because always the emphasis is on the music. This work certainly spurred me to listen to more jazz and anybody who enjoys this era of music will find something to like in Schuller's look at the era of swing.
April 21, 2014
As far as I know it, this is the most comprehensive book on swing music available. Gunther Schuller is interested in music, not life histories, so biographical information on musicians is scarce. The music, on the other hand, is described and analyzed thoroughly, with great originality and enthusiasm, including information on cross-links, influences, and analyses of arrangements, song structures and solos.
I don't believe anyone will read this book from the beginning to the end: each chapter is about a separate artist, and an overall history is lacking. Moreover, one really needs to be able to listen to the described music to enjoy the book, but this is also its strong point: one becomes really eager to listen to the jazz described, often with 'new ears' provided by the author.
As a reference book and as a tool to explore jazz between 1930 and 1945 with, "the swing era" is unsurpassed.
I don't believe anyone will read this book from the beginning to the end: each chapter is about a separate artist, and an overall history is lacking. Moreover, one really needs to be able to listen to the described music to enjoy the book, but this is also its strong point: one becomes really eager to listen to the jazz described, often with 'new ears' provided by the author.
As a reference book and as a tool to explore jazz between 1930 and 1945 with, "the swing era" is unsurpassed.
September 26, 2009
This is by far the best music book I've ever read. It is scholarly, no doubt, but Schuller's joy in this music comes through on every page. A rudiemntary ability to read music is a plus with this book, but by no means necessary. Schuller is even-handed and open-minded but never abdicates the critic's responsibility to judge. And absolutely never abdicates the scholars responsibility to inform. A wonderful book on 1930s jazz.
June 11, 2020
Dry as the Sahara Desert. I can't fathom the good reviews of this book, I am well versed in the subject but I was looking for entertainment, since that's what jazz is. There is zero entertainment in here, it maybe interesting to academics but other readers will struggle to finish this "History".
June 26, 2025
I believe this is the SECOND volume in the masterwork by this author. He demonstrates a deeply ingrained understanding of the history and growth of this music, in the period to the inception of bebop and of course its ensuing fragmentation. One of the few authors to helpfully include many musical examples, which certainly helps to put flesh onto the detailed descriptions and with particular emphasis on the work of Duke Ellington and other early bands, even down to some quite small but significant territory operations. Whatever one's view of the value statements of opinion, which I would certainly myself support, readers of all critical shades cannot fail to admire the industry and breadth of area covered in this comprehensive and painstaking volume which will undoubtedly become a much-thumbed work of reference and study on my shelf.
August 21, 2012
Wonderful. I have put it aside until I have a chance to listen to some of the recordings he references. I'm not very familiar with this genre so taking time to get some aural context will make his analysis more meaningful for me. It would be lovely if a CD was included.
March 29, 2015
I wish I would have read this book when I was first studying the music of jazz as a teen. It is an amazing resource!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews