The Birth of Bebop

First published in 1997 by University of California Press, DeVaux takes the birth of Bebop from the history of jazz and places it in the social context of American cultural history, providing a view of the United States in the decades just prior to the civil rights movement which made it possible.

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Scott DeVeaux takes a central chapter in the history of jazz - the birth of bebop - and shows how our contemporary ideas of this American art form flow from that moment. At the same time, he provides a view of the United States in the decades just prior to the civil rights movement. Portraits of Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Dizzie Gillespie and Thelonious Monk are put in the social context which made bepop possible - the institution of the jam session, the turmoil of World War II and the pervasive racism of the time. Throughout, DeVeaux places the musicians within the context of their professional world, paying close attention to the challenges of making a living as well as making good music.