# What style of music is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 15, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251 "2016-01-15T17:27:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/21 "2016-01-16T23:46:17Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > In case you’d like to search for specific “big bands”, I Googled for “best big bands” and found several sites, including this one that purports to list the ten best big bands: > > [http://www.memory-lane.org/TheBigBands.html](http://www.memory-lane.org/TheBigBands.html) > > They are (in order): > > 01 Glenn Miller > 02 Benny Goodman > 03 Tomy Dorsey > 04 Artie Shaw > 05 Woody Herman > 06 Duke Ellington > 07 Charlie Barnet > 08 Stan Kenton > 09 Count Basie > 10 Harry James Good God! If you’re looking for “easy listening” music, you’d better stay away from most of the bands listed above. I’ve got a recording of a 1955 Kansas City dance date by Basie’s band that’s pretty much rock and roll. His rhythm section didn’t fuck around. The Glenn Miller Orchestra was mayo on white bread, but the other nine ran SERIOUSLY swinging organizations. Like, when your grandma danced to 'em, you saw her stocking tops. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/22 "2016-01-17T07:45:49Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Good God! If you’re looking for “easy listening” music, you’d better stay away from most of the bands listed above. > > I’ve got a recording of a 1955 Kansas City dance date by Basie’s band that’s pretty much rock and roll. His rhythm section didn’t fuck around. > > The Glenn Miller Orchestra was mayo on white bread, but the other nine ran SERIOUSLY swinging organizations. Like, when your grandma danced to 'em, you saw her stocking tops. I want to thank you for your tip about Count Basie. I listened to quite a few of his later recordings and they were quite wonderful. I’m thinking of adding them to my “Favorite Tunes” folder. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to locate the recording you mentioned - “1955 Kansas City dance date”. 🙂 I don’t understand what you meant when you said, “His rhythm section didn’t fuck around”. I have found that very often, it’s difficult to put explanations of musical opinions into words. It’s usually something that people feel and not something they can easily explain. But if you can explain a little, I would def appreciate. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/23 "2016-01-17T07:55:41Z")
Also, I’d like to ask if anyone might be able to explain something to me about Charlie Parker. I recently saw the film Whiplash about a prestigious music school and a talented drummer who studied there under some very sadistic instructor. > **[Whiplash (2014) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582802/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_38)** > > Whiplash: Directed by Damien Chazelle. With Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist. A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at... This instructor (played by J.K. Simmons?) told stories about how wonderful Charlie Parker was. He made it sound like Parker was the most gifted jazz musician ever. I’ve listened to some of Parker’s recordings. But I just don’t get it. Can anyone possibly explain what it is that makes him so wonderful? I understand that it’s extremely difficult to put explanations about music into words. But if anyone can explain what it is about Charlie Parker that makes him so gifted, I sure would like to know. The movie was rated very high and most people who have written opinions about it seem to think it was a wonderful film. But I just don’t get it. It didn’t seem anywhere close to wonderful to me. I’m guessing that I just don’t understand music well enough to put these things into words. Does anyone think they may be able to explain it to me? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/24 "2016-01-17T08:42:01Z")
**Charlie Wayne** , I can relate to your problem in “getting” Charlie Parker. I have had similar issues with his music and I call myself a jazz fan. Perhaps watching the Eastwood movie [Bird (1988),](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094747/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) which is as loving and respectful a treatment of his life and music as you’re apt to find, may give you some clues as to why “Bird” is revered as much as he is to this day by those in the know. It’s one of those tastes you have to work at acquiring, I suspect. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/25 "2016-01-17T09:42:24Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > **Charlie Wayne** , I can relate to your problem in “getting” Charlie Parker. I have had similar issues with his music and I call myself a jazz fan. Perhaps watching the Eastwood movie [Bird (1988),](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094747/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) which is as loving and respectful a treatment of his life and music as you’re apt to find, may give you some clues as to why “Bird” is revered as much as he is to this day by those in the know. > > It’s one of those tastes you have to work at acquiring, I suspect. Wow! Thank you so very much. I never expected that anyone would answer me - especially an answer that was as informative and showed such insight as yours did. Thanks again. I will try to check out that film and if I do, I will let you know. