In the 1930s, many young Americans began listening to swing music.
What was swing?
Who were the major performers?
Big band music was all the rage in the 1930s.
“Big bands” were jazz or swing bands, usually composed of about 12 to 25 musicians.
The instrumentation usually included saxophones, trumpets, trombones,
clarinets, drums, and a stand-up bass.
One of the earliest stars of the swing era was Duke Ellington.
Ellington was a composer, pianist, and bandleader who became famous in the late 1920s.
In 1926, he and his group became the house band at the famous
Cotton Club in New York City.
The Cotton Club was an exclusive place with wealthy clientele.
However, each week there was a regular radio broadcast from the Cotton Club, which gave
Ellington national exposure.
Ellington remained one of the most popular figures in music throughout the 1930s, producing
classics such as “I Got it Bad”, “Mood Indigo”, and of course, “It Don’t Mean
a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”
Another dominant figure of 1930s swing music was Benny Goodman.
In fact, Benny Goodman earned the reputation as the “King of Swing”.
Goodman was a clarinetist and the leader of his own swing band.
Goodman became incredibly popular in the latter half of the 1930s.
The seminal event for 1930s swing music occurred on January 16, 1938.
It was a concert known as Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall.
The King of Swing took the stage along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie (another famous
bandleader), Gene Krupa (a famous drummer), and many other musicians.
They performed for hours in front of a sold-out Carnegie Hall.
This concert is regarded by many as the moment when jazz and swing music gained full acceptance
by mainstream audiences.
Swing music also produced several dances.
The jitterbug was an incredibly popular dance craze throughout the 1930s.
The Lindy Hop was also very popular in the late 1920s and early ‘30s.
Swing even produced an entire form of dance, swing dance, which remains popular today.
Those who followed swing music closely even developed their own slang language.
Terms such as “hipster”, “hepcat”, and “jive” all became commonplace.
“In the groove” and “jam session” were popular as well.
Many of these terms have been added to the modern lexicon and are still used today.
Swing music is seen as significant not just because of the quality music that was produced.
It is also viewed as important for helping to break down racial barriers.
White audiences were enjoying the music of African American performers, and musicians
of various races were taking the stage to perform together.
Today, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and many other swing performers are remembered
amongst the greats of American popular music.
Their music is enjoyed to this day, and many current musicians claim them as musical influences.