Notes on German life from Swing Kids

Graceful German lines; custom paint
Originally uploaded by trudeau

American jazz greats mentioned in Swing Kids . . .

a) Count Basie - pianist and band leader; one of the kings of swing.

b) Artie Shaw - clarinetist and band leader; he signed Billie Holiday as his band's vocalist in 1938, becoming the first white bandleader to hire a full-time black female singer.

c) Duke Ellington - composer, pianist, and bandleader recognized during his life as one of the most influential figures in jazz. Ellington delivered some huge hits during the 1930s: Mood Indigo in 1930, It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) in 1932, Sophisticated Lady in 1933, In a Sentimental Mood in 1935, Caravan in 1937, I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart in 1938. Following shortly were Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me in 1940 and Take the "A" Train (written by Billy Strayhorn) in 1941.

d) Django Rheinhardt - Belgian Gypsy jazz guitarist who won fame in the US for his Paris recordings with Quintette du Hot Club de France.

e) Gene Krupa - influential American jazz and big band drummer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.


Pejoratives (insults)
- kike: Jewish person.
- heine: Jewish person.

heil: "hail."
scheiss: excrement
verboten: "forbidden"
achtung: "Watch out"

- A clubfoot is a birth defect. Without treatment, persons afflicted often appear to walk on their ankles, or on the sides of their feet. It is a common birth defect, occurring in about one in every 1,000 live births, says Wikipedia.


Indie work choices this week:
- Research and compare the achievements of Adi Dassler and JS Bach.
- " and " the impact of Bayer Aspirin and the Volkswagen companies.