Reminiscing in Swingtime: Japanese Americans in American Popular Music, 1925-1960

George Yoshida has brought forth a fascinating tale of Japanese American jazz and swing players whose lives remained unknown to most fans and historians. In telling their stories this book teaches us valuable lessons in American history, as well as jazz history.

Japanese Americans in California and elsewhere often dealt with the trauma and anger of World War II internment by pushing the experience out of their memories. Using well-focused recollections of the 30s and 40s as well as his gentle interviewing skills, Yoshida has set the facts before us.