Chicago Jazz: A Cultural History, 1904-1930 (Paperback)

by William Howland Kenney (Author) "DURING THE 1920s, Chicago provided a major focal point of innovative jazz performance in America, drawing to itself musicians from throughout the Midwest and the..." (more)
Key Phrases: commercialized dance halls, social dance music, cabaret musicians, New Orleans, New York, Louis Armstrong (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this concise and informative academic study, historian Kenney traces the social and economic emergence of jazz in Chicago from its inception through the Depression, with particular emphasis on the 1920s, when Chicago became a major jazz center. The author, who teaches American studies at Kent State University, recounts African American migration into the city, and shows how nightclubs and cabarets helped to cultivate the evolving musical form. Out of South-side Chicago came such legendary black musicians as King Oliver, Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines. But Kenney maintains that white Chicago jazz musicians, such as Jimmy McPartland, Art Hodes and Frank Teschemacher, deserve more credit than is normally given. All Chicago jazz, he concludes, responded not only to tensions between the races, but also to the rise in prominence of the city. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Social historian Kenney provides an entertaining and well-documented account of Chicago jazz in the Roaring Twenties. Although many books have addressed the subject, this is evidently the first to emphasize the music's social context. Kenney describes dance halls and cabarets, explaining the popularity of interracial dancing. He cites the autobiographies of musicians to account for why white musicians found black jazz so attractive. Analyzing recordings by King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, and Jelly Roll Morton, Kenney describes the structure of their musical arrangements. Kenney's talent for vivid description makes the era come alive. This study will benefit specialists and is recommended for academic libraries serving students of jazz and popular culture.
- Paul Baker, CUNA Inc., Madison, Wis.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (January 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195092600
• ISBN-13: 978-0195092608
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #181,642 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #86 in

  Books > History > United States > State & Local > Illinois