J
A
Z
Z
S
C
R
I
P
T
home | timelines | CD search | book search | how to order

book search

CD search

how to order

any book ordering

terms & conditions

privacy policy

contact us

 


Swingin' At The Savoy The Memoir Of A Jazz Dancer
open our order pageNorma Miller & Evette Jensen
Temple University Press, 1996
Paperback. 302pp. b&w illustrations
£16.99

Dancer, award-winning choreographer, show producer, stand-up comedienne, TV/Film actress and author, Norma Miller shares her touching historical memoir of Harlem's legendary Savoy Ballroom and the phenomenal music and dance craze that "spread the power of swing across the world like wildfire."

A dance contest winner by 14, Norma Miller became a member of Herbert White's Lindy Hoppers and a celebrated Savoy Ballroom Lindy Hop champion. Swingin' At The Savoy chronicles a significant period in American cultural history and race relations, as it glorifies the home of the Lindy Hop and the birthplace of memorable dance hall fads. Miller shares fascinating anecdotes about her youthful encounters with many of the greatest jazz legends in music history, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Billie Holliday Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Ethel Waters, and even boxer Joe Louis. Readers will experience the legend of the celebrated Harlem ballroom and the phenomenal swing generation that changed music and dance history forever.

Norma Miller began her career as a choreographer by forming the Norma Miller Jazz Dancers and appeared in Olsen and Johnson's Broadway stage production of Hellzapopin for five years. In addition to being a stand-up comedienne, Miller has made numerous TV appearances, including the CBS Stompin' At The Savoy, which earned her an Emmy-nomination for choreography. She had also performed in the films A Day At The Races, Malcolm X and Captiva, and has been the subject of many documentaries, including National Geographic's Explorer and the Smithsonian jazz series on national radio.

"This is an important book, bringing some much-overdue attention to the swing dancers who along with the musicians defined the era." - ROBERT TATE, Jazz Now

CONTENTS:
Preface by Ernie Smith
Coming Home; Coming to America; Norman Miller; The Early Years; The Savoy; Coming of Age; A Man Called Whitey; The Harvest Moon Ball; The Swingin' Generation; The Other Side of the Ballroom; Ethel Waters; Savoy at the World's Fair; Hollywood Calls; Swingin' Down to Rio; Moving on; Norma Miller Dancers; On the Road Again; Swingin' Into the Future; Saying Goodbye
Epilogue by Robert P. Crease

back to previous page

TIMELINES

Visit our timeline and lifeline sections to view a history of jazz and its leading players.


BOOK SEARCH

Search the descriptions and contents of our stock. Our author index lists authors in alphabetical order.

CD SEARCH

Search using name of artist, title, year of recording, or label. Our CD index lists main artists in alphabetical order.


© Jazzscript 2002
Wendover Bookshop, 35 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, United Kingdom HP22 6DU
tel / fax: +44 (0)1296 696204 | email