‘We’ve got a gig in Poland!’

Abstract

This article explores the role of jazz music in Britain in World War II, and examines the demand for jazz in the forces and among the civilian population. It considers the fractious Melody Maker–BBC relationship, the hedonistic underworld of so-called ‘Harlem in London’, and the creation of an entertainment-oriented BBC Forces’ Programme, which provided an outlet for Charles Chilton’s pioneering ‘Radio Rhythm Club’. It argues that the British public was in fact far more receptive to Nazi propaganda themes than is commonly considered to be the case, and that the success (and potential for success) of William Joyce’s ‘Lord Haw-Haw’ broadcasts gave added impetus to the need to provide acceptable entertainment on the BBC. In questioning the ‘People’s War’ discourse regarding national unity, issues of race and alleged British exceptionalism through the prism of jazz culture, the article intends to advance understanding of the complex wartime conditions which accelerated the progress of authentic jazz into mainstream British culture and broadcasting.