The term ‘swing’ has a connotation of a to and fro movement and to be particular, this is the reason behind the naming of the greatest genre of music during the late 1920s. To be specific, the triplet subdivision of each note brings a swing motion within the listener and there lies the foundation of the once dominating music scene. Jazz and swing go hand in hand and it all started with stride pianists in the 1920s.
Though jazz is unimaginably diverse and has several aspects to it, swing happened to hold a place of its own within this vast genre. As already said, swing became prevalent in the United States and stayed for a considerable period of time until the onset of World War II.
Swing music came to popularity with big bands performing for large audiences in the dance halls of that time. Not only that, radio stations and records were all flooded with this kind of music. Some of the radio stations still play big band music in the USA. This proves that the spirit of swing music is alive and kicking till date.
The Big Bands:
Small ensembles consisting of a trumpet, clarinet, trombone, bass, piano, banjo and drum kit performed jazz music before the 1930s. Each instrument had a specific significance in the ensemble and players were often into improvising. These groups of musicians were later popularized by the name big band. Later on, ensembles were seen to be featuring three or four trumpeters, saxophonists, trombonists, a bassist, a guitarist, a pianist, and a drummer.
The Popularity Of Swing:
Swing rose to popularity at the time when the country was drowned in hard times. Americans found their solace while dancing to the swing music forgetting all worries. The other factor which acted magically was the intensity of the music and that drove people towards it. The Great Depression of the 1930s was one of the main reasons for Americans to react positively at the swing. People started finding a connection between swing and the joy of living. One of the most famous music pieces of that time was ‘It don't mean a thing' by Duke Ellington.
Prominent Musicians Of That Era:
To start with, Count Basie was one bandleader who deserves to be at the top. Due to his excellent bandleading quality, he led his own orchestra for about 50 years. His band could be distinguished by the unique style of music which mostly dealt with bluesy arrangements accompanied by easy rhythms. While the other bands were striving to achieve that simple swing feel in their music, Count Basie made a great example of what swing should actually be. Other notable musicians include:
Buddy Rich - Rich was a drummer, well-known for his powerful and fast playing skills. This off-track drumming made him one of the most prominent big band drummers. He played with some big names like Benny Carter, Frank Sinatra, and Artie Shaw.
Tommy Dorsey - He was known for his signature trombone playing style. His playing pushed his band to the limelight and made it one of the biggest hits in the swing era. His band featured some great artists like Frank Sinatra, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, to name a few.
Benny Goodman - This man was arguably the greatest clarinetist of the swing era. He was innovative, talented and an amazing musician. Goodman was a prodigy and he made his first professional appearance at the age of 12. He made his first solo recording at the age of 18. Throughout his career, he played with famous people like Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Charlie Christian, to name a few.
Artie Shaw - Artie was a great instrumentalist and an arranger. He happened to be the first white bandleader to sign a full-time black singer, Billie Holiday. He made some great contributions to swing music, not only with his own music but also by giving breaks to some talented musicians like Buddy Rich.
The swing music had a lot to do with the American music culture. Various sub genres came into existence following the path shown by the above-listed musicians. Later on, jazz was explored by a plethora of musicians and swing gradually lost its initial recognition just like any other form of art. Though the great swing musicians are not alive today, their music still is. There is a dedicated big band music station in the USA which keeps alive the spirit of swing music till date by playing all the old records for jazz enthusiasts of the present generation.
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