Got a little rhythm? The Australian influence on swing in New Zealand during the 1930s and 1940s
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/jazz.v8i1-2.26759Keywords:
Jazz, New Zealand, Australia, Swing, 1930s, 1940sAbstract
The performance of swing music in New Zealand was strongly influenced by Australian bands, in particular Theo Walters Personality Band, and Tut Coltman's Swingstars. These bands held residencies at prestigious cabarets, toured around New Zealand and made regular relay and in-studio broadcasts. These activities served to familiarize New Zealanders with their styles of swing, and both bandleaders hired New Zealand musicians and arrangers thereby influencing the style and performance of swing among New Zealand bands. This essay examines the activities of Tut Coltman and Theo Walters in both Australia and New Zealand during the 1930s and 1940s. I investigate the mobility of musicians and musical ideas between the two countries, how these connections were vital to the development of a localized (Australasian) swing style, and how these Australian bands helped to shape the New Zealand swing scene. The mobility of musicians between the two countries was an important factor in the development of the scenes and music industries in both countries. Additionally I examine how the New Zealand tours had a lasting effect on Coltman and Walters’ Australian careers.
References
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Argus (Melbourne) (1938) ‘To Play in U.S.A.’. 14 September: 22, col. 4.
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——(1937c) ‘Jimmy Coates Returns to Empress’. April: 7.
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——(1940c) ‘From all the States: Auckland N.Z.’. 30 April: 39.
——(1940d) ‘Swinging in Sydney’. May: 12.
——(1940e) ‘Bernie Duggan’. March: 20–21.
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Singleton Argus (1944) ‘South Singleton Church of England Ball’ [Advertisement]. 30 June: 3, col. 6.
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Sunday Times (Perth) (1928) ‘Coming of Age Party’. 4 March: 35, col. 7.
Tempo (1941) ‘Theo Walters Stars in New Zealand with First Class Band’. November–December: 10.
Ward, A. (2010) ‘“ANZAC, Hollywood and Home”: Creating a New Zealand Jazz Culture’. In Many Voices: Music and National Identity in Aotearoa/New Zealand, ed. Henry Johnson, 93–102. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars.
——(2012) ‘“Any rags, any jazz, any boppers today?” Jazz in New Zealand 1920–1955’. PhD thesis, University of Auckland.
——(2013a) ‘Artie Shaw in New Zealand 1943’. Current Research in Jazz Online 5. http://www.crj-online.org/v5/CRJ-ShawNewZealand.php
——(2013b) ‘Fascinating Rhythm: Australian and American Influences on Swing in New Zealand’. In Shifting Sounds: Musical Flow. A Collection of Papers from the 2012 IASPM Australia/New Zealand Conference, ed. Oli Wilson and Sarah Attfield, 187–97. Dunedin: IASPM Australia/New Zealand.
West Australian (Perth) (1928) ‘Concert for Charity’. 5 December: 7, col. 4.
——(1948) ‘Radio Stars Help Surf Contest’. 2 February: 8, col. 5.
Whiteoak, J. (1999) Playing Ad Lib: Improvisatory Music in Australia 1836–1970. Sydney: Currency.
——(2009) ‘Across the Big Pond: Mapping Early “Jazz” Activity in New Zealand through Australian Jazz Historiography and Sources’. In Jazz Aotearoa: Notes Towards a New Zealand History, ed. Richard Hardie and Allan Thomas, 14–40. Wellington: Steele Roberts.
World’s News, The (Sydney) (1938) ‘2GB’ [Advertisement]. 23 February: 45, col. 1.
Argus (Melbourne) (1938) ‘To Play in U.S.A.’. 14 September: 22, col. 4.
——(1939) ‘Welcome to Famous Band Leader’. 18 January: 7, col. 4.
Arrow (Sydney) (1932a) ‘Croydon Palais’ [Advertisement]. 16 December: 31, col. 1.
—(1932b) ‘Doing Dances’. 23 December: 27, col. 4.
Auckland Star (1937a) ‘Topics for Women: Peter Pan’. 1 February: 11, col. 4.
——(1937b) ‘Topics for Women: Peter Pan’. 8 February: 10, col. 6.
——(1937c) ‘Peter Pan’ [Advertisement]. 7 April: 22, col. 3.
——(1939) ‘Music Personality’. 21 November: 9, col. 5.
Australian Dance Band News (1932) ‘New Zealand Notes’. November: 22.
——(1933) ‘Walters’ Success’. February: 5.
Australian Music Maker and Dance Band News (1937a) ‘Theo Walters & Co. Move into Peter Pan, Auckland’. February: 5.
——(1937b) ‘From all the States: Auckland N.Z.’. February: 25.
——(1937c) ‘Jimmy Coates Returns to Empress’. April: 7.
——(1937d) ‘From all the States: Auckland N.Z.’. April: 26.
——(1937e) ‘The Bandland Reporter’. October: 13.
——(1937f) ‘From all the States: Auckland N.Z.’. October: 45.
——(1938a) ‘Tut Coltman in N.Z.’. January: 53.
——(1938b) ‘From all the States: Auckland N.Z.’. January: 53.
——(1938c) ‘The Oriental (Late Ginger Jar) Changes Band: Theo Walters Takes Over’. February: 6.
——(1938d) ‘New Zealand Notes: Wellington N.Z.’. May: 54.
——(1939a) ‘Theo Walters’. April: 20.
——(1939b) ‘From all the States: Opotiki’. April: 44.
——(1939c) ‘From all the States: Dunedin N.Z.’. April: 45.
——(1939d) ‘From all the States: Dunedin N.Z.’. June: 50.
