[Dixielandjazz] "Gig"

Fred Spencer drjz at bealenet.com
Thu Feb 24 05:20:55 PST 2005


Dear Steve  et al.,
Robert S. Gold in "Jazz Talk"(Bobbs-Merrill, 1975) writes "gig. [poss. from 
"gigue", a lively dance form of Italian origin... (cf. English counterpart 
"jig" from old French "giguer")], and that "bandleader James Reese Europe 
used the term in its jazz sense as early as
1905",according to Eubie Blake. Cheers.
Fred

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 11:45 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] "Gig"


> This was found on the web. Makes sense. But many of us may have forgotten
> "DANCE", as a reason to play OKOM. :-) VBG
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
> "Most dictionaries say that the origin of "gig" in this sense is unknown,
> but it really doesn't seem that great a mystery. Appearing in English in 
> the
> 15th century, "gig" meant something that spins, as in "whirligig."
> Subsequent meanings included "joke," "merriment" and (aha!) "DANCE." Since
> playing at parties and dances is every musician's meal ticket early in 
> their
> career, it's easy to see how "gig" became generalized to mean any paying
> job."
>
>
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