Cultural ‘fusions’: aspects of British West Indian music in the USA and Britain 1918–51

In recent years, a surprising void has opened in discussions of the evolution of twentieth-century British popular music. Directly and indirectly, much attention has been given to the influence of the United States. Little, however, has been written on the development of Britain's own popular vocal and dance forms, especially in the key years between the two World Wars; neither have other cultural inter-relationships, such as British acceptance of ‘Latin American’ rhythms received the attention they deserve.