Through the mid-1940’s, many jazz musicians were drafted to fight in World War II. Big dance bands had troubles finding musicians. In the United States, there were war restrictions on the use of plastics, which meant that fewer records were produced in order to conserve plastic. In addition, gasoline was […]

The 1930’s saw the formation of the Great Depression, which marked the worst financial crisis in United States history. Many struggled to find jobs to pay enough just to feed their families. During these tough years, few had money to spend on record albums and dance clubs, but radio continued […]

As African Americans migrated away from the Deep South to northern cities like Chicago and New York in search of better opportunities, they took jazz and the blues with them. During this time period, many young Americans were disheartened by the chaos and loss of life predicated by World War […]

At the turn of the 20th century, the city of New Orleans was a melting pot of many different cultures. The city was a French territory during the 1700’s with a short period of Spanish domination. Both French and Spanish settlers shaped New Orleans’ culture. In the 1800’s settlers from […]

During the later part of the 1800’s, all manner of Europeans immigrated to America’s cities seeking their fortunes in this “land of opportunity. “French quadrilles, Spanish flamenco, Irish jigs, German waltzes and so many other varied musical traditions arrived in our cities and ports. These European groups have a vast […]

Jazz is a musical style whose origins are often cited as beginning during the early days of the 20th century in the rural south of the United States. But to get the true picture, one must travel much further in distance and in time – to West Africa in the […]