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Re: No Swing in the U.K.?

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: No Swing in the U.K.?
From: ptaylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Paul Taylor)
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 01:35:49 +0000
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

>Tom Sheridan
>Percussionist, Failsworth Band
>Manchester, UK

wrote:

>The rhythm section lays down the background beat, exactly and 
>precisely, and this allows the melody line to be swung by 
>starting some of the notes slightly before the precise beat.  
>Both short and long notes can have this treatment.  Classical 
>musicians can imagine that the note has a grace note of the 
>same pitch tied to it.
>
>This is usually notated by tying a quaver to the start of a 
>melody note.  Again, this is only an approximation. The precise 
>amount is a matter of judgement.

I've been receiving this list for some weeks now, and this is my first
message. I couldn't help responding to Tom's valiant effort to explain the
mysteries of swing to the brass band fraternity.

I started out in brass bands in Oldham as a kid. Now I play jazz and other
stuff for a humble living in London. This certainly doesn't make me a great
authority, but it has led me to query the point made above.

Does anyone seriously tie quavers to the start of melody notes to
approximate swing? No wonder so many bands don't swing. Of course beats are
anticipated (and delayed) in jazz interpretations, but this can only be
done musically by players who can really feel the music, i.e. people
experienced in playing jazz. In written jazz arrangements, offbeat or
syncopated notes may be part and parcel of the intended melodic line, just
as notes written on the beat must be played exactly where they are.

>For the other rules, you'd be better asking somebody else. Hey, 
>I'm only a percussionist :)  To give you a flavour of them, you 
>know the open note that comes after G, that isn't quite B-flat 
>and you're not supposed to play it? That's one of the notes of 
>the jazz/blues scale. 

This note: what on earth is it? Can you explain what this is supposed to mean?

>How about a shortlist of three tracks from CDs that best display 
>the elements of swing to someone wanting to learn?  In other words, 
>not necessarily your favourite records, but easily available 
>tracks that are good examples of the above two rules?

Duke Ellington: The Private Collection: several low-priced volumes on Kaz
Records.

Happy listening.

Cheers,

Paul Taylor.

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