Key Terms of the Harlem Renaissance and Jazz Eras

Harlem Renaissance

A period in the 1920s-1930s where Black culture and intellectual life flourished in Harlem, New York. It created a space for Black voices in art, music, and literature.

Rent Parties

Social gatherings meant to raise money for rent, often with live music and an entry fee.

Harlem Stride

A piano style evolved from ragtime that incorporated elements of jazz, particularly a strong left-hand bass line and a syncopated rhythm.

Piano (HR)

Central to the new types of music emerging in Harlem, especially ragtime and Harlem stride.

Harlem Renaissance Ideals/Impacts

The Harlem Renaissance created a community where African Americans were not considered a minority. It also provided a platform for creative expression and intellectual life.

Two Types of Harlem

(1) Idealized Harlem: Intellectual, wealthy, flourishing art and culture. (2) Real Harlem: Struggling, impoverished community, often with rent parties and hardship.

Middle-Class Opinions of Harlem Renaissance

The middle class, especially African Americans, disapproved of the migrants from the South, particularly their syncopated music.

James P. Johnson

A pioneering stride pianist of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his "macho" culture and fast-paced playing style.

Willie 'The Lion' Smith

Another stride pianist of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his brash and competitive playing style.

Thomas 'Fats' Waller

A prominent entertainer, composer, and comedian during the Harlem Renaissance. Known for his contributions to jazz and piano performance.

Slumming

The act of white people visiting Harlem to consume Black entertainment, creating a temporary closeness while maintaining segregation.

James Reese Europe

An African American bandleader who incorporated dance rhythms into his music and helped popularize jazz in Europe during WWI.

Savoy Ballroom

A famous dance hall in Harlem that became a center for swing dancing. Both Black and white patrons danced there, breaking racial boundaries.

War Bond

Debt securities issued by the government to finance military operations and other expenditures during wartime.

Swing Kids

A group of young jazz fans during WWII who secretly gathered to play jazz records and tune into Allied radio broadcasts.

Talent Agent

An individual who finds employment for musicians, actors, and other professionals in entertainment or sports.

Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters

The first labor organization led by African Americans to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor.

AFM Recording Ban

A strike by the American Federation of Musicians against major record companies from 1942-1944 due to disputes over royalty payments.

Record Sales during the Great Depression

Record sales dropped drastically from 100 million in 1927 to 10 million by 1932.

Radio/Technology

The rise of radio broadcast in the 1920s and 1930s helped make musicians celebrities and allowed jazz to reach a wider audience.

Jazz during WWII

Jazz became symbolic of American freedom, reminding soldiers of home. Jazz also helped raise war bonds through radio programs.

Hipster Aesthetic

The style and attitude adopted by young people influenced by jazz musicians, characterized by fashion, specific language, relaxed attitude, and self-imposed poverty.

52nd Street

Known as "the street," this place in NYC became a major jazz hub during the Swing Era.

Benny Goodman

The "King of Swing," he helped popularize swing music and integrate bands during WWII.

Minton's Playhouse

A club in Harlem known for its jam sessions that helped develop bebop. It was a place where musicians could play and experiment.

Duke Ellington

A major figure in jazz, he composed 'Jump for Joy,' hosted a radio program to promote war bonds, and performed a famous 44-minute work at Carnegie Hall.

Glenn Miller

A famous bandleader who formed an all-star air force unit during WWII and produced hits like 'Chattanooga Choo Choo.'

Swing Shift

Temporary shifts added to factories and industries during wartime, often filled by women taking over men's jobs.

B-Girls

Female musicians in jazz clubs who encouraged customers to buy drinks by engaging with them.

Girl Band Travel during WWII

Travel was difficult and hazardous for all-girl bands during WWII. Bands often faced poor food, housing, and were restricted to traveling no more than 300 miles a night (which was often ignored).

Jazz Education

Women had more access to band programs in high schools than shop classes. Many women musicians started their professional careers in high school bands.

Rosie the Riveter

A symbol of women workers during WWII, embodying the image of an attractive, competent, patriotic, and temporary worker.

All-Girl Bands

These bands existed before WWII but became more visible during the war. They faced heavy sexism but still made significant contributions to jazz.

International Sweethearts of Rhythm

One of the most famous all-girl bands, featuring prominent musicians like Vi Burnside and Ernestine 'Tiny' Davis.

Viola Smith

A pioneering female drummer who played professionally for 45 years and believed that women musicians were not just substitutes for men.

Swing Youth (Swingjugend)

A group of German teens who secretly listened to jazz and participated in swing dancing despite the Nazi regime's ban on jazz.

Jazz in Nazi Germany

Jazz was considered 'degenerate' by the Nazis and was banned in Germany. However, many young Germans defied the regime by listening to jazz.

Bebop

A style of jazz that emerged in the 1940s as a reaction to the commercialized swing era. It was more complex, virtuosic, and introspective, aimed at musicians rather than dancers.

Important Bebop Figures

Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk are key figures in the development of what?

Jam Sessions

Informal gatherings of musicians to play and experiment with new music. These sessions were essential in the development of bebop.