JazzandDance1. Why philosophy of jazz must include dancing
Discussion
Introduction
Dance was intimately involved with early (1900-1920) and middle period (1920-1945) jazz music. When jazz was at its most popular in the United States, one of the major reasons for this popularity is because the music could be danced to by a large portion of the American population, especially during the Big Band era of the late 1930's to 1946. American dancers would dance to the music of the surprisingly many jazz orchestra's of Art Hickman, Tiny Hill's "Fat Man's band," Carroll Dickerson, Claude Hopkins, Paul Whiteman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Charlie Barnet, Cab Calloway, Casa Loma, the Dorsey brothers (Jimmy) (Tommy), Billy Eckstine, Erskine Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson, Jean Goldkette, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Stan Kenton, Andy Kirk, Gene Krupa, International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Harry James Big Band, Lucky Millinder, Tiny Bradshaw, and Louis Prima.
➢ Why was jazz so popular as American's favorite form of music in the 1930's-1945?
A very big reason was its danceability. Dance was a complex form of entertainment that was non-passive, as opposed to merely listening passively to the music, and it not only incorporates the human body, athleticism and exercise of dancing, but also all of the social interactions between the genders, and, of course, the sexual aspects need also be referenced. One gets to touch their partner when dancing.
When did jazz's popularity in the United States begin to wane? After the development of Bebop in the early 1940's, more modern jazz was harder to dance to because of the music's sometimes increased pace and speed and probably also harder because of the less familiar rhythmic changes that the more modern jazz forms can use. Additionally, the bop musicians were no longer concerned with maintaining an orientation towards the music being required to be danceable since this was no longer one of their concerns or goals.
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