Axe | Define Axe at Dictionary.com axe noun (pl) axes 1. a hand tool with one side of its head forged and sharpened to a cutting edge, used for felling trees, splitting timber, etc See also hatchet 2. (informal) the axe dismissal, esp from employment; the sack (esp in the phrase get the axe) (Brit) severe cutting down of expenditure, esp the removal of unprofitable sections of a public service 4. (US, slang) any musical instrument, esp a guitar or horn verb (transitive) to chop or trim with an axe 6. (informal) to dismiss (employees), restrict (expenditure or services), or terminate (a project) Word Origin Old English æx; related to Old Frisian axa, Old High German acchus, Old Norse öx, Latin ascia, Greek axinē Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for axe Expand n. Old English æces (Northumbrian acas) "axe, pickaxe, hatchet," later æx, from Proto-Germanic *akusjo (cf. Old Saxon accus, Old Norse ex, Old Frisian axe, German Axt, Gothic aqizi), from PIE *agw(e)si- (cf. Greek axine, Latin ascia). The spelling ax is better on every ground, of etymology, phonology, and analogy, than axe, which became prevalent during the 19th century; but it is now disused in Britain. [OED] The spelling ax, though "better on every ground, of etymology, phonology, & analogy" (OED), is so strange to 20th-c. eyes that it suggests pedantry & is unlikely to be restored.

[Fowler] Meaning "musical instrument" is 1955, originally jazz slang for the saxophone; rock slang for "guitar" dates to 1967. The axe in figurative sense of cutting of anything (expenses, workers, etc.), especially as a cost-saving measure, is from 1922, probably from the notion of the headman's literal axe (itself attested from mid-15c.). To have an axe to grind is from an 1815 essay by U.S. editor and politician Charles Miner (1780-1865) in which a man flatters a boy and gets him to do the chore of axe-grinding for him, then leaves without offering thanks or recompense. Misattributed to Benjamin Franklin in Weekley, OED print edition, and many other sources. v. 1670s, "to shape or cut with an axe," from axe (n.). Meaning "to remove, severely reduce," usually figurative, recorded by 1922. Related: Axed; axing.

ax Any musical instrument, esp the saxophone: He played his ax at the casino (1950s+ Jazz musicians) A guitar (Rock and roll) verb To dismiss someone from a job, a team, a school, a relationship, etc; can , fire : who suggested to Reagan that Deaver be axed To eliminate; cut: They axed a lot of useless stuff from the budget [musical instrument sense fr the resemblance in shape between a saxophone and an ax, and possibly fr the rhyme with sax] The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D. Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers. The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. axe in the Bible Expand used in the Authorized Version of Deut. 19:5; 20:19; 1 Kings 6:7, as the translation of a Hebrew word which means "chopping." It was used for felling trees (Isa.

10:34) and hewing timber for building. It is the rendering of a different word in Judg. 9:48, 1 Sam. 13:20, 21, Ps. 74:5, which refers to its sharpness. In 2 Kings 6:5 it is the translation of a word used with reference to its being made of iron. In Isa. 44:12 the Revised Version renders by "axe" the Hebrew _maatsad_, which means a "hewing" instrument. In the Authorized Version it is rendered "tongs." It is also used in Jer. 10:3, and rendered "axe." The "battle-axe" (army of Medes and Persians) mentioned in Jer. 51:20 was probably, as noted in the margin of the Revised Version, a "maul" or heavy mace. In Ps. 74:6 the word so rendered means "feller." (See the figurative expression in Matt.

3:10; Luke 3:9.) Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary Idioms and Phrases with axe Expand In addition to the idiom beginning with ax also see: get the ax The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. What does axe mean? axe Definition. Meaning of axe. OnlineSlangDictionary.com a musical instrument, especially a guitar or saxophone. Citation from "Mother Tucker", Modern Family (TV, 2010), Season 2 Episode 9 blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site . Citation from "It's Never Too Late for Now", 30 Rock (TV), Season 5 Episode 15 (2011) blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site . Last edited on May 06 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Sep 02 2009 . verb I want to axe you a question.

Citation from "Stone Dead", Raines (TV), Season 1 Episode 4 (2007) blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site . Last edited on Jan 05 2011. Submitted by Bob W. from Millsboro, DE, USA on Mar 25 2007 . verb - transitive to terminate from a job; "fire". Axe - definition of axe by The Free Dictionary Axe - definition of axe by The Free Dictionary or ax (ăks) n. pl. ax·es (ăk′sĭz) 1. A tool with a bladed, usually heavy head mounted crosswise on a handle, used for felling trees or chopping wood. 2. Any of various bladed, handheld implements used as a cutting tool or weapon. 3. Informal A sudden termination of employment: My colleague got the axe yesterday. 4. Slang A musical instrument, especially a guitar. tr.v. axed, ax·ing, ax·es 1. To chop or fell with or as if with an axe: axed down the saplings; axed out a foothold in the ice. 2.

