Babes in arms: A teen-age boy puts on a show with his friends to avoid being sent to a work farm. Strike up the band: Jimmy Connors is a hot-shot drummer for his desultory high school band, with his "pal" Mary Holden a singer who dreams of snagging Jimmy for her own. When Jimmy learns that the band is in debt, he suggests to the principal that they disband the brass band, and create a modern dance orchestra, so they can throw a dance to pay off...

"This is the story of the zest for life that gripped New York in the post-war years of the 1920s. The decade ushered in an era of almost unprecedented prosperity and economic expansion that made New York the powerhouse of America and fuelled a wave of creativity in music, fashion, literature and architecture. Strike Up the Band explores how the city became a magnet for a host of outstanding personalities, from literary figures to sports stars, musicians,...