Robert Crumb was interviewed for a BBC Radio 3 program where he played some records from his collection and talked about them.
One song was particularly fascinating: a primitive attempt at the new fangled sound called 'jazz' by a French country musette band from the early 20th C.
Crumb explained that when early American jazz bands went to Paris in the 1910s, the new sounds caused a sensation when they performed in the up-market venues. So the country bands were aware of the new style of jazz but most people had never actually heard any and had to play what they imagined jazz to be, mostly based off verbal descriptions. I remember this record as a crazy sound, but brilliantly entertaining.
Unfortunately I can't point you to the song or the interview, but if anyone else can please reply :-0
> So the country bands were aware of the new style of jazz but most people had never actually heard any and had to play what they imagined jazz to be, mostly based off verbal descriptions.
This I find fascinating. Misunderstandings (i.e. partial or third hand accounts) of ‘exotic’ art forms have played a vital part in the development of western art: Picasso ‘misunderstood’ African art to produce Cubism. William Blake ‘misunderstood’ Michelangelo to produce his etchings. Van Gogh ‘misunderstood’ Japanese prints to produce his paintings.
One song was particularly fascinating: a primitive attempt at the new fangled sound called 'jazz' by a French country musette band from the early 20th C.
Crumb explained that when early American jazz bands went to Paris in the 1910s, the new sounds caused a sensation when they performed in the up-market venues. So the country bands were aware of the new style of jazz but most people had never actually heard any and had to play what they imagined jazz to be, mostly based off verbal descriptions. I remember this record as a crazy sound, but brilliantly entertaining.
Unfortunately I can't point you to the song or the interview, but if anyone else can please reply :-0