Just finished your book Swing It! I loved it more than any other book on music I have ever read and I have a music degree from NYU Steinhardt School 83! I did my research paper on W.C. Handy. Not too long ago I did the Louis Jordon tag ending on a duet for Baby, It's Cold Outside at an office Christmas party. The gal (a Voice TV contestant) sat down while I did the tag. The audience cheered and sang along on the last colds "Where would you be goin? When the wind is blowin' and it's cold outside? Cause baby it's cold, cold outside!" I got what jive is that day. It's all about the audience and making the scene. The book ties all of it together seemlessly. It's not the mode today: genre; divisiveness. But it's always the hipster outsider devil may care, wash that man right out of my hair attitude that moves the crowd to feel something. I hear all that jazz in your words without listening to any particular piece or even knowing it. That's all for after. Like Harry the Hipster, we all had Ovaltine and didn't think to check out his other stuff, but now I want to check out all of it. Bing a hipster scat cat? Alcohol fueled?
Your book is not only a riveting historical novel bringing the past to life in a coherent and compelling way but written in a way that makes sense chronologically and stylistically. We were assigned one or two of the many books you carefully cite but it never got through to me before now. Wow!
W.C. sitting on a bench waiting for a train overhearing what became the first published blues song. Bessie doing St. Louis Blues? Is it simply the precursor to Night in Tunisia? Dizz? Lived down the block in NJ growing up. Saw him at Montreux 82 but I can finally SEE him now. Serious Jazz is not separate from Jive, if anything the title tells the tale. Swing is the genre not the subset. A revelation my man.
SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS! My homies!
What is jive? It's so many things but it's about making things up as you go and conveying a feeling that is as unique as the individual practitioner.
Bill, when Musician did 'the record that changed my life' compilation (1994) Sonny Rollins' first choice was Fats Waller: 'I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter." He told me, "when I heard that, I knew I was spiritually home. I was a youngster, it was the early 1930's. It was his rendition....that as Prez used to say, 'tricked me'." (Also, Angel Cordero was my favorite jockey! I was really into horse racing when I was younger.) Great post!
Just finished your book Swing It! I loved it more than any other book on music I have ever read and I have a music degree from NYU Steinhardt School 83! I did my research paper on W.C. Handy. Not too long ago I did the Louis Jordon tag ending on a duet for Baby, It's Cold Outside at an office Christmas party. The gal (a Voice TV contestant) sat down while I did the tag. The audience cheered and sang along on the last colds "Where would you be goin? When the wind is blowin' and it's cold outside? Cause baby it's cold, cold outside!" I got what jive is that day. It's all about the audience and making the scene. The book ties all of it together seemlessly. It's not the mode today: genre; divisiveness. But it's always the hipster outsider devil may care, wash that man right out of my hair attitude that moves the crowd to feel something. I hear all that jazz in your words without listening to any particular piece or even knowing it. That's all for after. Like Harry the Hipster, we all had Ovaltine and didn't think to check out his other stuff, but now I want to check out all of it. Bing a hipster scat cat? Alcohol fueled?
Your book is not only a riveting historical novel bringing the past to life in a coherent and compelling way but written in a way that makes sense chronologically and stylistically. We were assigned one or two of the many books you carefully cite but it never got through to me before now. Wow!
W.C. sitting on a bench waiting for a train overhearing what became the first published blues song. Bessie doing St. Louis Blues? Is it simply the precursor to Night in Tunisia? Dizz? Lived down the block in NJ growing up. Saw him at Montreux 82 but I can finally SEE him now. Serious Jazz is not separate from Jive, if anything the title tells the tale. Swing is the genre not the subset. A revelation my man.
SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS! My homies!
What is jive? It's so many things but it's about making things up as you go and conveying a feeling that is as unique as the individual practitioner.
New things out of nothing.
JAZZ! ROCK! BLUES!
A primer on pop!
Sing Sing Sing!
Steppin' out,
Steve
Great post. Thanks. Here’s another Louis Jordan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsvq1BgJsOI&list=RDqsvq1BgJsOI&start_radio=1
What a joyous, “ebullient” article, sharing your incredible discovery of a music we rarely hear today. Bravo!
Thanks Bill, this was insightful, informative and entertaining 👏🏾! Thanks for the video footage, it was a blast! This Jive was all that!!!
Bill, when Musician did 'the record that changed my life' compilation (1994) Sonny Rollins' first choice was Fats Waller: 'I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter." He told me, "when I heard that, I knew I was spiritually home. I was a youngster, it was the early 1930's. It was his rendition....that as Prez used to say, 'tricked me'." (Also, Angel Cordero was my favorite jockey! I was really into horse racing when I was younger.) Great post!