Unraveling the Secret of Swing in Jazz

Do you know what makes swing, swing?

If not, you’re in good company.

According to a recent NPR feature, “a precise definition of swing has long eluded musicians and scholars alike. As the Big Band era jazz trumpeter Cootie Williams once reportedly joked about swing, ‘Describe it? I'd rather tackle Einstein's theory.’”

Luckily for us, physicist-turned-saxophonist Theo Geisel set out to answer that very question…and found an answer!

Check out what he found in NPR’s What makes that song swing? At last, physicists unravel a jazz mystery, and listen to clips to see if you can spot the differences, too!