Swing Shift "All-Girl" Bands of the 1940s

"Moving adroitly back and forth from the 1940s, SWING SHIFT analyses the achievement of bans and celebrates the skill and tenacity of their soloists and leaders....Some of the bands, like the all white "Hour of Charm" Orchestra (whose male leader, Phil Spitalny, sought an effect "of mellowness, of floating, elusive persuasion", and, according to one of Tucker's interviewees, gave the occasional hotel room audition in his underpants), were largely insulated from hardship by their glamorous profile. All this is revealing and entertaining, but the real impact of SWING SHIFT is felt when attention is turned to the bands which...risked going on the road mixed race outfits, and to the further reaching significance of the all black bands."Tucker, Sherrie is the author of 'Swing Shift "All-Girl" Bands of the 1940s' with ISBN 9780822328179 and ISBN 0822328178.