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1

In this chapter, you read about the musician union's ban on recording in the 1940s on the grounds that the musicians were not receiving their due from the record companies, who continued to profit long after the recording session (from radio airplay, jukeboxes, etc.). Do you agree with the musicians' viewpoint? Why or why not? Today, free and/or illegal downloads of music on the internet are a major concern for record companies and many musicians. Do you see any parallels with the issues that led to the recording ban of the 1940s? What is your viewpoint on this issue? Try to consider the viewpoint of musicians and record companies, as well as your own.
2

One of the reasons given for the development of bebop was the growing unrest of musicians, partly due to the over-commercialization of swing. This helped to incite their experimentation and return to jazz's more improvisational roots. Can you think of any similar movements in other genres of music or in other art forms (painting, sculpture, theater, etc.)? What do you think was the artists' motivation? Were they successful?
3

Historically, the arts often reflect what is going on in the world or the culture in which they are created. Bebop is often described as fast-paced, frantic music. Examine the timeline at the end of the chapter. Do you see any correlation with world events and this new fast-paced music?
4

In many ways, Charlie Parker is the stereotypical "tormented artist," an enormously talented individual who seems unable to cope with day-to-day life. While he was creating brilliant music, he was destroying himself with drugs and alcohol. Many other artists, from painters to composers to rock musicians, have suffered similar fates. Even if you are not a psychology major, why do you think some creative people turn to this lifestyle, while others (e.g., Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, etc.) do not?





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