Klarinet Archive - Posting 000891.txt from 1998/07

From: Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.Net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Benny Goodman/Jazz Clarinet
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 21:02:23 -0400

Cindy said

> Maybe someone more
>knowledgeable can elucidate on the basic differences between swing and jazz.
>To my jaundiced eye, swing has more melodic content.

I'd say swing was one of the species of the genus jazz. Its outstanding
characteristic was that it was intended to be danceable. Listeners respond
to it physically, which is not true of all kinds of jazz. A synonym for
"swing band" was "dance band," and it was the commoner usage. Because the
music was for dancing, tempi were usually neither very slow nor extremely
frantic, as in bop, for instance. Normally it was played by a large
ensemble, fourteen pieces or more, using arrangements, but often with
improvised solos. Not all swing bands were big.There were exciting smaller
groups like Louis Jordan's and John Kirby's.

So to my mind saying that swing is one thing and jazz a different thing is
not correct. The way I'd put it is that Goodman was a great jazz
clarinetist who led a commercially successful swing band.

The problem one has in talking or writing about music is that there is no
agreement on the meaning of the words one uses, and in the second place
(Irish bull coming) words are inadequate for describing music in the first
place. Music, painting, sculpture, dance all are completely non-verbal
arts, which are intelligible in their own right. Talking and writing about
them can lead one into a great deal of nonsensical distinctions, irrelevant
analyses and fruitless discussions.

Gee, that even happens on this mail list sometimes.

Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.net>

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