Black North American and Caribbean Music in European Metropolises A Transnational Perspective of Paris and London Music Scenes (1920s-1950s) Veronica Chincoli Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of History and Civilization of the European University Institute Florence, 15 April 2019 European University Institute Department of History and Civilization Black North American and Caribbean Music in European Metropolises A Transnational Perspective of Paris and London Music Scenes (1920s- 1950s) Veronica Chincoli Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of History and Civilization of the European University Institute Examining Board Professor Stéphane Van Damme, European University Institute Professor Laura Downs, European University Institute Professor Catherine Tackley, University of Liverpool Professor Pap Ndiaye, SciencesPo © Veronica Chincoli, 2019 No part of this thesis may be copied, reproduced or transmitted without prior permission of the author Researcher declaration to accompany the submission of written work Department of History and Civilization - Doctoral Programme I Veronica Chincoli certify that I am the author of the work “Black North American and Caribbean Music in European Metropolises: A Transnatioanl Perspective of Paris and London Music Scenes (1920s-1950s). I have presented for examination for the Ph.D. at the European University Institute. I also certify that this is solely my own original work, other than where I have clearly indicated, in this declaration and in the thesis, that it is the work of others. I warrant that I have obtained all the permissions required for using any material from other copyrighted publications. I certify that this work complies with the Code of Ethics in Academic Research issued by the European University Institute (IUE 332/2/10 (CA 297). The copyright of this work rests with its author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This work may not be reproduced without my prior written consent. This authorisation does not, to the best of my knowledge, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that this work consists of 134,306 words. Statement of inclusion of previous work: I confirm that Chapter 4 draws upon an earlier article I published: “Black Music Styles as Vehicles for Transnational and Trans-Racial Exchange: Perceptions of Blackness in the Music Scenes of London and Paris (1920s-1950s),” in Irene Fattacciu and Claudio Fogu, eds., Zapruder World: An International Journal for the History of Social Conflict 4 (2017) Statement of language correction: This thesis has been corrected for linguistic and stylistic errors. I certify that I have checked and approved all language corrections, and that these have not affected the content of this work. Signature and date: 25 March 2019 Abstract of Thesis This thesis examines black music circulation in the urban spaces of London and Paris. It shows the complexity of the evolutionary processes of black musical genres, which occurred during the late imperial period (1920s-1950s) within the urban music scenes of two imperial metropolises, and how they played an important role on the entertainment circuit. Both cities functioned as sites of cross- fertilisation for genres of music that were co-produced in a circulation between empires and Europe. Musicians of various origins met in the urban spaces of the two cities. The convergence and intermingling of musical cultures that musicians had brought with them produced new sounds. This process was influenced by a minority group (blacks), but had a significant and lasting influence on the musical world. By creating an historical account of the encounters and exchanges between people of different origins within the music scenes, this thesis examines music development and the complexity of processes of racialisation according to their historical locality and meaning. Using a variety of sources including police reports, government documents, interviews, guidebooks and newspapers, this work contributes to widen the perspective of historical studies on music developments, emphasising their social and spatial dimensions, which are fundamental for the exploration of music scenes, in general, and for the spread of black genres of music in particular. Black music styles spread internationally, but were produced in several specific locations where music industry infrastructure was developing. In the urban spaces of the music scenes of London and Paris social networks were formed by various actors - both blacks and whites - and were crucial for music production and reception; different perceptions of blackness, processes of competition, and debates on authenticity emerged; and processes of regulation and negotiation underpinned the intervention of public authorities. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... iii List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. iv Introduction ............................................................................................................................ vii Chapter 1 The Urban Cosmopolitan Music Scenes of London and Paris ........................ 33 Dual Cosmopolitanism: Written Dissonances in the Urban Areas of the Music Scenes .................. 37 Spaces for Music: Nightclubs and Black Clubs ................................................................................ 58 Informal Spaces in the Music Scenes: Cafés and Streets as Meeting Places .................................... 69 Chapter 2 Variations on Urban Lives: Mobility, Backgrounds and Routes Leading to London and Paris .................................................................................................................... 77 Afro, American, and Cuban: Movements from Harlem and Cuba .................................................... 81 The Sounds of the Empire Arrive at Home: Movements from the Caribbean .................................. 94 Internal Routes: Movements from Inside National Borders ............................................................ 102 Chapter 3 Musical Activities in Urban Spaces: Cooperation in the Music Scenes ........ 109 Manufacture and Distribution of Equipment: Music Shops ............................................................ 114 The Making of a Song: Song Publishers and Arrangers ................................................................. 127 Recording: Labels, Studios and Homes ........................................................................................... 137 Club Owners and Managers ............................................................................................................ 144 Intermediary Figures: Musical Agents and Bandleaders ................................................................. 151 The Media’s Environment: More than Simple Music Critics ......................................................... 161 Chapter 4 Black Music Styles as Vehicles for Trans-racial Interplay: Practices of Learning, Perceptions of Blackness and Commercialisation of Music ............................ 167 Setting Conventions and Creation of Styles: The Processes of Learning ....................................... 171 Blurred Perceptions of Blackness in the Music Scene of London: Trans-racial Belonging and “Indifference to Blackness” ............................................................................................................. 183 Ideas of Authenticity and the “Construction of Commonness:” Early Stages of the Commercialisation of Black Styles of Music ................................................................................................................. 197 Chapter 5 Regulating Change: Processes of Negotiation in the Music Scenes and the Intervention of the State ....................................................................................................... 221 “Displaced by the Change:” the Work of Negotiation of Musicians’ Unions ................................ 225 Immigration Policies: Foreign Musicians as Immigrants ................................................................ 241 The Activity of Control: Morals, Public Order and the Regulation of Entertainment .................... 249 Chapter 6 Modulations: Changes and Continuities in the Music Scenes in the Post-War Years ....................................................................................................................................... 275 Movements in the Music Scenes of Paris and London During the Second World War and its Aftermath ......................................................................................................................................... 278 New Waves of Migration in the Urban Space: From Subjects to Citizens ..................................... 292 The Urban Music Scenes in the 1950s: Clubs, Entertainment and the Intervention of the State .... 303 Musical Changes and Exchanges in the Post-war Years: Festivals and Experimentation .............. 320 Coda (R)evolution: Rock’n’roll and Decolonisation ........................................................ 343 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 357 Bibliography .........................................................................................................................