When most people think of Detroit and music, they think of the Motown sound. But what many people forget is that Detroit has a remarkable jazz history, which was a major influence on what later became known as the Motown Sound.

A History Of Jazz In Detroit shows the significant impact Detroit has had on the development of Jazz in America, starting with the bands of the 1920s, with groups like McKinney's Cotton Pickers and Jean Goldkette's Orchestra, and continuing into the 1950s, when Detroit experienced a golden age of modern jazz centered around clubs like the Blue Bird Inn. The jazz scene comes alive in interviews with musicians and club owners, combined with unique period photographs and advertisements. In addition, Detroit's vital jazz scene is placed in its social context, particularly with regard to changing relations between blacks and whites.

CONTENTS:
Introduction
The Music of Black Detroit Before Big Band Jazz
Detroit and the Creation of Big Band Jazz
The 1930s: Paradise Valley Days
Detroit and the Birth of Bop
West Side Modern: Detroit jazz clubs in the 1950s
The 1950s: The Golden Age of Jazz in Detroit
Detroit Rhythm & Blues: From Jump Blues to Motown
The Social History of Detroit Jazz: A Summary

LARS BJORN is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and the author of numerous articles and publications about jazz.

JIM GALLERT is a veteran jazz broadcaster and writer. He is Vice President of the Jazz Alliance of Michigan.

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