During the Weimar Republic, jazz conquered Germany and in the process became a symbol of the Roaring Twenties. Yet bitter protest was already stirring from nationalist conservatives and right-wing circles. After Hitler took power in 1933, the conflict over jazz intensified. So-called fremdländisch (alien) music had to be eradicated. After some early prohibitions in this regard and the creation of the Reichsmusikkammer, which would mean exclusion for Jewish musicians and impede artistic exchange with foreign musicians, there followed a liberal phase owing to the 1936 Olympic games being held in Berlin. With the success of the new jazz-style swing and the strengthening of the so-called Swingjugend (Swing Youth), however, further repression came in 1937 and 1938. District Nazi party leaders, police directors and local businesspeople began to issue numerous decrees prohibiting swing, jazz, and swing dancing for their respective region, city or local establishment. Despite these restrictions, jazz’s presence continued, because of the ease with which ignorant inspectors were outsmarted, and the sympathies for the agreeable swing style harboured even by some Nazi functionaries. (holocaustmusic.ort.org)
One of the few German jazz orchestras during the Third Reich:
Charlie & His Orchestra:
After the end of the Second World War and the end of the Nazi dictatorship, young people in Germany were particularly keen on this “American jazz” of the 30s and 40s and the record companies released a lot of original recordings from that time.
This album contains recordings by Mezz Mezzrow and Tommy Ladnier from the 30s.
And today these recordings are real rarities and gems from that time.
We should listen to them again!
Personnel:
Sidney Bechet (saxophone, clarinet on 01., 02., 08. + 09.)
Teddy Bunn (guitar, vocals)
Pops Foster (bass on 03., 04., 05., 06. + 12.)
Cliff Jackson (piano)
Elmer James (bass on 01., 02, 05., 08, – 10.)
James P. Johnson (piano on 05. + 08.)
Manzie Johnson (drums)
Tommy Ladnier (trumpet)
Mezz Mezzrow (clarinet, saxophone)
Sidney de Paris ( trumpet on 05. + 08.)
Zutty Singleton (drums on 05. + 08.)
A french edition of this album:
Tracklist:
01. Really the Blues (Mezzrow) 3.32
02. Weary Blues (Matthews) 2.56
03. Ain’t Gonna Give Nobody None Of My Jelly-Roll (C.Williams/S.Williams) 2.53
04. Gettin’ Together (Mezzrow) 2.40
05. Comin’ On With The Come On (Mezzrow) 3.32
06. Unknown titel 2.55
07. Royal Garden Blues (C.Williams/S.Williams) 2.55
08. If You See Me Comin’ (Mezzrow/Bunn) 2.58
09. Revolutionary Blues (O’Brien/Mezzrow) 2.40
10. Jada (Carleton) 2.48
11. When You And I Were Young, Maggy (Butterfield/Johnson) 2.37
12. Everybody Loves My Baby (Palmer/Williams) 2.22
ManyFantasticColors 