Without the support and interest of the white public, there would be no money to pay black jazz musicians. The recording industry provided the jazz musician (black and white) with the means of reaching the mostly white listening audience, which was willing to pay for the music. In the earlier days, white businessmen “exploited” the black musicians by employing them in nightclubs and recording and distributing their music. Therefore, without the attraction to black jazz of white listeners, there wouldn’t have been a market for it.
Without the support and interest of the white public, there would be no money to pay black jazz musicians.
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Black musicians were playing jazz before the whites came in large numbers during the swing era.
They weren’t getting rich by any stretch, but the music existed.
Existence and the presence of good paydays are 2 very different things.
I would caution about comparing the impulse to play music and making good money. If it was about the money exclusively, we’d have very few bluegrass musicians, even fewer folk singers, and well, you get the idea.
JMO.