Swing Changes: Big-Band Jazz in New Deal America

by David W. Stowe

Bands were playing, people were dancing, the music business was booming. It was the big-band era, and swing was giving a new shape and sound to American culture. Swing Changes looks at New Deal America through its music and shows us how the contradictions and tensions within swing―over race, politics, its own cultural status, the role of women―mirrored those played out in the larger society. Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, newspapers, magazines, recordings, photographs, literature, and films, Swing Changes offers a vibrant picture of American society at a pivotal time, and a new perspective on music as a cultural force.

Genres: Jazz, Music

310 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Elliott Davis]

Great, but the title is not. Stowes book is not really about how the music itself changes, more of a critical reception history written thematically, albeit thoroughly. Large scale structure is a broad chronology and details are a blend of political/social/critical context.

His conclusions are broad and expansive in context, but points are rarely sequential enough to have a sense of constant narrative. It still serves perfectly well as an introduction/snapshot of the era’s significance. An expanded version with more technical musical chronology would be interesting to see.

[Andrew]

I read it concurrently with another stoop-find on the same general subject, "Swinging the Dream." It was interesting reading about all the politics associated with the Swing Era - WWII, Swing vs.Bop, Fascism, Communisim. Best quote from Sinatra, might be the other book, Frank Sinatra:
"The minute anyone does anything for the little guy, he's called a communist."

[Katherine Baber]

FINALLY DONE. Extremely useful to anyone looking at jazz during World War II or immediately after. Or even just interested in American culture during this years.