Idrianna Bowleg

1930s AND 1940S JAZZ

The Swing Era of the 1930s

The Bebop 1940s

Jazz took a hit with the economic depression in the early 1930s. Only jazz musicians with a wide range of popularity remained employed while others fell to obscurity due to the lack of finances, and thus opportunities during the time. Eventually, due to the invention of the jukebox and more homes in the United States possessing a radio, consumers began to buy jazz records again.

The jazz market was stimulated by the swing era. Jazz musicians began to focus on jazz arrangements, building on jazz rather than incorporating other genres in their music like pop. Swing has an easy flowing style, improvisations still intact however they were controlled. Big bands, with many instruments found a way to flow together, fascinating the youth of the country and subsequently the world. 

With the onset of the second World War and the recording ban initiated by the country’s instrumentalists, the swing era was diminished. Musicians could not travel or perform because of restrictions and  taxes which led to a decline in live entertainment. Since big bands could not perform without making waves, as they were popular and also on strike, smaller group performances started up at small nightclubs in the United States’ influential cities like New York and Los Angeles. 

Bebop emerged when musicians circled back to the origins of jazz, more improvisations and less arrangements. This new style of jazz featured faster tempos, complex melodies, extended solos, and an emphasis on rhythm and harmony. 

 

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