Rhythm is Our Business

Paints a vivid picture of the sights and sounds of the glamorous side of a decade generally perceived as gloomy - the 1930s. This book traces the development of the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra from its infant days as a high school band in Memphis to its record-breaking tours across the US, Canada, and Europe.

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Rhythm Is Our Business paints a vivid picture of the sights and sounds of the glamorous side of a decade generally perceived as gloomy - the 1930s - and offers a fresh take on the youth and dance culture of the Swing Era. This was a time when swing music reigned, an era when the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra became the hottest and hippest attraction on the black dance circuits. Author Eddy Determeyer traces the development of the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra from its infant days as a high school band in Memphis to its record-breaking tours across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The book unveils Lunceford's romantic yet ill-fated involvement with Yolande Du Bois, daughter of famous writer and opinion leader W.E.B. Du Bois. It also offers a glimpse into the mystery surrounding Lunceford's untimely death by reconstructing Lunceford's last day.