Fred Astaire once said, “I don’t know where dance came from, I don’t know where its going, and I don’t care" (Ries 379). This attitude about his passion highlights Astaire's sheer natural ability to dance and choreograph. Although much more famous for his dancing than his singing, Fred Astaire was an influential figure in the Big Band and Swing movement of music. Astaire, a man of many talents, was incredibly well known for his contributions in the integration of
film and dance.
Astaire spent 27 years as a vaudeville performer before he stepped foot into Hollywood, Broadway, and London's West End. "Integrated Musicals" are musicals in which dance is incorporated to further the plot. These were Astaire's forte. The dances that Astaire choreographed were meant to add meaning to the musicals, explain an individual character further, or explain situations in more detail. Many experts say that it is "difficult to find an Astaire number that doesn't somehow contribute to the film's general spirit or theme" (Mueller 37). These musical films with integrated dance numbers were a large and influential part of the Big Band and Swing musical movement of the 1930s and 1940s.
Below is a video of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers performing one of their many dances.
Pictured below is an advertisement for "Swing Time", a show choreographed by Fred Astaire.
Rachel Bellenger
Works Cited:
Mueller, John. "Fred Astaire and the Integrated Musical." Cinema Journal 24.1
(1984): 28-40. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.jstor.org.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/stable/1225307>. Ries, Frank W.D. "The Artistry of Astaire." Dance Chronicle: 378-87. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.jstor.org.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/stable/1567767>.
“Body and Soul” is a
1930 jazz standard written by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, and Frank Eyton, with
music by Johnny Green. It was originally written for Gertrude Lawrence in
London but was first introduced to the U.S. by Libby Holman in the 1930
Broadway revue Three’s a Crowd.1
The song has been extremely influential in the popular culture world,
contributing to the attitude that Fats Waller described as this: “If you have
to ask, you’ll never understand it.”2 Perhaps accurately described, the
number of musicians that rerecorded this tune, among many others, seemed to
understand the swing era. As the track became more and more popular among
recording artists, eventually becoming the most recorded jazz standard1,
it evolved into a leading track among the post-Depression jazz trends that were
commonly associated with political discources. Coleman Hawkins’ interpretation of
the piece became one of the most famous recordings, ironically, because he
essentially improvised the melody, only sticking to the original chord
progression, and merely ‘hinted’ at the original melody.3 Many
classic artists, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Frank
Sinatra, Benny Goodman, and Coleman Hawkins, recorded “Body and Soul” following
its original release.
Above is an audio clip of Coleman Hawkins' only recording session of "Body and Soul" on October 11, 1939.
Above is an audio clip of Libby Holman's recording of "Body and Soul" from the Broadway revue Three's a Crowd, which brought the song fame in the U.S.
Below is the music
video of a duet cover of Amy Winehouse and Tony Bennett performing “Body and
Soul”. It was recorded in March of 2011 and, tragically, was the last one made
by Amy Winehouse before her death a few months later in July. It was released
on what would have been her 28th birthday, on September 14th,
2011. For this reason, the song
touched people all over the world and really emphasized the desperation in the
lyrics, “You know I’m yours / For just the taking / I’d gladly surrender /
Myself to you / Body and soul,” and the desperation in Amy’s life before her
death. The proceeds of the song
now benefit The Amy Winehouse Foundation,
whose aim is to raise awareness for young adults who struggle with addiction.1
"Body and Soul" is a song that holds enough significance in its music and lyrics to carry itself thorughout the decades. Its desperation reflects the feelings of the time during the Great Depression and is strong enough to contain the desperation all the way up to the death of Amy Winehouse.
- Emily Galvin -
Works cited:
Bakan, Jonathon. "Jazz and the "Popular Front": "Swing" Musicians and the Left-Wing Movement of the 1930s-40s." Jazz Perspectives 3.1 (2009): n. pag. Taylor & Francis Online. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
"Body and Soul (song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., 5 Oct. 2012. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_and_Soul_(song)Young, William H., and Nancy K.
Young.Music of the Great Depression. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2005. Print.