Informal To remove ruthlessly or suddenly: a social program that was axed to effectuate budget cuts. Idiom: axe to grind A selfish or ulterior aim: He claimed to be disinterested, but I knew he had an axe to grind. [Middle English, from Old English æx.] axe 2 ax n, pl axes 1. (Tools) a hand tool with one side of its head forged and sharpened to a cutting edge, used for felling trees, splitting timber, etc. See also hatchet 2. an axe to grind a. an ulterior motive c. a pet subject 3. (Commerce) dismissal, esp from employment; the sack (esp in the phrase get the axe) 4. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) dismissal, esp from employment; the sack (esp in the phrase get the axe) 5. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) Brit severe cutting down of expenditure, esp the removal of unprofitable sections of a public service 6. (Instruments) slang US any musical instrument, esp a guitar or horn vb (tr) 7. to chop or trim with an axe 8.

informal to dismiss (employees), restrict (expenditure or services), or terminate (a project) [Old English æx; related to Old Frisian axa, Old High German acchus, Old Norse öx, Latin ascia, Greek axinē] axe I will have been axing you will have been axing he/she/it will have been axing we will have been axing you will have been axing they will have been axing Past Perfect Continuous ax head , axe head - the cutting head of an ax blade - the flat part of a tool or weapon that (usually) has a cutting edge broadax , broadaxe - a large ax with a broad cutting blade common ax , common axe , Dayton ax , Dayton axe - an ax with a long handle and a head that has one cutting edge and one blunt side double-bitted ax , double-bitted axe , Western ax , Western axe - an ax that has cutting edges on both sides of the head edge tool - any cutting tool with a sharp cutting edge (as a chisel or knife or plane or gouge) fireman's ax , fireman's axe - an ax that has a long handle and a head with one cutting edge and a point on the other

 side haft , helve - the handle of a weapon or tool hatchet - a small ax with a short handle used with one hand (usually to chop wood) ice ax , ice axe , piolet - an ax used by mountain climbers for cutting footholds in ice poleax , poleaxe - an ax used to slaughter cattle; has a hammer opposite the blade Verb hack , chop - cut with a hacking tool 2.

terminate , end - bring to an end or halt; "She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime"; "The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I" axe 1. hatchet , chopper , tomahawk , cleaver , adze She took an axe and wrecked the car. verb 1. (Informal) abandon , end , pull , eliminate , cancel , scrap , wind up , turn off (informal), relegate , cut back , terminate , dispense with , discontinue , pull the plug on Community projects are being axed by the government. 2. (Informal) dismiss , fire (informal), sack (informal), remove , get rid of , discharge , throw out , oust , give (someone) their marching orders, give the boot to (slang), give the bullet to (Brit. slang), give the push to, give someone his or her P45 (informal) She was axed by the Edinburgh club in October after her comments about a referee. an axe to grind pet subject, grievance , ulterior motive , private purpose, personal consideration, private ends I've got no axe to grind with him.

the axe (Informal) the sack (informal), dismissal , discharge , wind-up , the boot (slang), cancellation , cutback , termination , the chop (slang), the (old) heave-ho (informal), the order of the boot (slang) one of the four doctors facing the axe Translations A. N (= tool) → hacha f when the axe fell → cuando se descargó el golpe to have an axe to grind → tener un interés creado I have no axe to grind → no tengo ningún interés personal to get or be given the axe [employee] → ser despedido ; [project] → ser cancelado B.

VT [+ budget] → recortar ; [+ project, service] → cancelar ; [+ jobs] → reducir ; [+ staff] → despedir axe vt [+ employee] → renvoyer ; [+ project] → abandonner ; [+ jobs] → supprimer axe , (US) ax n → Axt f, → Beil nt; (fig) → (radikale) Kürzung ; to wield the axe on something (fig) → etw radikal kürzen ; to get or be given the axe (employee) → abgesägt werden ; (project) → eingestellt werden ; the axe has fallen on the project → das Projekt ist dem Rotstift zum Opfer gefallen ; to have an/no axe to grind (fig) → ein/kein persönliches Interesse haben; axe murderer → Axtmörder(in) m(f) vt plans, projects, jobs → streichen ; person → entlassen axe 1. n → ascia , scure f to have an axe to grind (fig) → fare i propri interessi or il proprio tornaconto 2.

