Introduction

The introduction clarifies the aim of the book, which is to analyze the dissemination and reception of Swedish jazz between 1947 and 1963. It focuses on how Swedish jazz came to the United States and what meanings were connected to it by critically engaging with the ideas of nationality, ethnicity, race, and gender that were connected to Swedish jazz in the United States. In connection to that, the book aims to show the complexity of jazz scenes and problematize the assumption that jazz scenes can be delineated by national borders focusing on a transnational perspective.

The book is positioned in new jazz studies and lists Actor-Network theory (ANT) as an inspiration to investigate the networks of actors, objects, and interactions through which Swedish jazz came to the United States and was made meaningful. The book’s focus on recordings and reviews is explained as the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) prevented most Swedish musicians from touring the United States. The book does not just consider music and musicians, but a variety of actors, including critics and record companies.