A common idea is that when times are rough and stress is
high, people look inward for hope and happiness. This was especially true in
the American Great Depression of the 1930s. In what became known as the “swing
era,” jazz music spread like wildfire. People all over the country would gather
around big bands or listen to swing music on their radios and dance their
worries away. “Despite the depression—or perhaps because of it—the thirties
were for many people a new beginning” (Schuller). Something about the “swing”
of the music got people on their feet and helped them escape from the harsh
times of the 1930s. The rhythm section was well known for creating the basis of
this swing.
The
rhythm section of a big band in the 1930’s usually consisted of one of each of
the following instruments: guitar, piano, bass, and drum set. The rhythm
instruments provided a stylistic basis off of which the other musicians in the
band could play. The two choral instruments, the piano and the guitar,
complimented each other and the soloist. The bass was usually acoustic, and a
technique known as walking bass was used. Walking bass consists of unsyncopated
quarter notes that create a walking sound. The drums provided the “swing,” and
could change the mood and the timing of the piece.
The
rhythm that is characteristic of swing is created by lengthening the eighth
notes that are on the beat and shortening the eighth notes that are between the beats. Some argue
that the musicians in the rhythm section of a big band play as a collective unit, but others,
like Charles Kiel, state that the musicians have more of a tendency to
participatory discrepancies. Participatory discrepancies are defined as the
articulation of the beat of the music along with unsynchronized timing between
the drums and the bass. This results in a “push and pull between the
instruments, creating a tension that drives the groove with energy”
(Butterfield). This topic is still under debate, and there are many papers arguing the unity or lack thereof of the swing rhythm section.
Rhythm
section greats, such as drummer Gene Krupa and pianist Teddy Wilson, carried
the rest of their ensembles by providing the swing for them. Without drummers,
pianists, guitarists, and bass players, big bands would not have their characteristic
rhythm – the rhythm that created such danceability for swing music, the rhythm that
allowed so many people to get away from the crumbling economy that surrounded
them and have a hope for new beginnings.
Citations:
Butterfield,
Matthew. "Participatory Discrepancies and the Preception of Beats in
Jazz." Music and Perception. 27.3 (2010): 157-76. PsycINFO. Web. 18
Nov. 2012.
Scaruffi,
Piero. "New York: The Swing Era." A History of Jazz Music. Piero Scaruffi, 2005. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
Schuller,
Gunther. The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz 1930-1945. New York:
Oxford University Press, 1989. Print. 3-5.
The Great Depression was a time of
despair and sorrow for the American people starting in 1929 when the Stock
Market crashed. Every person suffered the effects of the depression even the
wealthy who lost everything in the crash.
There was so much economic turmoil and financial struggle that one of
the few ways to escape it all was through the music of the era, Big Band
Swing. One exception was the song
“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” written by lyricist Yip Harburg and composer
Jay Gorney in 1931 where it became one of the best known American songs of the
Great Depression. “The arts in the 1930’s at once deflected people from their
problems and gave them vicarious experiences, an alternate, world, that could
help them bare up.”(Dickstein) People
listened to songs like “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” “not so much to
document the Depression but to experience it, to understand the feelings and
touch the human tragedy, full of shock, hope, pain, and plaintive longing.”(Dickstein)
One of the ways this song’s
popularity spread through the nation was its presentation in a musical
production known as the New Americana. Big Band Swing was present everywhere
from out in the streets, in bars and restaurants, to Broadway shows. “Brother,
Can You Spare a Dime was sang by various artists, however, it became best known
through recordings by Bing Crosby. “The statistics on Bing Crosby’s career are
dazzling and extremely revealing regarding his success and influence on the
many millions whose lives he affected” (Prigozy). His style of singing was
something different that caught the attention of the public eye and the way he
sang this song that talks about how the men who built the nation, railroads,
towers, and served their country in the war are left behind, abandoned, waiting
in bread lines asking for a spare dime truly captures and portrays the dark
spirit of the great depression.
Dickstein,
Morris. "Preface."Dancing
in the Dark: A Cultural History of the Great Depression. New York: W.W.
