Meaning & use
big band
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Meanings
nouncountablemusic
A large group of jazz musicians, usually ten or more, with sections of brass, reeds, and rhythm.
Grammar: Countable: one big band, two big bands. Often used before another noun: big-band music.
Patterns
- a big band
- play in a big band
- big-band music
The hotel hired a big band to play in the ballroom.
She learned to arrange music for a big band.
Big-band music was very popular in the 1930s and 1940s.
noununcountablemusic
The style of jazz played by such a group, especially dance music from the swing era.
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the genre: I love big band. But 'a big band' means one group.
Patterns
- listen to big band
- play big band
He grew up listening to big band on the radio.
The festival features everything from blues to big band.
Word forms
| plural | big bands |
|---|
Common combinations
- big-band leader
- Duke Ellington was a famous big-band leader.
- big-band sound
- The club is known for its authentic big-band sound.
- play in a big band
- He plays trumpet in a big band on weekends.
- big-band era
- My grandfather danced to big-band era tunes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- jazz orchestra
- A more formal term for a large jazz ensemble; 'big band' is the everyday term.
- swing band
- Specifically a big band that plays swing dance music; a big band can play other styles too.
Word family
- big-band adjective
- Used before a noun to describe music or a style: big-band jazz.
Commonly confused: big band or boy band?
big band vs boy band
A boy band is a pop group of young male singers; a big band is a large jazz ensemble.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'big band' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A big band is a musical group, so you play in one. The other options treat 'band' as a physical object like a rubber band or a headband, which does not fit the musical meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “big band”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.