In BLUE SMOKE, the first comprehensive illustrated history of New Zealand popular music in the days before rock'n'roll, Chris Bourke brings to life a lost musical world. It's an era of rapid evolution in tastes and technology. Sheet music gives way to radio, while in dance halls the Charleston cuts in on the waltz. From the patriotic songs of World War I to the Howard Morrison Quartet's 'Battle of Waikato', BLUE SMOKE chronicles half a century of change. It examines the rise of jazz, swing, country, the Hawaiian sound, and the arrival of rock'n'roll; the development of a local recording industry and the tensions with global giants; the interaction between musicians and the wider community; and the impact of tours by overseas stars. Drawing on unpublished archival material, interviews and transcripts, BLUE SMOKE is richly illustrated with rare photographs, record covers and music ephemera sourced from private and public collections around the country.