My best guess is that this curious 'demonstration' record was intended for radio station use, or perhaps as some sort of sales tool in record shops, but I can't say as I have any real clue...
The seeds of Bop music were sown long before pioneers like Bird & Diz & Monk began sprouting up in the first half of the 1940's.
By 1949, this brand of progressive jazz may have still been a novelty to many, but had gained enough prominence (if not respectability) to warrant reference materials like this recording as a handy guide to the layman.
By 1949, arranger/conductor Paul Weston ('the father of "mood" music') was working as A&R director for
Capitol Records and had his finger on the pulse of popular music and its trends.
The text piece he'd written was adapted as something of an audio documentary, using announcer Tom Reddy as narrator.
(Weston had worked with Reddy often when conducting studio orchestras for radio)
Coincidentally enough, many of the artists cited on this record were under contract with Capitol at the time...
Listen to:
Written by Paul Weston,
Narrated by Tom Reddy -
What Is This Thing Called Bop? (Parts 1 & 2)
(Capitol Records 78, 1949)
(click for audio)
- See also: Paul Weston entry at Space Age Pop.Com
My best guess is that this curious 'demonstration' record was intended for radio station use, or perhaps as some sort of sales tool in record shops, but I can't say as I have any real clue...
By 1949, arranger/conductor Paul Weston ('the father of "mood" music') was working as A&R director for 