Norton, 2009. xix. Print.
Prigozy,
Ruth. Going My Way: Bing Crosby and American Culture. New York: University of
Rochester Press, 2007. Xii. Print.
"The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" lyrics by Al Dubin and music by Harry Warren
“Perhaps the best way to describe
the swing phenomenon is to say that it involves a contagious rhythmic feeling,
a desire to snap the fingers, tap the toes, and get up and dance” (Young xiv). “We’re in the Money”, also known as “The Gold Diggers’ Song”, is featured in the opening of the filmGold Diggers of 1933. From the moment you hear the band and see the
close-up of Ginger Roger’s smiling face there is no arguing that “We’re in the Money” doesn’t fulfill its
duty as a cheery song of a no-so-cheery era. Known for it’s
ironic take on the times, “We’re in the
Money” epitomizes how music and movie were used as the medicine of the
Great Depression.
As the Great Depression in almost
every aspect shocked the United States. The creative minds of the music and
film industry took it upon themselves to lighten the mood of the heavy times.
“Swing provided Hollywood with its music and offered entertainment, elegance,
and escape for a people down on their luck” (Jazz). The suffering people looked
to the media for help and guidance out of the dark times. “Warner Brothers
released Gold Diggers of 1933,
reinforcing the point about the value of hard work” (Young 93). The music of
the movies kept the people’s toes tapping and feet moving, and kept their mind
from worrying about their troubles.
The Great
Depression put the United States through one of its greatest struggles; hunger,
fear, and sadness swept the nation. “Swing could also be explained less as a
response to improving economic conditions than as a form of healthy
compensation and escape from a disturbing world” (Stowe 25). It did just that,
a momentary oasis in times of constant struggle, swing lifted hopes and heads.
Dubin and Warren certainly made their mark with “We’re in the Money”, as renditions aplenty followed its original
release. No matter where it is played, in a movie, as a cartoon theme song, or
by many an artist, “We’re in the Money” retains
its toe tapping, finger-snapping, get up and dance heart.
“Swing did more than symbolize this movement; it
participated in it direct, material ways. Swing was the preeminent musical
expression of the New Deal: a cultural form of “the people,” accessible,
inclusive, distinctively democratic, and thus distinctively American. (Stowe
13)
Gold Diggers of 1933 - "We're in the Money"
Renditions and other uses:
Merrie Melodies Openings and Closings (1931 - 1969) - "We're in the Money Music"
Ted Lewis - The Gold Diggers' Song We're in the Money (1933)
Works Cited:
"The Great Depression History in the Key of Jazz." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/jazz/time/time_depression.htm>.
Rubin, Martin. Showstoppers: Busby Berkeley and the Tradition of Spectacle. New York: Columbia UP, 1993. Print.
Stowe, David W. Swing Changes: Big-band Jazz in New Deal America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1994. Print.
Young, William H., and Nancy K. Young. Music of the Great Depression. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2005. Print.
With the ever-present economic struggles
of the Great Depression dominating the time period of the 1930’s “one would
expect that big bands would have become less viable economically, but
ironically the opposite occurred.” (Bogdanov) In these big bands that
flourished during the swing era, woodwinds played a prominent role in the
distinct style of the times. The instruments are characterized by the vibration
of a reed, a thin strip of wood, when a musician blows through the mouthpiece
and the different combinations of pressing down keys on the instrument to
create pitch. The saxophones and clarinets were utilized in supporting roles or
solo parts of many of the songs which provided the band with a warm, reedy
sound to compliment that of the other instruments. Where the woodwind
instruments are said to lack in volume they make up for in technical prowess.
