Four words to describe the 1920's-1930's black american experience..

[TREEMAN]

SNAP............

 

[Peacoat]

In listening to this instrumental just now I noticed something I had never thought about before. Just after the turnaround in the fourth verse, Walter starts the I chord off by going to the tonic on the blow 6, but he messes up. Instead of doing the four note lick, he hits one quick blow 6, and then starts the lick he intended to lead the I chord off with. At least I think it is a mistake, but with the genius of Walter we never know. He may have used that quick note for timing, or he may have just come in too soon, almost on top of the 5 chord of the turnaround. Other than that it is a flawless performance.

Either Leonard or Phil Chess was behind the board of course.

 

[zebedee]

'Four Note Lick' is a cool phrase of four-letter words.

 

[GHT]

This website of early 20th century American slang will underline why you are finding it difficult to find a four letter word that is apt. If you look it up you will need to scroll down to page 17, there you will find a comprehensive list from A to Z.
http://www.academia.edu/1541333/American_Slang_the_20th_century

 

[oneterrifichog]

crow as in reefer ? since my last update i thought of J'BUG or J-BUG (jitterbug) but i think it'll get lost in the abbreviation plus googling reveals so many j-bug outfits like car parts supplier etc. s-i-g-h!

There is always "Gage" another word for reefer.

 

[1on1]

hats off to all for diggin deep i checked that sites long list..impressive and good to have as a reference..but most being two words would look like a billboard on a sweater i think..breakin the words front and back is an option - depending on how inticing the words.

 

[1on1]

Ok guys i think i'm going with "cotton club" the problem is i need to abbreviate "cotton" (somehow) so is "cot'n " too much of a massacre? Proper english aside, i cant have more than 4 letters so i am thinking 4 in front and 4 in back. Obviousley i have calculated that the apostrophe will not take up as much space as a letter.

can i get away with it ?

 

[Peacoat]

Can you get away with it? No, the apostrophe will take up as much space as a regular letter. Plus, I don't like it. The abbreviation of "cot'n" is, as you asked, too much of a massacre of the English language.

 

[GHT]

Can you get away with it? No, the apostrophe will take up as much space as a regular letter. Plus, I don't like it. The abbreviation of "cot'n" is, as you asked, too much of a massacre of the English language.

Agreed, and you are putting yourself under self imposed constraints by using all the space for just four letters. You could, if you really want it so large, go three & three, like this:
COT
TON
But it still lacks the impact that Cotton gives.
I'm not being negative, quite the contrary, Cotton Club is an inspired name. A club that brought fantastic popular music to everyone. You could easily have Cotton Club on the front with All That Jazz on the back and it would still be an exquisite, unique piece of artwork. You can see from these examples that there's plenty of room.

Have a look at larger images here: https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...gAhUUVRUIHWHfBBsQsAR6BAgAEAE&biw=1351&bih=590

 

[scottyrocks]

I like the suggestion of @handymike of Juke, as in juke joint. Juke joints were so popular through the mid half of the 20th century that Little Walter Jacobs immortalized the word in his harmonica instrumental from 1952:

People will think he drives a Nissan.

 

[handymike]

Why not do CLUB in the felt letters and have the word COTTON embroidered.