From Shtetl to Swing

Filmmaker Fabienne Rousso-Lenoir's engaging documentary follows the development of popular music in 20th-century America, with an emphasis on the Jewish roots informing the work of such influential composers as George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Richard Rodgers, as well as performers such as Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, while also acknowledging that their music was also deeply influenced by African-American elements. Using archival footage—including clips of artists such as Sophie Tucker, Al Jolson, Cab Calloway, and Louis Armstrong (as well as rare film from Yiddish theatre, early movies with Molly Picon, dance band performances, and even bits from a film in which Rodgers and Lorenz Hart played themselves), From Shtetl to Swing ably sketches the Jewish immigrant experience, the enormous impact of jazz, aspects of Depression-era filmmaking, and even the pioneering integration efforts on the part of some Jewish bandleaders. While the central argument regarding Jewish influence is a bit broad—like the narration delivered with lip-smacking relish by Harvey Fierstein—the inherent fascination of the subject and the remarkable variety of visual material make this love letter to Broadway and Harlem a rewarding watch. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)