Frogman and Rok; this thread is most enjoyable when the three of us get on one time subject, and stick to it, as opposed to jumping from one thing to another. For example; Velaida Snow has been mentioned several times, and compared with "Pops"; why don't we just get into that "era" and cover everything surrounding it, or we can get into the 40's and 50's.
I can think of an important reason for doing this; although almost everyone has stated there are reasons why the music is better at one time than another, they haven't been able to give any reasons as to why? When you substitute "prolific" for better, that narrows things down, and gives a better understanding of the underlying reasons why this may be so.
An example of "prolific", is all of the hit music that came out in the 40's and 50's in all genres. That music is still around in various forms in "cross genres". What I mean by "cross genres" is when a tune that came out as jazz, and crossed over to pop. Another example is country and western crossing over to R & B. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying to get into C & W or R & B, I'm trying to define the word "prolific" in the way I'm using it; that's when people say the music was better at that time, when what they mean is there was a lot more of it in "all" genres.
When you substitute the word PROLIFIC, for BETTER, that might give us some insight into why this was so. As a jazz aficionado, I feel there is no doubt in regard to "jazz" in the 50's and 60's; there was more of it. Maybe there was also more POP, more C & W, and more R & B, at the same time. Believe it or not, although we're talking about music, we're also getting into economics and disposable income, as well as numerous other factors; music doesn't happen in a vacuum. When there is more "disposable income", everything is better all cross the board.
In our past discussions we knew what we were talking about because those artists are in our collections, and we are familiar with them. Our new discussions would revolve around a designated "era" or time period and be restricted primarily to that time. While we might have to resort more to "Wikipedia" and "you tube", we would learn a lot. For example, "Valaida Snow" was most active in the 30's and 40's, Pops was active in the 30's and 40's, therefore we would restrict our discussions primarily to the 30's and 40's, instead of hopping all over the place. While this didn't work to well on Cuba the last time, I believe not only will it work, but we'll learn a lot.
Since Pops and Valaida have both been mentioned, I'm going to begin with some artist in the 40's; "Hazel Scott" sounds good. Instead of just music, I'm going to "Wikipedia" to find out about the person as well. Hazel had long been committed to civil rights, particularly in Hollywood. She refused to take roles in Hollywood that cast her as a "singing maid." When she began performing in Hollywood films, she insisted on having final-cut privileges when it came to her appearance. In addition, she required control over her own wardrobe so that she could wear her own clothing if she felt that the studio's choices were unacceptable. Her final break with Columbia Pictures' involved a costume which she felt stereotyped blacks. She also refused to perform in segregated venues when she was on tour. She was once escorted from the city of Austin, Texas by Texas Rangers because she refused to perform when she discovered that black and white patrons were seated in separate areas. "Why would anyone come to hear me, a Negro," she told Time Magazine, "and refuse to sit beside someone just like me?
In 1949, Scott brought a suit against the owners of a Pasco, Washington restaurant when a waitress refused to serve Scott and her traveling companion, Mrs. Eunice Wolfe, because "they were Negroes." Scott's victory helped African Americans challenge racial discrimination in Spokane, as well as inspiring civil rights organizations ‘‘to pressure the Washington state legislature to enact the Public Accommodations Act in 1953.
With the advent of the Red Scare in the television industry, Scott's name appeared in Red Channels: A Report on Communist Influence in Radio and Television in June 1950. Scott voluntarily appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee Scott insisted on reading a prepared statement before HUAC. She denied that she was ever knowingly connected with the Communist Party or any of its front organizations, but said that she had supported Communist Party member Benjamin J. Davis' run for City Council, arguing that Davis was supported by socialists, a group that has hated Communists longer and more fiercely than any other.
Her television variety program was cancelled a week after Scott appeared before HUAC, on September 29, 1950. Scott continued to perform in the United States and Europe, even getting sporadic bookings on television variety shows like Cavalcade of Stars and guest starring in an episode of CBS's Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town musical series. Scott's short-lived television show provided a glimmer of hope for African American viewers' during a time of continued racism in the broadcasting industry and economic hardships for jazz musicians in general. Scott remained publicly opposed to McCarthyism and racial segregation throughout her career.
To evade oppression in the United States, Scott moved to Paris in the late 1950s. She appeared in the French film Le Désordre et la Nuit' (1958). She maintained a steady but difficult career in France and touring throughout Europe. She did not return to the US until 1967. By this time the Civil Rights Movement had led to federal legislation ending racial segregation and enforcing the protection of voting rights of all citizens; most African Americans in the South could vote again, after nearly 100 years of many being excluded from the franchise. Other social changes were underway.
Scott continued to play occasionally in nightclubs, while also appearing in daytime television until the year of her death. She made her television acting debut in 1973, on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live, performing a wedding song at the nuptials of her "onscreen cousin", Carla Gray Hall, portrayed by Ellen Holly.
Here is Hazel on "Rhapsody in Blue", and also on on a "Foggy Day".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtBMXE9mJV4&list=PL696650744F3E9A41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtBMXE9mJV4&list=PLC25026D86F95AAC9Now that you know where I'm coming from, do your thing.
Enjoy the music.
