Setting the scene – The 1920s
The 1920s are seen by many as the seminal decade in the jazz story. It certainly was a crucial decade in its development. Prohibition inadvertently led to the rise of jazz in the 1920s. As speakeasies sprung up, jazz found its perfect underground environment. Some would still say that a speakeasy will always be the natural home for jazz.
Jazz spread from New Orleans to other major American cities too. Firstly, thanks to the likes of King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong, Chicago briefly became the unofficial capital of jazz. You can read about these jazz legends here: Jazz Legends of the 1920s. Jazz then made its way to New York City. By the end of the decade, big band jazz with virtuoso soloists such as Duke Ellington dominated the scene. The genre then set the stage for the next chapter of the jazz story.
The Story of Jazz – The 1930s
Just as prohibition had helped to boost the popularity of jazz in the 1920s, the 1930s jazz scene responded to key events in US history. First, the Great Depression struck in 1929. Then, in 1933, the government repealed the prohibition laws. Both events proved to be key players in the story of jazz in the 1930s.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression had a devastating effect on America. In 1930, 25% of the workforce were unemployed. But in times of adversity, people are more determined than ever to have a good time. Jazz showed its resilience through this period and thrived. Dance halls packed with revellers dancing the jitterbug to the big band sound that had evolved – soon to be known as swing.
The End of Prohibition
The repeal of the prohibition laws had a massive impact on jazz. Speakeasies became legitimised and suddenly jazz catapulted from the underground into the mainstream and onto the radio. Led by legendary names such as Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, the tenor saxophone became the jazz instrument of choice. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington dominated the big band scene throughout the decade.
The Story of Jazz – The 1940s
The 1940s brought bebop. This was a radical departure from the big band swing sound. Where swing was dance music for large bands, bebop was complex music for smaller ensembles. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk drove this revolution forward. Jazz became an art form. Musicians began to improvise in increasingly complex ways. The genre had stepped firmly into a new era.
Bebop divided opinion. Many jazz purists rejected it. Others embraced it as a natural evolution of the genre. Either way, the 1940s represent one of the most significant decades in the entire jazz story. The music that emerged during this period continues to influence jazz musicians around the world today.