THE HISTORY OF SWING - PAST AND PRESENT


                       "Some folks say That Swing's Not Here To Stay
                       And That It's Dying Out
                       But I Can Prove It's In The Groove
                       And They Don't Know What They're Talking About."
                               --Marion Hutton 1939 vocal with the Glenn Miller band.

SWING: A Little History Top
Where It's Been - Where It's Going

Nowadays, the expression refers back to a certain American era, 1935-1945, and to a style of dance band arrangements and performance using rhythmic 'Riffs'; an era that is now imbued with much nostalgia.

From before World War 1 and well into the 1920's, the more common forms of music performance included both Dixieland, and Hotel Room and Concert bands. The style of all these groups was distinguished by 'ensemble' playing. During the 1930's, that which we now call 'Swing' developed out of this earlier ensemble style. Swing was a dense, rhythm driven sound almost always using a hard driving 'Riff' against which the melody could be played. The Swing style reached it's peak of popularity during the 1940's, - and remains popular to this day.

Two forms of Swing evolved simultaneously; Swing Recordings and Swing Bands on Radio. The arrangements used on the then still new media of Records consisted of tightly written 3-minute arrangements. That was the time limit allowed on the old 78 RPM records, - after 3 minutes, the stylus hit the spindle. The Swing heard on live performances at Dances and on the Radio allowed open-ended arrangements for longer improvisations by the sidemen.

Additionally, the band instrumentation also defined the Swing 'sound'. The older tenor reed-based sounds, of the 1920's dance bands and smaller 'hot jazz' ensembles, slowly changed into larger bands - often 16 pieces or more where the Brass, -trumpets and trombones, added their brighter. louder sound. The Brass was counter-balanced by a bank of reeds, -Saxes and Clarinets. The rhythm was carried by piano, expanded drum set, and guitar while a string bass replaced the older Tuba bass.

Due to their records and radio shows, the new bandleaders became heros to a loyal following of admirers. Audiences would follow the adventures of their favorite band in newspapers and magazines. Some bands took up residences in the larger hotel lounges and ballrooms; broadcasting from those locations on national network Radio. Other bands would constantly tour on a round of performances at country clubs; restaurants, concerts, and college campuses.

With the advent of 'swing', the role of the bandleader also changed. Some of the older conductors, - men such as Paul Whiteman and Paul Ash who stood in front of a band and waved a baton, were slowly replaced by bandleaders who were great instrumentalist in their own right. Men such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, would alternate between leading and soloing on each tune played. Other leaders led by playing piano full time on each song. Among these were Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

Concurrent with that, the sidemen were given more opportunities to solo during the song. That caused a 'cult' following to begin for the better sidemen in each band. Such musicians as Gene Krupa, "Cootie" Williams, and many others gained their initial fame in this manner, often going on to become bandleaders in their own right. All of the bandsmen were becoming more visible. Often the entire band would sing or 'scat' an entire chorus (such as Johnny Long's "Shanty in Old Shanty Town"). This was in keeping with the old Southern (American) tradition of "call and response".

  VIDEO: "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town"   Now let's watch the Johnny Long Orchestra with one of their biggest hit recordings, as filmed in this "Panoram Soundie".

The music varied also. The Ballads became much slower, more sentimental, while the faster music, -such tunes as "Opus One" and others- became almost frantic. The two types were often played alternately in the ballrooms and dance halls. A fast 'jump' tune would be followed by a slow ballad giving the dancers a respite from doing the 'Lindy Hop'. During WW2, the slow ballads were extremely popular. The recording industry became aware of what band leader Kay Kaiser dubbed "G.I. Nostalgia", that special longing for home and the girl he left behind.

Various piano styles were also popular during the swing period including Boodie Woogie, Stride, and Fast Western also called Barrelhouse. The tunes were usually played by the smaller ensembles, and soloists.

It is very fair to say that Swing truly dominated the Social milieu. Swing music became a corollary to every event from New York's swankiest night clubs to school proms, 'Juke Joints' and even to Young Communist League parties. Every portion of society found found some form of swing suitable for their dancing or listening. Country Club couples fox-trotted to "Moonlight Serenade"; College students did "The Big Apple" as a circle dance; and Harlem ballrooms exploded to the aerial acrobatics of 'the Savoy Swingers' and the Audobon (Ballroom) Lindy-Hoppers.

Unfortunately, racism and segregation was also present. Just a few bands, the first of which was Benny Goodman, and then followed by some of the men who became famous working with Benny, such as Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson, were mixed groups. But due to the racism found in many U.S. states, admission and seating in theaters and clubs throughout the country was often restricted, and ensembles and audiences often segregated.

Hollywood also handled 'Swing' bands in interesting ways. By interpolating Swing ensembles into country club or night club settings, the interpolated sequences could then be lifted out and presented separately as independent short subject features. Also, performances by Black groups such as Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan and CHick Webb, could easily be edited out of the feature film for distribution in the Southern states.

