ABSTRACT
Being rather isolated from Chicago, New York, and the other main population centers, big bands developed somewhat independently in Kansas City and the Southwest. Groups performing primarily in this territory tended to rely on the blues and ragtime as a basis for their repertoire.
In the 1930s, Kansas City was a hub for farming and ranching communities and offered opportunities for musicians beyond those of many other cities, owing, in part, to political boss Tom Pendergast.
Tenor saxophonist Lester Young was probably the most influential of the many great soloists in the Basie band of the 1930s. His light, airy sound and linear improvisations were in sharp contrast to the assertive and angular solos of Coleman Hawkins.
The styles of vocalists Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald paralleled those of Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins.
The Swing Era was a golden age for jazz in that big band music was the popular music of the day; however, not all big bands placed emphasis on hot-jazz solos. Generally, the most popular of the big bands were dance bands, precisely performing arrangements that left little space for improvisation.
