Jazz slang
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Forum Name: Jazz related lounge
Forum Description: Discuss bands and albums classified as Jazz related
URL: http://www.JazzMusicArchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18375
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Topic: Jazz slang
Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Subject: Jazz slang
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2018 at 5:29am
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What do you know about jazz words/slang used and created by the big artist of jazz. I've been looking for another word they used to refer to musicians other than cats. i know that Cab Calloway brought a book or did a speech on the jazz lingo. but i still cant find another terms other than cats or alligator. i was just wondering if anyone knew of anything that could help me and if you do, do you know the meaning behind them. thanks 
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Replies:
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2018 at 7:29am
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Some other terms used over the years: Long Hairs - a term for classical musicians long ago because they tended to have long hair. The term was then applied to jazz that was classically influenced, or avant-garde as in 'long hair music'. Moldy figs - a term used long ago for musicians who were resistant to new things in jazz. Hep cats - jazz musicians and fans.
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Posted By: js
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2018 at 3:53pm
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I remembered some more: Clams - wrong notes played during a solo. Blow - play or solo Blow through the changes - taking a solo over the chord changes of a song Chops - someone's musical skills. Licorice stick - clarinet
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Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 1:52am
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that's great thank you, i hadn't heard of any of those second lot you sent so that very useful information. I really like chops haha it flows so well! do you know if jazz musicians today still use these terms? |
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 3:18am
| ^ Clams, blow, chops, those are all still very common, the other terms belong to another era though. |
Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 3:20am
| well that's good to know. thank you for your help |
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 6:41am
| Take a ride - play a solo |
Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 6:44am
| that's an interesting one. i would have thought something like 'take a ride' would have been to do with drugs. But i like learning new things thanks. |
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 6:57am
| By the way, some threads got moved around, let me now if you can't find anything. |
Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 7:04am
| i will do thanks! still trying to fully understand and navigate this website :') but i'm getting there! |
Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 7:11am
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Also what would your definition of ragtime be? Besides the early piano genre which i know what an early genre of jazz (which is what i used to think it was only referred to) i've now found it used to describe early dixieland and also types of tap dance (from the film musical Oklahoma!) In terms of it as dixieland where does the difference in the two come or is there one at all or is this just another term used both having the same meaning? |
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 7:30am
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Ragtime comes before jazz. Early jazz is sort of ragtime mixed with blues. Dixieland is a form of jazz that comes along later. Have you checked our site's genre sections. We have sections for ragtime and dixieland where you can hear samples and read a brief definition. You can also go to a source like allmusic and read in depth definitions. It would take a lot of typing to answer your question in depth right now.
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Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 7:37am
| i will check it out now ive been looking for a reliable site or source of information as every site i go on says something different to the last one so at least with this i will know. thanks :) |
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2018 at 8:05am
| The info on our site should be accurate, allmusic is usually real good too. |
Posted By: Shrdlu
Date Posted: 10 Nov 2018 at 2:50pm
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If you are talking about jazz slang, you must consider Slim Gaillard and Lester Young. Slim made up an insider vocabulary called Vout A-Rooney. A small dictionary of it was published in the 1940s. Quick example: On "Slim's Jam", a Gaillard classic from 1945 with Bird and Diz, Slim mentions a "reety vooty", which is a burrito. Prez hid behind a lot of his own insider terms. He called cops Bob Crosbys. Few people today know that he introduced the word "cool", and "bread" (pay) was one of his.
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