Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and the Underworld

This tells the story of jazz and the underworld in 20th-century America, where mobsters and musicians enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership. Artists like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday received opportunities from the mob, including Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, and Charlie "Lucky" Luciano. However, the relationship was rooted in racial inequity, with African American musicians and white men owning clubs and production means. This glorified plantation system eventually clashed with the Civil Rights movement. Some artists believed in working in "protected" joints, while others favored playing in venues outside mob rule for career control.

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