David W. Fenton wrote:
On 31 Jan 2010 at 15:19, dhbailey wrote:
David W. Fenton wrote:
On 31 Jan 2010 at 13:54, John Howell wrote:
P.S. Don't give away our age, Dean, by saying "stage band"! That
was a term adopted by publishers after WW2 when a lot of high schools
were starting jazz bands, but "jazz" had a bad reputation 'cause it
was associated with sex, booze, drugs, Cigareets & Whuskey & Wild,
Wild Women!
I didn't know that! It was certainly the term in use when I was in
high school in the late 70s, and still used by a band director friend
of mine in the 80s. But I've been completely out of touch with that
world for about 20 years now.
Nowadays schools have no problems having "Jazz Band" offered
as a course, but in the period John is talking about they
were called "stage bands" or "dance bands."
What period is he talking about? My experience is that "stage band"
was current up to c. 1990, though certainly "jazz band" was in use
even when I was in high school (late 70s). Maybe it was the age of my
high school band directors that mattered!
John was mainly talking about the post-WWII era, when
schools didn't feel that having a jazz band was appropriate
due to the negative connotations.
It certainly continued well past the 70s but through the 80s
and into the 90s more and more schools didn't mind calling
the ensembles jazz bands. Nowadays many people haven't a
clue what sort of group is meant when one says "stage band."
--
David H. Bailey
[email protected]
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