——(1939e) ‘Theo Walters at Peter Pan Cabaret’. December: 3.
——(1940a) ‘Chatter’. March: 13.
——(1940b) ‘From all the States: Auckland N.Z.’. March: 34.
——(1940c) ‘From all the States: Auckland N.Z.’. 30 April: 39.
——(1940d) ‘Swinging in Sydney’. May: 12.
——(1940e) ‘Bernie Duggan’. March: 20–21.
——(1941) ‘New Combination has Highest-paid Contract in N.Z.’. August: 39.
——(1943) ‘Many Familiar Names in Army Dance Band’. June: 18.
Australian Women’s Weekly (1945) ‘New Time for Joke Session’. 1 December: 23.
Belich, James (2001) Paradise Reforged: A History of the New Zealanders from the 1880s to the Year 2000. Auckland: Penguin.
Bisset, A. (1987) Black Roots, White Flowers: A History of Jazz in Australia. Sydney: ABC Enterprises.
Bourke, C. (2010) Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918–1964. Auckland: Auckland University Press.
Brisbane Courier (1930) ‘League of Notions Revue’. 5 May: 15, col. 2.
Camperdown Chronicle (Victoria) (1939) ‘Roy Fox’s Band’. 10 June: 2, col. 4.
Daily News (Perth) (1926) ‘“Syncopating Jesters”: Keith Connolly’s Success’. 26 February: 7, col. 2.
——(1928) ‘Luna Park’. 6 December: 12, col. 3.
Dungog Chronicle and Gloucester Advertiser (1944) ‘Tillegra: Bright Ball’. 29 August: 3, col. 3.
Evening Post (Wellington) (1928) ‘His Majesty’s Theatre’ [Advertisement]. 19 May: 4, col. 6.
——(1931) ‘Majestic Theatre’. 24 December: 3, col. 2.
——(1936) ‘Song Hit’. 26 March: 21, col. 6.
——(1937a) ‘Pleasure Cruise’ [Majestic Cabaret advertisement]. 30 September: 4, col. 8.
——(1937b) ‘Broadcasting’. 22 November: 4, col. 6.
——(1938) ‘Dancing Tonight’ [Majestic Cabaret advertisement]. 14 July: 5, col. 4.
Johnson, B. (1987) Oxford Companion to Australian Jazz. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Meehan, Norman (2010) Serious Fun: The Life and Music of Mike Nock. Wellington: Victoria University Press.
Mein Smith, Philippa, Peter Hempenstall and Shaun Goldfinch (2008) Remaking the Tasman World. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press.
New Zealand Listener (1941a) ‘On Opening Day…’ 17 October: 11.
——(1941b) ‘1ZB’ [Listings 24 October]. 17 October: 41.
New Zealand Radio Record and Electric Home Journal (1936a) ‘Among New Releases’. 3 April: 20.
——(1936b) ‘N.Z. Grabs One of Australia’s Ace Melody Makers’. 2 October: 17.
News, The (Adelaide) (1939) ‘Palais Royal’ [Advertisement]. 13 June: 2, col. 2.
Northern Star (1934) ‘Entertainments: Cinesound Review’. 29 December: 9, col. 1.
Rickard, John (1996 [1988]) Australia: A Cultural History. 2nd edn. New York: Longman.
Singleton Argus (1944) ‘South Singleton Church of England Ball’ [Advertisement]. 30 June: 3, col. 6.
Sunday Mail (Brisbane) (1945) ‘Cocoanut Grove’ [Advertisement]. 8 April: 6, col. 8.
Sunday Times (Perth) (1928) ‘Coming of Age Party’. 4 March: 35, col. 7.
Tempo (1941) ‘Theo Walters Stars in New Zealand with First Class Band’. November–December: 10.
Ward, A. (2010) ‘“ANZAC, Hollywood and Home”: Creating a New Zealand Jazz Culture’. In Many Voices: Music and National Identity in Aotearoa/New Zealand, ed. Henry Johnson, 93–102. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars.
——(2012) ‘“Any rags, any jazz, any boppers today?” Jazz in New Zealand 1920–1955’. PhD thesis, University of Auckland.
——(2013a) ‘Artie Shaw in New Zealand 1943’. Current Research in Jazz Online 5. http://www.crj-online.org/v5/CRJ-ShawNewZealand.php
——(2013b) ‘Fascinating Rhythm: Australian and American Influences on Swing in New Zealand’. In Shifting Sounds: Musical Flow. A Collection of Papers from the 2012 IASPM Australia/New Zealand Conference, ed. Oli Wilson and Sarah Attfield, 187–97. Dunedin: IASPM Australia/New Zealand.
West Australian (Perth) (1928) ‘Concert for Charity’. 5 December: 7, col. 4.
——(1948) ‘Radio Stars Help Surf Contest’. 2 February: 8, col. 5.
Whiteoak, J. (1999) Playing Ad Lib: Improvisatory Music in Australia 1836–1970. Sydney: Currency.
——(2009) ‘Across the Big Pond: Mapping Early “Jazz” Activity in New Zealand through Australian Jazz Historiography and Sources’. In Jazz Aotearoa: Notes Towards a New Zealand History, ed. Richard Hardie and Allan Thomas, 14–40. Wellington: Steele Roberts.
World’s News, The (Sydney) (1938) ‘2GB’ [Advertisement]. 23 February: 45, col. 1.
Published
2015-06-16
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Ward, A. (2015). Got a little rhythm? The Australian influence on swing in New Zealand during the 1930s and 1940s. Jazz Research Journal, 8(1-2), 71-90. https://doi.org/10.1558/jazz.v8i1-2.26759