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/26 "2016-01-17T12:39:57Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Jackie was a recording artist himself; then his bandleader was Sammy Spear; and there was Nelson Riddle; Lawrence Welk; I think it started to be called Schmaltz sometime in the 60s and after. A used record store in Seattle used to specialize in this music. The owner called the genre “Sweet music” and “Sweet bands”, a term I’ve never seen anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/27 "2016-01-17T17:00:13Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Also, I’d like to ask if anyone might be able to explain something to me about Charlie Parker. > > I recently saw the film Whiplash about a prestigious music school and a talented drummer who studied there under some very sadistic instructor. > > [Whiplash (2014) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582802/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_38) > > This instructor (played by J.K. Simmons?) told stories about how wonderful Charlie Parker was. He made it sound like Parker was the most gifted jazz musician ever. I’ve listened to some of Parker’s recordings. But I just don’t get it. Can anyone possibly explain what it is that makes him so wonderful? > > I understand that it’s extremely difficult to put explanations about music into words. But if anyone can explain what it is about Charlie Parker that makes him so gifted, I sure would like to know. > > The movie was rated very high and most people who have written opinions about it seem to think it was a wonderful film. But I just don’t get it. It didn’t seem anywhere close to wonderful to me. I’m guessing that I just don’t understand music well enough to put these things into words. > > Does anyone think they may be able to explain it to me? Your question seems to be missing a lot: Have you listened to jazz before and after Parker? What do you like in jazz music? Do you know the context of what he was doing? Do you like any of his contemporaries? He was a technical master of high speed inventive improvisation, and was the main inventor in a cohort that created a whole new language that brought on the future in jazz. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/28 "2016-01-17T17:14:38Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Your question seems to be missing a lot: > Have you listened to jazz before and after Parker? > What do you like in jazz music? > Do you know the context of what he was doing? > Do you like any of his contemporaries? > > He was a technical master of high speed inventive improvisation, and was the main inventor in a cohort that created a whole new language that brought on the future in jazz. Oh my. After reading your post, I feel most embarrassed. I have hardly ever listened to jazz music. I much prefer blues. But that seems to be quite irrelevant in the context of this thread. I’m afraid that I have no knowledge of Charlie Parker or what he was doing and I only know **of** some of his contemporaries - such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Dizzie Gillespie. The work that I am most familiar with is Louis Armstrong, “When the Saints go Marching In.” I heard that played many times on the radio when I was still in grade school. I once bought an album by George Benson. But although I listened to it several times, I could never find anything enjoyable about it. I think I should probablly withdraw from this thread because I know so little about jazz and I have never even enjoyed it. After seeing that movie (“Whirlpool”) and hearing them talk about the genius of Charlie Parker, I was intrigued and I listened to some of his work. But as I said earlier, I just didn’t appreciate it. I feel like I’ve wasted your time and I feel bad about that. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/29 "2016-01-17T17:25:20Z")
> [@Karen\_X2](#): > > When I was very little (in the late 60’s), my parents listened to the radio a lot. It was always “orchestra” type of music, like you would hear on the Jackie Gleason show, Red Skelton show (David Rose Orchestra) Both my parents are long gone, and find myself wanting to hear this genre again. You know, Days of Wine and Roses, etc, but all instrumental, no lyrics. Lots of strings and such. What “style” is this? Classical, although I like it, is close, but not close enough. I’ve been searching on Pandora and TuneIn Radio, but no luck. Can anyone help? Coming back to the OP again, I’m wondering if [David Rose & His Orchestra - Holiday For Strings (1955 Version)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxz86P5pcbM) might be that elusive sound you’re trying to identify. If so, there’s quite a bit of that treatment in what’s called [PRODUCTION MUSIC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k2Io0gUhwE) and some fun samples can be found in the vicinity of [Ren and Stimpy Soundtrack: Hollywood Holiday](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPSvZ_J-80k&list=PLoEIZ4ULmT4bDlL46WHIRt02cQLKzMSab) And, as icing, there’s always the nostalgia of [Leroy Anderson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hNMu7-mAMM&index=3&list=PLu8W_W5D5AC7AcE-vA0SbMwvOVLjpsdXi) whose 1950s sounds were everywhere in my young life! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/30 "2016-01-17T18:24:23Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Unfortunately, I can’t seem to locate the recording you mentioned - “1955 Kansas City dance date”. > > I don’t understand what you meant when you said, “His rhythm section didn’t fuck around”…if you can explain a little, I would def appreciate. > **[Count Basie and the Stars Of Birdland On Tour! \[LIVE\] - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/Count-Basie-Stars-Birdland-Tour/dp/B000008AB4)** > > Count Basie and the Stars Of Birdland On Tour! \[LIVE\] - Amazon.com Music If you like the blues, you understand that the rhythm section (typically some combo of piano, guitar, bass, drums) provides the beat, the movement, the excitement, right? Basie’s rhythm sections, particularly the guys on the above recording, ROCK OUT. The band is like a big roaring steam locomotive comin right ATCHA, and you wanna DANCE, you SOB, so it don’t RUN YA OVER. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/31 "2016-01-17T18:36:04Z")
