Does the Word “Swing” Sound Familiar?

Obviously everyone knows what a swing is, they have either seen one at the park or been on one as a child.  Doesn’t that bring back good memories? However, that is not the kind of “swing” I am talking about. If you did not know, swing is a type of rhythm that can be heard in a variety of different genres: blues, country, jazz, etc.  A swing rhythm is created with the use of eighth notes. To get the this rhythm with the pair of notes, one would play the first note long and the second note short (wikipedia). When I think of the word swing, in music terms, I always think of jazz music.  A jazz artist that always comes to my mind is Louis Armstrong also known as Satchmo. One song in particular with a swing rhythm is “On the Sunny Side of the Street”, which was recorded by many artists, including Armstrong. One of the main instruments heard throughout song is the trumpet.  As soon the song begins, the long and short notes switching off can be heard very clearly. Mixing up the length of the notes, gives a relaxing and fun feel to the song. I think this kind of rhythm is creative because the performer is not playing the exact value of the notes which are written on the page.  By using a swing rhythm, a musician is making the performance of a song more unique with their own style. Jazz music would not be as fun to listen to without the swing rhythm.