Henry Ford changed the world with his introduction of the assembly line. In the 1920's he tried to change America by campaigning-- and investing a small fortune by funding radio shows and dance clubs-- into making square dancing the national dance. Why? Because he believed jazz music was encouraging people to go out and drink and have sex in the backseats of his Model-Ts. His solution was to replace jazz-- the music and dance-- with square dancing, a dance style and music that-- except for a few places in the Dust Bowl and Jim Crow South-- had pretty much died out by the 1920's. The foundation for this warped and repressed thinking is outlined in his book, "The International Jew," a perennial top read on today's Alt-Right book list. There he lays out the Alt-Right/Neo Nazi Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory that blames change on the Jews, i.e., Jews were/are trying to re-engineer a Norman Rockwell world by replacing white Christians with a black underclass who will be more than happy to oblige their Jewish overlords.
Thankfully evolution-- change-- and jazz music and dance could not be contained. If it had, we would never have heard or seen such life-affirming and world-changing music or dances.
Jitterbug! is very American. It reflects the contributions of black and Jewish creatives working together during one of America's darkest hours. If Henry Ford had had his way we wouldn't have swing music or the jitterbug. We wouldn't have heard "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (named "Song of the Century" by the Recording Industry Association of America) because Harold Arlen-- the son of a cantor and a character in the dancical-- wasn't allowed to develop his craft writing songs for the Cotton Club revues.
Unfortunately, it appears following our last presidential election, there are more Henry Fords in America than ever imagined.
To learn more and to watch a fascinating video, please click here.
Thankfully evolution-- change-- and jazz music and dance could not be contained. If it had, we would never have heard or seen such life-affirming and world-changing music or dances.
Jitterbug! is very American. It reflects the contributions of black and Jewish creatives working together during one of America's darkest hours. If Henry Ford had had his way we wouldn't have swing music or the jitterbug. We wouldn't have heard "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (named "Song of the Century" by the Recording Industry Association of America) because Harold Arlen-- the son of a cantor and a character in the dancical-- wasn't allowed to develop his craft writing songs for the Cotton Club revues.
Unfortunately, it appears following our last presidential election, there are more Henry Fords in America than ever imagined.
To learn more and to watch a fascinating video, please click here.
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