People's Music: Jazz in East Germany, 1945-1990

A People's Music provides a comprehensive history of jazz in East Germany, exploring the experiences of musicians, fans, and advocates and the policies issued by the state socialism to manage the art form. It challenges the scholarly view of jazz as a dissenting genre and reveals how it was engaged with state officials and agencies throughout the Cold War.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 343 pages
Publication date: 07 October 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

A People's Music presents the first comprehensive history of jazz in East Germany, drawing on new and previously unexamined sources and vivid eyewitness accounts. Helma Kaldewey chronicles the experiences of jazz musicians, fans, and advocates, and charts the numerous policies state socialism issued to manage this dynamic art form. Offering a radical revision of scholarly views of jazz as a musical genre of dissent, this vivid and authoritative study marks developments in the production, performance, and reception of jazz decade by decade, from the GDR's beginning in the 1940s to its end in 1990, examining how members of the jazz scene were engaged with (and were sometimes complicit with) state officials and agencies throughout the Cold War. From postwar rebuilding, to Stalinism and partition, to détente, Ostpolitik, and glasnost, and finally to its acceptance as a national art form, Kaldewey reveals just how many lives jazz has lived.

Introduction:
Jazz has a rich and complex history, with its roots in the African American communities of the United States. However, its journey has taken it beyond the borders of the United States, and it has had a significant impact on various cultures and societies around the world. East Germany is one such country that has had a unique relationship with jazz, and A People's Music presents the first comprehensive history of jazz in East Germany.

New and Unexamined Sources:
The book draws on a wide range of new and previously unexamined sources, including interviews with jazz musicians, fans, and advocates, as well as government documents and archives. This allows for a more detailed and nuanced understanding of the history of jazz in East Germany, and provides a fresh perspective on the subject.

Vivid Eyewitness Accounts:
The book also includes vivid eyewitness accounts from individuals who were involved in the jazz scene in East Germany. These accounts provide a personal and intimate perspective on the experiences of jazz musicians and fans, and shed light on the challenges and opportunities they faced.

State Socialism and Jazz:
One of the central themes of the book is the relationship between state socialism and jazz. The GDR (German Democratic Republic) was a socialist state that was governed by the Communist Party. The government had a strict control over the arts and culture, and jazz was not exempt from this control.

Policies to Manage Jazz:
The GDR issued a number of policies to manage jazz, including censorship, control over performances, and restrictions on the distribution of jazz records. These policies were designed to control the spread of Western cultural influences and to promote the development of a socialist-oriented jazz culture.

Revolutionary Jazz:
Despite the restrictions, there was a vibrant jazz scene in East Germany. Jazz musicians and fans were able to find ways to express themselves and their music, and they developed a unique style of jazz that was influenced by both Western and Eastern musical traditions.

The End of the GDR:
The fall of the GDR in 1990 marked the end of an era for jazz in East Germany. With the reunification of Germany, jazz became more accessible to musicians and fans, and the scene began to grow and evolve.

Conclusion:
A People's Music is a valuable contribution to the history of jazz and provides a fresh perspective on the relationship between state socialism and jazz. It is a must-read for anyone interested in jazz, music, and the history of East Germany.

Weight: 526g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108731928