Jazz is “Dance Music”

So far this semester, we have surveyed a variety of Western musical genres: monophonic religious plainchant from the Middle Ages, polyphonic religious hymns from the early Renaissance, operas, symphonies, chamber ensembles, and, now, jazz. All of these genres served a distinct social purpose: plainchant and polyphonic hymns were an integral part of Catholic mass; operas are secular musical dramas designed to amuse and entertain; symphonies are meant to entertain audience that has gathered in a concert hall for the explicit purpose of hearing Mozart’s “Jupiter”; and small chamber ensembles are generally used as background music at weddings and parties (at least, that’s what chamber music is used for today).

The majority of the music we have studied so far in class was composed for consumption by a stationary audience. We haven’t yet encountered “dance music” in this class—besides waltzes, which are decidedly different from jazz.  Jazz is the first Western musical genre we’ve discussed that is explicitly meant for dancing. Of course, you can listen to Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train” or Louis Armstrong’s “Potato Head Blues” without dancing—but it’s difficult for me to remain completely stationary when I hear one of these upbeat jazz tunes. Even if I don’t jump to my feet and start dancing, I usually tap my feet or snap my fingers to the music.

Jazz music is “dance music”, because it’s constructed in a way that makes it easy to dance to. For example, “Take the A Train” is in duple meter; it has a consistent (and fast) tempo emphasized by a steady drum beat and cheerful plucked bass line; and its melody is repetitive. “Take the A Train” does not include any long pauses. The music does not grow incredibly quiet for thirty seconds and then suddenly become extremely loud (like in Mozart’s “Jupiter”). There is a consistent melodic theme throughout the song, though there are enough slight variations to the melody to prevent it from becoming tedious. And, perhaps most tellingly, the song is 2 minutes and 53 seconds long—which, coincidentally, is the longest amount of time I can dance energetically without suffering an exercise-induced asthma attack.

68 thoughts on “Jazz is “Dance Music”

  1. KUWIN

    Ra đời 2013, KUWIN nhanh chóng trở thành lựa chọn số 1 tại Việt Nam & châu Á với thưởng cao, nhiều trò chơi. kuwin house – nền tảng cá cược minh bạch, an toàn, ưu đãi không ngừng.

    Reply
  2. sunwin

    sunwin mang đến trải nghiệm game đổi thưởng mới mẻ; với đa dạng trò chơi bài truyền thống; cập nhật thường xuyên, giúp người chơi không ngừng hào hứng tại sunwinn deal.

    Reply
  3. RR88

    RR88 – Sân chơi cá cược hàng đầu Châu Á với thể thao, đá gà, lô đề, xổ số, nổ hũ, game đổi thưởng… Ưu đãi cực lớn, hỗ trợ nhanh, tỷ lệ siêu cao. Truy cập rr8884 com để tận hưởng niềm vui cá cược mỗi ngày!

    Reply
  4. J88

    J88 – Điểm đến cá cược đẳng cấp từ 2005, được cấp phép từ Philippines. Cung cấp sảnh game hấp dẫn: thể thao, bắn cá, nổ hũ, xổ số… Ưu đãi lớn cho mọi người chơi tại j88com limited. Sân chơi an toàn – thưởng đậm tay!

    Reply
  5. Bet88

    Bet88 mang đến trải nghiệm cá cược trực tuyến tuyệt vời với slot game và thể thao đa dạng, dịch vụ tận tâm và cơ hội thắng lớn tại bet8866 pro.

    Reply
  6. hm88.black

    Từ thành công của HM88, phiên bản hm88.black ra đời như một bước tiến vượt bậc. Tôi tin đây sẽ là lựa chọn hàng đầu cho người chơi đang tìm kiếm nền tảng giải trí đẳng cấp và uy tín.

    Reply
  7. PG99

    Dẫn đầu xu hướng 2025, PG99 chinh phục người chơi bằng công nghệ game hiện đại, dễ thắng và ưu đãi bất tận. Cơ hội lớn đang chờ bạn tại pg99 green

    Reply
  8. HITCLUB

    HITCLUB – nơi bạn tìm thấy mọi thể loại game yêu thích cùng vô vàn ưu đãi. hitclub hot là lựa chọn không thể bỏ qua cho game thủ hiện đại.

    Reply
  9. metal garden arch

    I finally found great post here.I will get back here. I just added your blog to my bookmark sites. thanks.Quality posts is the crucial to invite the visitors to visit the web page, that’s what this web page is providing. metal garden arch

    Reply
  10. 69vn

    Hãy chọn 69vn nếu bạn muốn trải nghiệm cá cược an toàn, minh bạch, tốc độ nạp rút cực nhanh. Link vào chuẩn nhất hôm nay: 69vnxn com.

    Reply
  11. abc8

    Với hàng ngàn lượt truy cập mỗi giờ, abc8 khẳng định vị thế hàng đầu trong làng cá cược. Truy cập abc8xn com và gia nhập cộng đồng cược thủ đỉnh cao!

    Reply
  12. ok

    Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! Luxury Furniture Sale

    Reply
  13. pg slot

    I think this is a really good article. You make this information interesting and engaging. You give readers a lot to think about and I appreciate that kind of writing.

    pg slot

    Reply
  14. johan222

    Fish Hunter 2 EX It is another online slot game that is becoming very popular. That can play games easily and still stands as one of the real giveaways from the SLOTXO camp that is proud to present

    Reply
  15. aomuiss632

    HI-LO THAI is one of the most popular online gambling options around the world. By the company that creates game camps, it is mainly casino games in a variety of formats.

    Reply
  16. dmx-official

    Your article fit well with two things I recently read. dmx-official
    showed how scammers use fake payout receipts to create trust. sbcamericas listed real reviews from users who were duped by that same tactic. Together with your post, it makes the signs easier to spot.

    Reply
  17. za

    Fish Hunter 2 EX It is another online slot game that is becoming very popular. That can play games easily and still stands as one of the real giveaways from the SLOTXO camp that is proud to present

    Reply
  18. Zonnepanelen werking

    I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. Zonnepanelen werking

    Reply
  19. Warmtepompen Genk

    It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I desire to suggest you few interesting things or tips. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I want to read more things about it! Warmtepompen Genk

    Reply
  20. za

    SA Gaming is one of the most popular online gambling options around the world. By the company that creates game camps, it is mainly casino games in a variety of formats.

    Reply
  21. 24kbet

    I wouldn’t usually bookmark something like this but this one felt different. Could be a hidden win. Check it out if you’ve got a minute. 24kbet

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *