RIPMJAZZ
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Jazz-tango

Jazz-tango was among the first periodicals in France that dealt exclusively with jazz and popular music. The development of jazz and tango music in early 1930s Paris was inseparable from the dance scene which surrounded it. For professional musicians however, the two also overlapped off the dancefloor in that they were both professions that faced rising competition from foreign musicians. Thus, for a review that aimed to take up the cause of professional French musicians in this musical scene, the two were inextricable.

Jazz-tango was first published on October 15th, 1930, only eight months after the short run of La Revue du Jazz (Paris, 1929-1930) ceased. Directed by Stéphane Mougin, a previous contributor to La Revue and an active pianist, Jazz-tango presented a very similar French-musician focused perspective to the previous journal.  In the first editorial, the editor emphasized the importance of protecting and valorizing French musicians in the face of foreign musical formations, who they claimed received more attention and respect in France. In the sixteenth issue, determination had not weakened, with the opening page occupied by the “Union des Musicians de la Danse” for “defending the particular interests of musicians.”1 However, unlike the preceding Revue, Mougin maintained that foreigners should still be welcomed and celebrated in France, just not disproportionately compared to French artists. The increasing tolerance for foreign musicians is also conveyed by the general contents of the journal which include reviews of concerts in the United States, profiles of American artists, and the consistent presence of the United States in its “news from abroad” section.

From the outset, the basic format of the journal was organized around regular columns. Much of this focused on upcoming concerts and events — something quite popular with readers.2 It also included a range of other topics: record reviews, profiles on important musicians, news from abroad, news from Paris, news from the provinces, information on instruments, reviews of the recent press, tango in the theater, etc.3 The quantity of these regular columns increased as the review doubled and then tripled in length within the first year. Very few articles strayed from the overall organization of each issue. The only topic given regular attention is the famously unsolvable and endlessly controversial question: What is jazz ? And how does one play it? Contributors to the pondering include Hugues Panassié, a regular in the record review column in other publications who participated in the topic alongside a handful of other influential conductors and musicians.

Jazz-tango was able to access a wider audience, even crossing international boundaries. The journal noted its availability in kiosks around Paris, and at designated stores in the major cities of France, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Switzerland, and Belgium.4 In November 1931, Jazz-tango celebrated the success of its first year, writing: “Jazz-tango est maintenant un magazine, l’organe puissant de la musique et des musiciens de la danse, du jazz et du music-hall.”5 The following issue bore a new title: Jazz-tango-dancing, and the revue moved into a more established phase of its existence.

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1 Jazz-tango dancing, Vol. 3 no. 16 (January 1932): 3.

2 Jazz-tango, Vol. 1 no. 3 (25 December 1930): 3. “Nous avons complété notre rubrique « Où sont-ils, Où vont-ils ? » Comme nous tenons beaucoup à ce que cette rubrique soit constamment à jour, car elle intéresse nombre de nos lecteurs”

3 Jazz-tango, Vol. 2 no. 8 (May 1931): 1.

4 Jazz-tango, Vol. 1 no. 2 (15 November 1930): 15.

5 Jazz-tango, Vol. 2 no. 14 (November 1931): 2. “Jazz-tango is now a magazine, the powerful voice of dance, jazz, and music hall music and musicians.”

Music Pedagogy Dance Blues France Paris American Musical News Tango