Originally Posted By: lambada
This is where I show my ignorance, but it my quest to produce backing tracks for singing Jazz standards. I should say that I only use RealTracks. I'm finding it difficult to track down suitable non swing styles. There seem to be endless Swing styles and then the even styles are almost all Latin. What am I not seeing? Is everything Swing in Jazz? Am I reading too much into the use of the word swing in the Jazz styles. I'm thinking Sinatra, Nat King Cole etc.


If you are seeking backing for jazz standards, yes indeed, you do need Swing styles. Most certainly for Sinatra and Nat King Cole! I can't think of anything they recorded that does not swing.

However, 'Swing' has at least of couple of different meanings, as explained here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_(jazz_performance_style)

I believe the swing that you are talking about is the'swung note', where eighth notes are weighted differently across a single beat. Typically a 2:1 ratio (80:40 ticks in BiaB), which you will see the Wikipedia article calls "Medium Swing, although this ratio can be changed. However, I do not think you can change the value of swung notes in the backing tracks. Jazz musicians all use slightly different values for the swung notes. For instance, Miles Davis often played with an almost a straight feel - certainly later in his career when he wanted to be a Pop star.

There are some jazz styles that arrived post Bebob and they do not swing. I am thinking about music such as Funk jazz styles, where the rock back beat was incorporated into previously all-swinging jazz music. And, as you mentioned, Latin music mostly does not swing.

It does of course cross my mind that most of the tunes we now call Jazz Standards are really only Standards and they were mostly not written with implied Swing. Many of them were tunes from shows and straight (not swung).

There are some straight ballad styles in BiaB but you have to search a long time to find anything without a back beat. Maybe some straight Country or Folk styles would suit you? But not for Sinatra and Nat Cole style of vocals! Sinatra used some of the best Swing arrangers in the business and Nat was a notable jazz pianist and somewhat of a pioneer in the Modern Jazz styles.

Grah Jive Talk
"Don't worry baby, they'll swing their arses off."