Abstract
After the liberation of The Netherlands in 1945 jazz went through a new start because it had been banned from the public sphere and forced to go and stay underground for most of the five years of German occupation. As a consequence of this the young generation was at a
... read more
loss what to make of popular American music of various styles. That situation explains the rather substantional number of articles on jazz written by journalists and representatives of cultural organizations. But these publications did not always clarify matters. Especially big band swing and bebop proved a source of confusion and created a good deal of controversy. The authorities on the subject largely agreed that both big band swing and bebop could not be called jazz. Jazz was thought to be African-American music with strong roots in folk traditions, played by rather primitive musicians who improvised their spontaneous musical pieces. Like many serious jazz fans reviewers of jazz concerts showed a conservative musical stance. Moreover they showed an aversion to what they regarded as commercialized forms of jazz and to what they saw as the unstrained pursuit of effects. It is self-evident that radio broadcasts and gramophone records play a role of vital importance in the dissemination of jazz. But because of the compartmentalization of the Dutch broadcasting scene only the socialist VARA and the unaffiliated AVRO regularly broadcast jazz and jazz-related programs. For religious reasons the other three licensed broadcasting organizations did not want to have anything to do with jazz. The Dutch recording industry had great difficulty to resume its activities because of currency restrictions. Still Hollandsche Decca Distributie managed to release a substantial number of jazz and swing records during the reconstruction period. According to former members jazz societies, founded to supply information and to promote personal contacts, were especially frequented by well-educated middle class males in their twenties, which finds support in sociological research conducted abroad. Jazz and especially its more spectacular forms counted on wide support among the young. This support would sometimes manifest itself in tumultuous scenes during concerts, which led to furious press reactions disapproving of youth's intolerable indecency. Jazz also found a cordial reception among young experimental painters and poets, who saw similarities between their art and jazz whose spontaneous character gave it an authenticity they themselves likewise aimed for. Although jazz had a substantial following, there was also a strong opposition to jazz and modern dancing from established authorities. In their view vulnerable young people could easily fall victim to the undesirable effects of American music. Substantial numbers of youngsters without much initiative and responsibility would allegedly be captivated by American popular music, including jazz. Various youth movements were supposed to play a pivotal role in this counter offensive. Finally, the world of classical music generally did not think much of jazz either. Among musicians and composers it was thought to be inferior to the classical tradition. Still, a number of them felt that certain jazz elements could mean an enriching addition to western music.
show less