Swing music's popularity was very high throughout the late 1930's and the 1940's. America maintained Swing's popularity throughout the WW2 years when both large and small ensembles toured Army and Navy camps both at home and abroad under the aegis of the U.S.O. and the War Manpower Commission Program. Especially on the warfronts, the Servicemen's nostalgia for normality and home, and the effects of wartime stress, were eased by the live performances of the touring bands as well as the special radio shows broadcast to the armed forces. At home, Swing was heard at bond sale rallies and community concerts. The new sub-culture of women workers also adapted boogie-woogie and other novelty and jive styles.

Quo Vadis Swing:
Not only is Swing still popular, but a new 'Swing Explosion' is taking place on BOTH coasts, right now!

Emerging from a 50 year hiatus, "Swing" is again king, and the joints are jumpin' on the west coast's scene in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and they are hopping. in New York.

There's even a little rivalry showing. East Coast Swing is more of a purer, faster, real Savoy Ballroom type of swing, while the West Coast Swing Style is a sultrier, slower variation of the Savoy Lindy Hop. The East Coast Swingers find West Coast overly sexual, while West Coast aficionados find New York's traditional Lindy as too wild. There is some bad blood flowing between the two styles because each fears losing dancers to the other side.

In New York, The North River Bar and Live Psychic on the upper East Side are bastions of West Coast swing while such clubs as Sullivan's; Don Hill's and Coney Island High cater to the traditional Lindy Hop crowd. Many other venues as the Louisiana Community Bar and Grill (B'way nr. Houston St.). Rodeo Bar; Irving Plaza, and Le Bar Bat are really jumping. Art D'Lugoff's new Village Gate (52nd St. nr B'way), has added the Roy Gerson orchestra on it's Wednesday Swing Nights. ("Swing is back in a great big way. " -- Art D'Lugoff.) And, the crowd is not just the East Village Grunge kids. Wall Street traders, College students, and almost everyone else have been flocking to the Swing clubs. It's not a 'Lounge culture', a martini sipping scene, this is about dancing, about touching your partner.

in the early 1960's, Chubby Checker's "The Twist" killed-off partner, or "touch", dancing. Up to that time, every American teenager knew how to Lindy; a dance condemned by many Church Leaders and other conservatives as promoting racial sexual promiscuity and even (would you believe) miscegenation.

But, to the current generation, weaned on dancing to a volume so pumped up that all conversation is shut out; and with partners kept at arms's length, the social aspects of swing's upbeat, infectious rhythm and casual physical contact have proved particularly appealing. Many of today's new Swingsters bored with the old formless, free-style dancing of techno and hip-hop clubs like being able to grab on to their real live partners.

They're dancing not only to the music of Benny Goodman and Louis Jordan, but also to the jump-jiving, faster paced retro bands such as Big Bad VooDoo Daddy, the Flying Newtrinos, Squirrel Nut Zippers and the Flipped Fedoras, with their modern, updated, and somewhat faster paced take on big-band-era music.

Clothing also seems to be an item. Many of the older crowd show up in casual dress, but the younger cats look sharp in gabardine suits, shirt and tie, and the chicks in lace and crepe dresses, leaping and shimmying to tapes of wing-era classics.

Swing offers a joyous alternative to a generation that came of age during the AIDS crisis, and a time when sexuality was hidden under grunge. This is a return to elegance, to touch dancing and to wearing your sexuality on your sleeve. Swing is definitely the thing.

"Pulse!", the free music magazine available at 'Tower Records' had some articles on the swing movement. In one issue, a writer pondered the question:
"Will the swing-dance revival disappear overnight? A few reasons not to bet on it."

1. Joy of Dance: Once people learn the joys of partner-dancing, they wont want to just give up such a source of intense pleasure.

2. Social Mobility: All the institutions whereby people used to meet are defunct. Churches are too quiet, rock shows too loud. Swing dancing has become THE non-threatening, non-sexually-loaded way to meet people, satisfying the mammalian need for touch without traumatic emotional residue.

3. Art for Art's Sake: Many people who lacked a creative outlet now have one. Dancing is the artistic expression of an individual soul; it is creative in a uniquely human, ephemeral, non-commodifiable way. Computers can now pastiche together crude "poems" and synthesize random-element "paintings," but they will never be able to perform a sinuous dance filled with innuendo, grace, and sheer poetry of movement.

4. Fashion: Dressing up can also be an art form, and swing culture brings with it a welcome emphasis on manners, politeness, urbane wit and style. Extravagant "designer" clothing pales before unique vintage outfits which can be assmbled for $50 at a good thrift store.

This writer agrees with his choice for the "first" reason above. Swing dancing and Swing Music is just plain fun.

A great many Dance schools are reporting a surge in students learning the classic swing dance and it appears that Swing, - the Lindy Hop - born in Harlem 70 years ago, is here to stay. At clubs, ballrooms, and school dances, you will find the dance floor filled with twirling, jiving swing dancers showing off their best Lindy Hop steps and having a ball. Most are in their twenties and thirties. Many took their first swing dance lesson just last year! Wherever you are, get in on the fun Now!