Dangerous Rhythms

Jazz and the Underworld

De: T. J. English

Narrado por: JD Jackson

From T. J. English, the New York Times bestselling author of Havana Nocturne, comes the epic, scintillating narrative of the interconnected worlds of jazz and organized crime in 20th century America.

""[A] brilliant and courageous book."" —Dr. Cornel West

Dangerous Rhythms tells the symbiotic story of jazz and the underworld: a relationship fostered in some of 20th century America’s most notorious vice districts. For the first half of the century mobsters and musicians enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership. By offering artists like Louis Armstrong, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, and Ella Fitzgerald a stage, the mob, including major players Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, and Charlie “Lucky” Luciano, provided opportunities that would not otherwise have existed.

Even so, at the heart of this relationship was a festering racial inequity. The musicians were mostly African American, and the clubs and means of production were owned by white men. It was a glorified plantation system that, over time, would find itself out of tune with an emerging Civil Rights movement. Some artists, including Louis Armstrong, believed they were safer and more likely to be paid fairly if they worked in “protected” joints. Others believed that playing in venues outside mob rule would make it easier to have control over their careers.

Through English’s voluminous research and keen narrative skills, Dangerous Rhythms reveals this deeply fascinating slice of American history in all its sordid glory.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

The level of research

Loved the details of the clubs and circles of performers. Comprehensive review of artists. The reader’s voice was very soothing

Loved the Music and learned of Mob connectuo.

A piece of history I never knew.
Excellent! Read by a guy whose voice was like the speak easie with smoke and booze. Character.

Voice and history you expect when you want to learn about the history of jazz

The narrator does a great job on this title and book is very well written spanning the history of such a great and sad history of music. I will be coming back to this over the years.

Essential Reading

This book is essential reading if you want to know the history of jazz. English is a master storyteller.

Narrator mispronounces lots of words

He also gets the phrasing wrong from time to time. Doesn’t anybody review these things? If so don’t they know or don’t they care?