Swing Standards
tagStarted 1932Peak 1936–1945Last big hit 1946
Located in 1 route
Swing standards emphasize the rhythmic feel itself—the lift produced by off-beat accents, flowing phrasing, and the conversion of straight pulses into danceable movement. Compared with broader big-band standards, the central identity here is not just orchestra size but the unmistakable propulsion of swing time.
History
The repertory matured when arranged big bands transformed jazz into America’s main dance and popular style, with Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Chick Webb, and Jimmie Lunceford setting core templates; many of these recordings became standards precisely because they captured swing’s balance of discipline, looseness, and dance-floor electricity.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Swing"
- Carnegie Hall Timeline, "History of Swing Bands"
- Smithsonian Folkways, *Swingin'*. citeturn5search1turn5search0turn5search19