[Dixielandjazz] What killed JAZZ?

[David Dustin]

Steve Barbone wrote:

I don't agree with the popular notion that Bop started the decline of trad
jazz, In fact far from it.

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You¹re entitled to your opinion.  Mike didn¹t ask what killed TRAD JAZZ. He
asked what killed JAZZ - in the sense of deposing it from its domination of
American popular music during the 1920s and 1930s/early 40s - and I stand by
my response.  JAZZ was alive and well, through the immense popularity of
Swing bands, up until the emergence of Bop by the end of WW2.  Regardless of
the extent to which Bop represents (to some of us) an artistic triumph on
the part of players like Bird, Diz, Roach, Trane et al., or offers moments
of scintillation to some of us, it was not a popular success and set the
wheels in motion for the resounding eclipse of JAZZ as THE popular art form
in the United States. Truth be told, I can admire a little West Coast/Cool
Jazz too, after a few drinks, and have been known even to blow some of it
myself if I¹m in the right company.  But there is nothing ‹ NOTHING -- that
can persuade me that Salt Peanuts, Koko, or even Giant Steps is worth
crossing the street to hear if there¹s a hot OKOM band inside a 20-mile
radius squeezing the grease out of Doctor Jazz, Hindustan, or the Original
Dixieland One-Step.  I¹d rather listen to Hank Williams...or Elvis. And
history shows a lot of returning servicemen didn¹t take long to make a
similar decision once they got home from the war.  And that¹s what killed
JAZZ, sports fans.

David Dustin