[78-L] Big Band Era

[Kristjan Saag]

The concept ”swing era” was in use as early as 1936.

https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-IDX/IDX/1936/Billboard-1936-11-14-OCR-Page-0014.pdf#search=%22swing%20era%22
Kristjan

Sent from my iPhone

> On 27 Jun 2020, at 19:12, Andrew Homzy <andrew.homzy at gmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi Donna,
> 
> You are right about who comes-up with the names for different musical genres.
> 
> I’m sure that Bach & Haydn didn’t think they were representing the Baroque Era - or that Goodman’s goal was to become the best Big Band leader of the Swing Era. Dizzy didn’t call his music Be-Bop - nor did Parker.
> 
> Musicians in New Orleans didn’t call their music jazz - even after the word was well established. The only person to be called The King Of Jazz was someone who could barely play the viola and never wrote a note of music, nor was capable of improvising. Ellington stated that he stopped using the word Jazz in 1943. Duke said that “Jazz was something you did” - and his titles of compositions which contain the word jazz illustrate that definition.
> 
> A friend of mine who was a prominent arranger on the Montréal scene starting in the 40s talked with disdain about having to arrange "Ooh-Wa” music - perhaps a better description than “Doo-Wop”.
> 
> We need categories to distinguish the mundane. Ellington recognized characteristics of people and accomplishments as “Beyond Category”. Of course, that applies to himself -
> 
> 
> 
> Here’s an article which questions the term “World Music”.
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/24/guardian-world-music-outdated-global
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Andrew
> 
> 
>> On Jun 27, 2020, at 8:43 AM, Donna Halper <dlh at donnahalper.com.invalid> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> On 6/27/2020 10:55 AM, RODMANLEWIS . wrote:
>>> I think the use of the term "Big Band" Era was a case of being wise after
>>> the event. The 30s is now also known as the "Swing Era", but it was as much
>>> the "Mickey Mouse" (aka "Sweet", "Hotel" or "Society") Era.
>> 
>> 
>> As I mentioned in an earlier reply, it's often media critics and 
>> historians later on who come up with these names as a retrospective on 
>> the era, even though nobody called it by that name at the time. Big Band 
>> is one example (although the term was being used in the late 1800s to 
>> refer to large orchestras that played concerts at circuses and fairs).  
>> Another good example is "doo-wop," referring to the lyrics and the 
>> harmonies found in certain 1950s rhythm & blues music. I grew up in the 
>> 50s, and I don't recall ever hearing anyone call it that.  Yet today, 
>> "doo-wop" a common term for that music.
>> 
>> -- 
>> Donna L. Halper, PhD
>> Associate Professor of Communication & Media Studies
>> Lesley University, Cambridge MA
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 78-L mailing list
>> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
>> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l