Exclusion, Polarization, Hybridization, Assimilation: Otherness and Modernity in the Swedish Jazz Age

Abstract

The introduction of jazz in Sweden fed into discourses renegotiating modern forms of identity in welfare society. In this new Jazz Age, music became an arena for reformulating norms of age, class, ethnicity, and gender differences. This article presents an intersectional and inter-medial study of songs, films and print sources with such topics. The new jazz idiom was linked to enticing and horrifying forms of otherness. Four basic positions are highlighted in the successive integration of both jazz and identities, from separation to fusion: demonizing exclusion, primitivist polarization, diversifying hybridization and normalizing assimilation.

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank referee Mel van Elteren for useful comments, and Roger Bergner, Per Flodmark and Lasse Zackrisson for tracing pictures.

Notes

^[1] Andersson, Lithman, and Sernhede, Mc Eachrane and Faye, and Pred study processes of othering in other Swedish cultural fields and historical periods. Atkins (Blue, Jazz), Danielsen, Johnson, Radano and Bohlman, Ware and Back, Whiteoak, and Wiedemann approach stereotyping in popular music and the appropriation of jazz styles in other countries. Certeau, Hall, Naficy and Gabriel, Pickering, Pietersee, and Todorov analyze the general “othering” mechanisms in play in cultural identity formation.

^[2] This exposition builds on Modern People: Jazz and Welfare Society (Fornäs Moderna, see also “Yokel” and “Swinging”), analyzing several hundreds of popular songs as well as films, radio programs, literary works, essays, and other Swedish 1920–50 sources that linked jazz to issues of identity.

^[3] Examples include “De’ gör gumman me’” (“So Does the Old Girl,” 1927, with music by Jules Sylvain alias Stig Hansson and lyrics by Herr Dardanell alias Tor Bergström), “På lediga stunder” (“In Spare Moments,” 1929, music by Irwing Yowa, Swedish lyrics by Herr Dardanell), and “Det finns en flyktig likhet” (“There is a Casual Likeness,” 1930, music Karl Wehle, lyrics Dix Dennie alias Gösta Stenberg).

^[4] “Sverige-Amerika hand i hand,” 1947, music Alvar Kraft, lyrics Berco alias Berndt Carlberg; the film Jens Månsson i Amerika was directed by Bengt Janzon.

^[5] On primitivism and exoticism in music, see Barkan and Bush, Nenno, Toop, and Torgovnick. On jazz in Scandinavian literature, see Strauß.

^[6] “En stilla flirt,” 1932, music Jules Sylvain, lyrics Gösta Stevens alias Gösta Nilsson, performed by Tutta Rolf in the 1933 movie with the same name. “Wilhelmina,” 1950, music Josef Myrow, Swedish lyrics Ninita alias Ingrid Reuterskiöld, sung by Brita Borg.

^[7] Some examples were “Du svarte zigenare” (“You Black Gypsy,” 1933, music Karel Vacek, Swedish lyrics Nils-Georg alias Nils Perne and Georg Eliasson), “Zigenarviolinen sjunger än” (“The Gypsy Violin Still Sings,” 1943, music Sven Arefeldt, lyrics Helge Roundquist, performed by Ulla Billquist), and “En droppe zigenareblod” (“One Drop of Gypsy Blood,” 1946, by Gunnar Tigerström).

^[8] The former appeared in songs like “Joddlar-jazzen” (“Yodeler-Jazz,” 1936, by Sunde alias Erik Frykman and Silas alias Sven “Paddock” Karlsson, performed by Duo Ja), “Joddelswing” (“Yodel-Swing,” 1940, music Sven Arefeldt, lyrics Miguel Torres, sung by Alice Babs), and “Yodel in Swing” (1941, music Don Raye and Hughie Prince, Swedish lyrics Domino alias Georg Eliasson, recorded by both Alice Babs and Lisbeth Bodin); the latter in “Wooji, wooji, wooj” (1940, music Ernfrid Ahlin, lyrics Fritz-Gustaf, recorded by Harry Brandelius).

^[9] “Det farliga könet,” 1927, music Jules Sylvain, lyrics Alexander Stern; ”Harlems ros,” 1934, music John Malm, lyrics Sven Paddock alias Sven Karlsson, recorded by Maud Bensow and Arne Hülphers' jazz orchestra.

^[10] Directed by Schamyl Bauman; title tune with music by Kaj Gullmar alias Gurli Bergström and lyrics by Hasse Ekman. Alice Babs' real name was Alice Nilsson, married Sjöblom.

^[11] “Vårat gäng,” 1940, by Sven Paddock alias Sven Karlsson, Åke Söderblom, and Jokern alias Nils Perne, recorded by Alice Babs and Lisbeth Bodin; “Jitterbug från Söder,” 1940, by Jokern, Sven Paddock, and Nisse Lind, recorded by Alice Babs. Both tunes were included in the film Vårat gäng, 1942, directed by Gunnar Skoglund. “Söder” (“The South”) was a famous working-class district in Stockholm.

^[12] “Swing ändå,” 1941, music Kai Gullmas, lyrics Hasse Ekman; the film was directed by Schamyl Bauman.

^[13] “Jag har en liten Radiola,” 1939, music Jules Sylvan, lyrics Jokern.

^[14] Composed by Carl-Henrik Norin, recorded by Thore Ehrling's orchestra.

^[15] Composed by Gunnar Lundén-Welden, recorded by Lulle Ellboj's orchestra.

^[16] As this tune with Expressens elitorkester was improvised, it has no composer; Expressen, a leading Swedish evening paper, was its sponsor.

^[17] “En swing i det groan,” 1939, music Sten Axelson, lyrics Sven Paddock.

^[18] Words in italics are sung in (broken) American.

^[19] “Var blev ni av ljuva drömmar,” 1976, by Gloria Sklerov and Harry Lloyd, Swedish lyrics by Hans Alfredsson and Tage Danielsson. On this later Swedish jazz period, see Bruér and Nylöf.