The Swing Book

by Degen Pener, Scotty Morris

Documents the history of swing music and dancing, covering the important artists, style and fashion, albums, and dance moves of swing

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 1999

Reviews

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a primer to the golden age of swing AND the nineties revival of the swing movement, Degen Pener's "The Swing Book" is about as good as it gets. That said, it's a fairly dated book; it's written in such a way as to suggest the swing revival movement would be ongoing, so about half the book is a yellow pages for swing bands and swing clubs still playing in the late nineties. If you can ignore that, this is a great primer and provides a wonderful listening guide to two different eras of American jazz music.

[Ivana Amidzic]

When I first started reading this book, I thought I knew nothing or very little about the subject, but I was wrong. While reading, I realized I already knew quite a bit about early blues and jazz music, as well as socio-political, and social developments of the era, which helped me fit what I learned about swing dance in a context I already had.

I enjoy going to the roots of everything and knowing historical backdrop to subjects I am learning about, so this was very informative and fun read.

[Andrew Spear · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Swing Book is an interesting and useful resource on the history and contemporary revival of swing music, swing dancing and “swing culture”. It includes chapters on the history, major figures, dance moves, and fashion of swing. Especially interesting and helpful is the discussion of the history of swing dancing in chapter one, the extensive recommendations of albums by major swing singers, soloists and big bands in chapter four, and the discussion of swing style and fashion in chapter 6; or at any rate these were the things that I found most interesting. Pener also references a number of early movies featuring swing dancing. I highly recommend taking time out while reading his book to check out a few clips from these movies on YouTube, there are a number available and they really help to round out the history that Pener is describing.

The primary audience of the book is clearly those who are currently interested in swing and the “swing revival”, as Pener calls it. The book thus features lots of information, also interesting and useful, about contemporary bands and movements that have their roots in swing dancing and music, including a rather extensive listing of swing dance clubs nation wide. Indeed, as a compendium of information about swing the book is really quite impressive. In addition, Pener’s writing is extremely fluid and articulate, and creates a continuous sense that the subject matter he is writing about is both exciting and contemporary.

If I were to lodge a complaint about the book, it would be that the style of the writing is a little too journalistic for my taste. Pener is at such great pains to keep things interesting, contemporary, relevant and exciting that it feels a bit overstated at times. His sketches of major figures in the history of swing music, though accurate and interesting, fail to convey any strong sense that these individuals were flesh and blood human beings, even as he provides a smattering of provocative factoids about their lives and music. One of the great virtues of jazz and of swing music is its lack of intentionality, its understatement and calm restraint even while expressing the intense sophisticated emotions and thoughts of the modern age. The constraint, subtle glamour and sophistication of swing get drowned out in Pener’s relentless attempt to remind the reader how hip and happening swing really is; as if anyone who had already taken it on themselves to read his book really needed to be reminded.

This one complaint notwithstanding, the book is really a great resource and good reading for anyone with an interest in the history of jazz music in general, and, of course, of swing dancing and music in particular. I’ll be keeping my copy of the book on hand for future reference.

[Austin Gisriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Swing Book is a fun, handy guide to all things swing from the origins early in the 20th century to the swing revival of the '90s. Degen Pener has even included chapters on swing dancing and swing fashion. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in swing or who desires an introduction to its origins.

[Rob Guernsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit outdated. Second half of book is essentially a book of lists of clubs, bands and scenes that are 10+ years old and may not still exist.