In the early 1920s, before jitterbugs were heard of, U. S. citizens stretched their legs to a suave, complex and relatively deliberate type of jazz. For this jazz Tin Pan Alley tunesmiths tapped out the melodies, lavishly equipped dance bands swelled the refrain. But the highly technical business of writing out the music, making accompaniments and orchestrations was done by men called "arrangers." Though the Irving Berlins and the Vincent Lopezes got the kudos and the bacon, it was their hard-working arrangers who actually butchered the pig.
King of Jazz at this time was...