[Dixielandjazz] Nazi Dance Band Rules - - A Fake?

[Stephen G Barbone]

On Aug 23, 2009, at 3:02 PM, jazzdude39 (Dave Hanson) wrote:

> In 1988 I taped a BBC Documantary named "Swing Under The Swastika"  
> which went into detail about the Nazi's vs jazz music. Most of the  
> rules listed in the previous post described the ways and means that  
> jazz continued to be played right under the noses of the Nazi's.  
> Many players were sent to death camps where they amused their  
> captors by playing jazz which was tolerated until they were put to  
> death. It was also illegal to even own jazz recording and those  
> caught with them were arrested and many sent to the gas chambers.
>
> There were also many that weren't caught and flourished. About a  
> dozen or so survivores, jazz musicians were interviewsd, and told  
> their incredible stories.
>
> Google "Swing Under The Swastica" for more details on this  
> interesting and complleing subject.

Interestingly enough, the Nazi's approved some jazz. For example,  
Benny Goodman records were forbidden because, among other things, he  
was jewish. However Artie Shaw records were OK. The Nazis apparently  
thought that he was somehow related to George Bernard Shaw and not a  
guy from Chicago name Arthur Jacob Arshawsky.

And then too, there was Charlie's Orchestra, a German Swing Band,  
which was, I believe, assembled under Dr Josefh Goebblels the then  
German Propaganda Minister.

You can listen to some of their songs at: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/03/charlie_and_his.html

Be sure to hear "Bei Mier Bist Du Schoen" and "Submarines" for the  
propaganda they broadcast to Great Britain.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband