Music trends come and go. What is popular with one generation may sound like noise to their elders or their children, but some styles of music stand the test of time. One of these is big band, or “swing music.”
For Young and Old
Big band music was first popularized in the swing era of the 1930’s. Since then, it has enjoyed waxing and waning public interest, and though certainly not as mainstream as in the past, is still considered well-liked today. It stands alone as a type of music that is both fun-loving and wholesome, enjoyable and accessible to fans of all ages.
Modern big band swing artists still draw sizeable crowds and sell a handsome number of albums, both in the form of tangible disc copies and digital downloads. A genre revitalized by artists with a classical jazz sound – or “jazz noir”, in the words of popular Los Angeles-based artist, Sylvia Brooks – it appeals to a wide array of listeners around the world.
Let’s Go Dancing
Perhaps the greatest draw big band swing artists have for modern audiences is the fact that the music is terrific for dance. People who like dancing but aren’t as fond of the music typically played in clubs and bars with a more modern feel can enjoy an exciting night out without compromise – and few styles of music are more exciting than swing.
Concerts given by artists from within this genre are also often a unique experience, a stark contrast from the major spectacles that concerts have become. Although popular jazz vocalists do draw large crowds, their stage sets are more intimate, and background instrumentals are often played live, onstage, with little or no synthesizing. This is just one more way that big band music sets itself apart in a world where much music seems increasingly similar as time goes on.
Jazz of all forms is a type of music that harkens back to a time that is perceived as simpler, a time that modern listeners’ parents and grandparents remember, and reminds us all that good things really do have staying power, even in the rapidly-changing modern day.
