In the mid-1930s, jazz
had become the popular American music as swing. It would become the defining
music for an entire generation of Americans. (Burns).
Fletcher Henderson –
Hotter Than ‘Ell
But in August of 1942,
soon after America went to war, the American Federation of Musicians went on
strike against major American recordings companies, ordering union members not
to record for record companies, over a royalties dispute. Some of the record
companies, i.e. Decca and Capitol, settled after just one year. Other
companies, i.e. Victor and Columbia, held out for longer. Ultimately, the
strike lasted for two years.
During that time, record
companies began to record a cappella records. As singers were not part of the
musician’s union and they did not have to comply with the recording ban. The
records were usually vocal quartets or solo singers backed by vocalists
replacing the backup role that would have been filled by orchestras Young
people fell in love with the music and the singers. (Burns).
Dick Haymes & The
Song Spinners – You’ll Never Know
As a result of the
recording ban, big bands began to decline in popularity as vocalists began to
rise. Historian Peter Soderbergh notes, "Until the war most singers were
props. After the war they became the stars and the role of the bands was gradually
subordinated" (139).
Another argument for
jazz’s decline in popularity was that its trend toward art music and away from
dance music made it lose social significance. “The moment jazz decided it was
an art form that required listeners rather than dancers, its mass appeal was in
jeopardy,” Myers writes. As jazz became more technical, it required musicians
with a strong knowledge of music theory, composition, and arranging. Musicians
who were unable to make it in the jazz scene went on to play blues, r&b, and
jump boogie, which had more stage and sex appeal than jazz and thus were more
popular.
Works Cited
Jazz. Dir. Ken Burns. PBS, 2001. DVD.
Myers,
Marc. “Who Killed Jazz and When?” JazzWax. N.p., 30 May, 2008. Web. 15 Nov.
2012. <http://www.jazzwax.com/2008/05/what-killed-jaz.html>.
Soderbergh, Peter A. Olde Records Price Guide 1900–1947. Des Moines:
Wallace–Homestead Book Company, 1980. Print. pp.136–137.
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