Swing

During the "Swing Era", an accumulation of factors brought race to the forefront of the jazz discourse. Some of these key factors were the following: the widespread popularity of jazz; politics; an emerging, independent black culture; and the disparity between performers and critics.   

Indeed, during the "Jazz Age" of the 1920's, jazz had become mainstream music. However, the "Swing Era" of the 1930's was a "golden age" that saw jazz reach even deeper into every crevice of American society (Gioia 145). More and more white Americans began listening to this predominantly black form of music. As a result, black jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong, Chick Webb, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie became household names. Furthermore, white and black musicians started performing together more often - even in white clubs and concert halls. As a white man, Benny Goodman enjoyed certain social advantages that allowed him to bring Swing more popularity. Although his jazz bands were not the first racially integrated bands, they were by far the most well-known and prominent (Gioia 143).  Goodman's performance at Carnegie Hall and later his face-off with Chick Webb at The Savory marked a turning point in American racial views. Of course as the syncretism of black and white musicians and jazz fans became more apparent, the issue of interracial fraternization became more of a social concern. In particular, there was widespread fear among many Americans of miscegenation (Lecture 2/14).

During the "Swing Era," there was a unique relationship between musical stars, producers, and critics. What people of all races wanted to hear was mostly played by black men; but, those who produced, distributed, and criticized this product were mostly white men. This "small coterie of young white men, typically from privileged social backgrounds, exercised enormous influence in shaping American's understanding of the swing phenomenon" (Swing Changes 52). Of course such a relationship served to further intensify the conversation of race in relation to jazz.

Politics also played an important role in making race more explicit in the 1930's. In the US, the Great Depression was raging and capitalism was being tested. Political radicals like Hammond started targeting the African-American population - in particular jazz musicians (Lecture 2/14). Meanwhile, jazz was also doing well internationally - especially in Europe. However, with Nazism taking over, many black artists such as Coleman Hawkins were forced to leave the continent (Gioia 173). With this intense political environment, jazz music itself also started taking on "a more explicit set of ideological meanings" (Swing Changes 53). Jazz became linked with leftist ideas and a desire for change. Part of these ideas involved more freedom for African-Americans.

The 1930's saw the rise of a stronger, more independent African-American culture. The popularity of jazz gave African-Americans more power. They were producing a product that had a large demand and a huge market. The earning potential of great jazz artists was like nothing most African-Americans had ever seen before. Scholars like Langston Hughes used the momentum of jazz to propel their artistic works forward while at the same time their works provided more fuel for this stronger, more independent black culture. It was beginning to become more apparent that black men could compete with white men.

Due to political intensity, the popularity of jazz, a more independent African-American culture, and the racial discrepancy between performers, producers, and critics of jazz, the discourse on race in jazz became more explicit in the 1930's.