Y’all made me think of some Basie that is as lowdown as I have heard yet: [Count Basie “Sunday At The Savoy”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGx50nI5asU&index=141&list=FLr5Z9EbNm-xwrQfLOvIzt1A) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/32 "2016-01-17T18:40:49Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > All the **Easy Listening** answers support my first instinct, but to narrow that large field down to some more specific sub-genres, you might investigate [Space Age Pop](http://spaceagepop.com/) which has some audio examples to help with the fine-tuning of your tastes. Wanted to highlight this again and thank you for posting it. Quite a rabbit hole to fall down there! ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/33 "2016-01-17T22:43:05Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Oh my. After reading your post, I feel most embarrassed. I have hardly ever listened to jazz music. I much prefer blues. But that seems to be quite irrelevant in the context of this thread. > > I’m afraid that I have no knowledge of Charlie Parker or what he was doing and I only know **of** some of his contemporaries - such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Dizzie Gillespie. The work that I am most familiar with is Louis Armstrong, “When the Saints go Marching In.” I heard that played many times on the radio when I was still in grade school. > > I once bought an album by George Benson. But although I listened to it several times, I could never find anything enjoyable about it. > > I think I should probablly withdraw from this thread because I know so little about jazz and I have never even enjoyed it. After seeing that movie (“Whirlpool”) and hearing them talk about the genius of Charlie Parker, I was intrigued and I listened to some of his work. But as I said earlier, I just didn’t appreciate it. > > I feel like I’ve wasted your time and I feel bad about that. Hey no worry. It gives me the opportunity to suggest some pop artist who were gateways to jazz for me: Tom Waits, Marvin Gaye, and Steely Dan. Also the kid character in Louis Malle’s “Murmur of the Heart” was a big Charlie Parker fan, but it didn’t end up well so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/34 "2016-01-17T23:36:04Z")
Try searching for Mantovani. Also easy listening orchestra. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/35 "2016-01-18T00:13:15Z")
I think what you are looking for, OP, is [Muzak](http://us.moodmedia.com/ga2/muzak-background-music.asp?gclid=COis3MSKssoCFUiFfgodGSMCzQ). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/36 "2016-01-20T20:20:50Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Coming back to the OP again, I’m wondering if [David Rose & His Orchestra - Holiday For Strings (1955 Version)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxz86P5pcbM) might be that elusive sound you’re trying to identify. If so, there’s quite a bit of that treatment in what’s called [PRODUCTION MUSIC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k2Io0gUhwE) and some fun samples can be found in the vicinity of [Ren and Stimpy Soundtrack: Hollywood Holiday](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPSvZ_J-80k&list=PLoEIZ4ULmT4bDlL46WHIRt02cQLKzMSab) > > And, as icing, there’s always the nostalgia of [Leroy Anderson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hNMu7-mAMM&index=3&list=PLu8W_W5D5AC7AcE-vA0SbMwvOVLjpsdXi) whose 1950s sounds were everywhere in my young life! I just noticed an older thread (fairly recent in fact) on this same topic: > **[Production Music](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=773087)** > > Being a “Child of the 50s” I was acquainted with music like Laurie Johnson Happy Go Lively and “Plink, Plank, Plunk” by Leroy Anderson from an early age and it has remained a constant source of nostalgia ever since. I’m curious how many others here... Production Music #1 10-23-2015, 02:30 PM Zeldar ---
**Author:** ![Arizona\_Mike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Arizona\_Mike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arizona_Mike)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251/37 "2016-01-20T21:40:00Z")
It was known as “easy listening” music (sometimes known as “orchestral pop”), was popular in the 1950s and 1960s, which is really later than, and separate from, “Big Band” music. They were instrumental versions, or covers, of pop hits, sometimes with vocalists, bit often not. There was a style of easy listening that added some world-rhythm type influences that was known as “exotica” that band leaders like Les Baxter, Martin Denny, and Arthur Lyman did. As the audience for “easy listening” stations grew older (and passed away!), Easy Listening stations on the AM dial began to play more 1960s and 1970s pop, light rock, and folk-rock for aging baby boomers. In ten years or so, they’ll be playing the Ramones and the Sex Pistols on the “Easy Listening” channels. Sic transit gloria mundi. Some of the more well-known straight-up easy listening performers and bands included Ferrante and Teicher, the Jackie Gleason Orchestra, Percy Faith, André Kostelanetz, The 101 Strings, and Herb Alpert. Reader’s Digest released a seemingly endless series of “mood” albums in this genre that can be found in most any thrift store. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-style-of-music-is-this/743251.md?page=1)