big band

Definition of big band

: a band that is larger than a combo and that usually features a mixture of ensemble playing and solo improvisation typical of jazz or swing

Examples of big band in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Allen was the drummer behind the syncopated drumming that breathed rhythmic life into Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat genre blend of big band jazz, funk and traditional African music formats. — Yinka Adegoke, Quartz Africa, "Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen has died," 30 Apr. 2020 The gathering attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the city each year to catch a glimpse of some of the world’s biggest bands, filmmakers, politicians and business executives. — Brendan Walsh, Bloomberg.com, "South by Southwest Cancels Festival Over Coronavirus Risks," 6 Mar. 2020 This is clearly an American clock in the era of the big bands and jazz. — New York Times, "Not Bach or Beethoven, but Leroy Anderson Is the Composer for Now," 22 Apr. 2020 Ray's love for all styles of music was passion driven, telling me about various big band jazz artists from his youth, sharing his thoughts on how and why these musicians were so special. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, "Ray Burton, Father of Late Metallica Bassist, Dies at 94," 20 Jan. 2020 The McDaniel Jazz Ensemble performs classic big band swing, bebop, Latin, funk, jazz-rock and classic blues. — Catalina Righter, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Slate of concerts set for early December," 28 Nov. 2019 The glitzy film, which improbably involved disco, big bands, and the Nine Muses of Olympus, was reportedly awful, though the soundtrack was among the most popular of the year. — Michael Musto, Longreads, "The Danger of Befriending Celebrities," 12 Feb. 2020 There have been sophisticated, over-the-top weddings with big tents and big bands, as well as intimate and playful gatherings with s’mores pits, bouncy houses, volleyball nets, food trucks, and more. — Lauren Helmer, al, "This Alabama wedding venue is set on 864 acres of land," 10 Feb. 2020 The Big Beyond picked up right where Pall and Taggart left off with more big band sound until midnight. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "VIP view: The Chainsmokers headline the Fertitta family's 24th annual San Luis Salute in Galveston," 24 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'big band.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

19 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Big band.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20band. Accessed 10 Jul. 2020.

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