Speaker Series: Jazz Talk with Author Bill Milkowski

Join award-winning author Bill Milkowski for Jive Chronicles: Resurrecting Jazz’s Forgotten Entertainers, a journey through jazz history as he uncovers often overlooked entertainers who brought ebullience and humor to the stage. From the 1920s to the 1940s, musicians like Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Slim Gaillard, and Louis Jordan captivated audiences with their lively performances, yet their contributions to jazz have been minimized by critics and historians.

The emergence of a more “serious” aesthetic in the 1950s, exemplified by Miles Davis’s innovative approach, marginalized these entertainers, dismissing them as outdated. Drawing from his book “Swing It! An Annotated History of Jive,” Bill will delve into their lives and stories, highlighting their enduring charm, significance, and lasting impact on jazz. Accompanied by video and wrapped in engaging Q&A, Bill will engage the audience in a journey back in jazz!