Bluesen i Sverige före 1960

Den varierande förståelsen av en genre

Författare

  • Alf Arvidsson Umeå universitet

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58698/stm-sjm.v103.14341

Nyckelord:

blues, jazz, race, authenticity, popular music, blues dance, Americanization

Abstract

This article presents a review of the various meanings and shapes of blues as a genre in Sweden c. 1920–1960, drawing primarily on presentations in newspapers and jazz magazines, and recordings. Blues has been construed as an African American music, rising from specific social conditions; as an American music, a source for and subgenre of jazz; and as a part of music in the international modern society in general.

In 1923 blues was introduced as a new dance, and many new tunes were promoted as blues; medium tempo, chromaticism and altered chords seem to be the distinguishing traits. From the mid-thirties, blues was discussed as a predecessor to jazz as well as a jazz genre format (‘12-bar blues’). The rising interest in blues is followed through audience reactions in press, recordings, and jazz criticism. Jazz critics tended to promote country blues and Bessie Smith as authentic forms, while Josh White’s performances during his annual tours in the fifties were praised for his consummate artistry. The trad jazz boom, boogie woogie piano, skiffle and rock’n’roll all used the 12-bar format. In parallel, blues was also an occasional pop song denomination signalling melancholy. Identifying as a blues singer was not an option; this would change during the sixties.

Four fields of tension are identified: blues as a specific expression for African American experience vs. blues as a genre suited for Western modernity in general; blues as a subgenre to jazz vs. blues as an autonomous sphere; blues considered as genuine folk music vs. blues as popular music; and blues as a genre of mainly historical significance vs. blues as having contemporary relevance.

Författarbiografi

Alf Arvidsson, Umeå universitet

Alf Arvidsson är professor i etnologi vid Umeå universitet. Forskningsprofilen inkluderar musiketnologi, särskilt 1900-talets svenska musikliv, och folkloristik. Hans avhandling Sågarnas sång (1991) behandlar musiklivet i ett norrländskt sågverkssamhälle 1850–1980; i Musik, ritual och plats (2016) följs den upp empiriskt med etnografi från 1980-talet. Senare forskningsprojekt har avsatt Musik och politik hör ihop: diskussioner, ställningstaganden och musikskapande 1965–1980 (2008), Jazzens väg inom svenskt musikliv: strategier för självständighet och erkännande (2011), och antologin Bilder ur musikskapandets vardag: mellan kulturpolitik, ekonomi och estetik (2014). Vidare har han redigerat antologierna I rollen som spelman (2008) och Gender, Jazz, Authenticity (2014). Alf Arvidsson var recensionsredaktör för PULS 2016–2018 och gästredaktör för samma tidskrift 2019–2021.

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Publicerad

2021-12-01

Referera så här

Arvidsson, A. (2021). Bluesen i Sverige före 1960: Den varierande förståelsen av en genre. Svensk Tidskrift för Musikforskning Swedish Journal of Music Research, 103, 39–60. https://doi.org/10.58698/stm-sjm.v103.14341

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