Generally, a lead alto, second
alto, first tenor, second tenor, and a bari sax would make up the woodwind
section of a band but the number can vary from three to six. Often the
musicians would double on other instruments such as clarinet, flute or soprano
sax when it was called for in a particular arrangement. In the style of Big
Bands, “multiple soloists might be expected to take over and improvise their
own part; however, it was not unusual to have two or three band members
improvising at any one time” (Sheldon) as demonstrated in different
performances of “In the Mood.” Tenor sax and clarinet are most associated with
impressive, improvised solos. As musicians in a tough economy, it is likely
that many sax and clarinet players encountered some monetary struggles when it
came to maintaining their instrument and acquiring reeds for gigs. “Interestingly,
for many groups, high wages was not the primary concern so long as they felt
that the music was good and the band leader was being fair in how much he paid
his musicians.” The popularity of swing music was assisted by radio and raised
the spirits of both musicians and audiences alike. This was a time “when
influential clarinetists were household names.” (Bogdanov) One such clarinetist
was Benny Goodman, also known as the King of Swing. His skills are showcased in
recordings of the hit song “Sing, Sing, Sing.” He is often proclaimed to be one
of the most popular clarinetists to have ever lived. Between the clarinet and
many saxophones, the importance of woodwinds in big bands cannot be disputed.
“Much of the appeal of big bands
had to do with the instrumentation that filled the entire sonic spectrum, from
the string bass anchoring the low end to the clarinets, trumpets, and piano
defining the highest limits of the music’s range” (Hasse) Although the swing
era has come and gone, the impact of the musicians remains today as a reminder
of the role big band music played in the time of the Great Depression.
Work cited:
Hasse, John Edward. Jazz:
The First Century. New York: William Morrow, 2000
Bogdanov, Vladimir. All
Music Guide to Jazz. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2002
Sheldon, Harvey. Encyclopedia
of the History of the Swing Era. [S.I. : s.n.] 2009
The Birth, Life, Death and
Revival of Swing Samir Hussain. 1998 Any Swing Goes. 18 Nov 2012 < http://www.anyswinggoes.com/>
Although it is
true that the Great Depression was one of the worst economic tragedies that
brought desolation and desperation to the United States, it is also true that
this economic impact allowed the jazz and swing era to flourish. It was through
this jazz and swing era that people would feel temporarily happy in the middle
of such a devastating financial crisis. Hence, the popularity of Big band music
and Swing music allowed many artists, such as “Duke” Ellington, to develop and
provide jazz and swing music.
Edward
Kennedy Ellington, one of the “greatest, and in the long run the most
important, creative figure in… the history of jazz” (Schuller,36) was born on
April 29,1899. Edward Ellington, better known as “Duke” Ellington, began his
career in New York in the Cotton Club, a club that served whites only and was
controlled by bootleggers. Later, on January 23,1943 Ellington had the
opportunity to perform his first concert at Carnegie Hall. There, his longest and most extended piece of
music was presented: “Black, Brown and
Beige: A Tone Parallel to the History of the American Negro” That depicted
the black history of the African American contribution during the World War II.
Another famous piece of music by Ellington is called “Black and Tan Fantasy” anddepicts the twelve bar blues and
carries a touch of tragedy, and sorrow. Duke and his musicians created a unique
sound with the plunger that had never been used before and through this they
generated dubbed jungle sounds that soon became Duke’s trademark. Duke was a
complete jazz musician who composed, arranged, played the piano and was a
leader in the orchestra. He was inspired by trumpet soloist Bubber Miley whom
he would refer to as “ beyond category”, and Duke himself can easily be
described as a musician “beyond category”.
However, his
music was not the only thing that gained him popularity but it was also his
elegance and handsome looks that allowed him to be well known. In fact, his
nickname “Duke” derives from his elegant etiquette and his handsome looks. Ellington
was a great musician who was well liked by everyone and had a unique music
style that other bands could never imitate. Duke had his own style of
composition, his own voicing of instrumentation and unique tonal qualities. Unfortunately
Duke Ellington died at the age of 75 due to cancer. However his numerous music
creations of during the jazz and swing era allowed him to leave a legacy “of an
incomparable musical career as a pianist, lyricist, arranger, conductor,
composer… poet, and civil right supporter…” ( Current, 171).
Works Cited:
Duke Ellington Author(s):
Gloster B. Current. Reviewed work(s): Source: The Black Perspective in Music,
Vol. 2, No. 2 (Autumn, 1974), pp. 172-178 Published by: Foundation for Research in the Afro-American Creative Arts Stable
URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1214233.
Accessed: 18/11/2012 15:06
Duke Ellington and
"Black, Brown and Beige": The Composer as Historian at Carnegie Hall
Author(s): Harvey G. Cohen. Reviewed work(s): Source: American Quarterly, Vol.
56, No. 4 (Dec., 2004), pp. 1003-1034 Published by: The
Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40068293.
Accessed: 18/11/2012 15:47
Jazz and Composition: The
Many Sides of Duke Ellington, the Music's Greatest Composer Author(s): Gunther Schuller. Reviewed
work(s): Source: Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Vol.
46, No. 1 (Oct., 1992), pp. 36-51 Published by: American
Academy of Arts & Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3824163.
Accessed: 18/11/2012 15:44
During the 1930’s, moral in the United
States was at an all-time low. The Great Depression was heavy on the minds of
all American’s as they watched the stock markets fall, and it seemed that the
devastation would never end. When it seemed that there was no escape, a new
kind of music emerged; one that was up-beat and made the people dance,
providing them with much-needed fun and relief. Big bands and swing music quickly
became popular among all groups of people. This music was characterized by its
soulful woodwind section and colorful brass. Though typically outnumbered by
the woodwinds and rhythm sections, it often seems to be the brass that
dominates the sound. These instruments are “also called labrosones, literally
meaning lip-vibrated instruments,” because a sound is created when the player
used a buzzing sort of vibration against the mouthpiece (Baines). The main
instruments involved in this section include the trumpet and the trombone, both
very loud and unique in their own ways.
When
listening to the brass part of a big band or swing ensemble, the trumpet tends
to be the most noticeable member due to its higher pitch and projecting sound. This
instrument is one of the oldest in history, dating back to at least 1500B.C
(Tarr). The trumpet is the member of the brass family that is capable of
reaching the highest register. It is constructed with brass tubing that is bent
into a rounded, oblong shape. The typical trumpet has three valves that help
the player reach various pitches depending on how far down they are pressed,
and in relation to the air speed, the players embouchure, and other valves
being pressed. There are typically four trumpet players involved in big bands
and swing styles , each playing four different parts, with a lead trumpet playing
the highest range and the others accompanying him below. This section is known
for having many solos, and a screaming sound that can be heard over the loudest
of bands.
The second
part of the brass section is the trombone. Though the bell of this instrument
it similar to that of the trumpet and the two are made of the same metal, the
two are quite different. The trombone’s origins date back to the 15th
century, and like the trumpet, sound is produced by using a buzzing style of
vibration. However, that is one of the only similarities as far as technique goes.
Instead of having the small, compact structure of the trumpet, the trombone is
a long, cylindrical tube that is bent into a sort of “U” shape. It doesn’t have
the valves that its companion employs, tut instead uses a tuning slide to
achieve different pitches. The slide is pulled out at various lengths as the
player blows in to the instrument, with each position providing them with a different
note. Like the trumpet section, there
are typically four trombone players in big bands and swing ensembles, though some
band also employ a bass trombone – a bigger version of a trombone that has a
deeper sound. Also like the trumpets, there is a lead player that usually plays
the higher registers and is accompanied by his fellows, and when there is a bass trombone, this instrument
plays more of a bass line with the rhythm section than the melody. This section
is known for having many solos in relation to the trumpets, and for its deep,
soulful sound.
Without
the brass section, big band and swing ensembles would not be remotely the same.
This particular section provides a lively and upbeat, yet soulful sound that is
unmatched by any other instrument. Though unique in many ways, these instruments
are very different and unique, and it is because of this that they were
important to this era.
Fred Astaire once said, “I don’t know where dance came from, I don’t know where its going, and I don’t care" (Ries 379). This attitude about his passion highlights Astaire's sheer natural ability to dance and choreograph. Although much more famous for his dancing than his singing, Fred Astaire was an influential figure in the Big Band and Swing movement of music. Astaire, a man of many talents, was incredibly well known for his contributions in the integration of 