vt (fig) (expenditure) → ridurre drasticamente ; (person) → liquidare (per ragioni economiche); (project) → annullare ; (jobs) → sopprimere axe (ӕks) (American) ax noun a tool with a (long) handle and a metal blade for cutting down trees and cutting wood etc into pieces. byl فَأس брадва machado sekyra die Axt økse τσεκούρι hacha kirves تبر kirves hache גרזן कुल्हाड़ी sjekira fejsze kapak öxi ascia 斧 도끼 kirvis cirvis kapak bijl øks siekiera تبر machado topor топор sekera sekira sekira yxa ขวาน balta 斧 сокира کلہاڑا cái rìu 斧 verb 1. to get rid of; to dismiss. They've axed 50% of their staff.

ontslaan يَتَخَلَّص مِن съкращавам despedir propustit rücksichtslos kürzen skære ned på κάνω περικοπές προσωπικού, αποπέμπω despedir , poner de patitas en la calle, echar (töölt) lahti laskma, vallandama اخراج کردن leikata mettre à pied לְפַטֵר काटना otpustiti elbocsát memecat segja upp ridurre 解雇する 해고하다 sumažinti, atleisti samazināt; atlaist buang afschaffen , ontslaan si opp , gi sparken zwolniać خارجول despedir a da afară увольнять prepustiť odpustiti otpustiti sparka, avskeda กำจัด; ปลดจากตำแหน่ง atmak , kovmak 裁減，遣散 скорочувати چھٹکارا پانا

 sa thải 解雇，削减 2.

to reduce (costs, services etc). Government spending in education has been axed.

verminder يُخَفِّض النَّفَقات намалявам reduzir omezit, redukovat rücksichtslos kürzen skære ned κάνω περικοπή δαπανών recortar , reducir kärpima کاهش دادن vähentää sabrer לְקַצֵץ कम करना smanjiti leszállít (költségeket, stb.) mengurangi skera niður ridurre 削減する 삭감하다 apkarpyti, sumažinti samazināt; apcirpt dikurangkan verminderen skjære ned på obciąć په لګښت کی کموالی راوستل reduzir a re­duce сокращать obmedziť zmanjšati smanjiti göra stora nedskärningar ลด (ค่าใช้จ่าย) kısıntı yapmak, kısmak 減少 зменшувати, урізувати گ

ھٹانا ، کم کرنا giảm bớt 减少 axe jazz slang dictionary [ ?

]Subscribe To This Site Jazz Slang Dictionary 18 Karat --- All the way, full out.The Duke is a classy guy, his heart is "18 karat." Air-check --- A recording of a radio or television performance.Did you hear the "air-check" of Billie Holiday with Gerry Mulligan? The Apple --- New York city. This is now common usage.We got a gig up in "The Apple" at Minton's with Diz and Bird. Axe --- An instrument.Hey, Jack, bring your "axe" over tomorrow and we'll jam. Baby --- A term of endearment.Hey, "baby," I got some bread, lets paint the town. Bad --- Good.Thar dude Wynton Marsalis does some "bad" ass playin'. Bag --- A person's particular interest.I'd like to play with your combo, dude, but your sound just ain't my "bag.".

Balloon lungs --- A brass man with plenty of wind.That cat must have "balloon lungs," Stix said he held that note for three and half minutes!" Barn Burner --- Originally in Sinatra slang this was a stylish, classy woman, but today, it can even be applied to a good football game.Hey, Quincy, did you see Stella over at the diner? Man, she is one amazing "barn burner." Barrelhouse --- Barrelhouse was the colloquial term for a cabaret in New Orleans where liquor was served. Barrelhouse music is the type of music played in one of these cabarets.Hey, Man, I dig this "barrelhouse" music. It flows free. Beat --- Exhausted or tired.Man, we been blowin' all night. I'm really "beat." Birdbrain --- A Charlie Parker imitator.It's 1957 already. We need something new. I'm gettin' tired of all of the "Birdbrains" around these days..

Blow --- A jazzman's term for playing any instrument.That European guy, Django Reinhardt, can really "blow." Blow your top --- A phrase which expresses enthusiasm or exasperation.Hey man, I know it's tough, but don't "blow your top." The Bomb --- Very cool.The Crusader's new CD, "Louisiana Hot Sauce" is "the bomb." Boogie Man --- In the jazz slanguage of 1935, this was a critic.Roscoe just waxed a great disc and the "boogie man" gave it a bad review. Boogie Woogie --- An early piano blues form that was popularized in Chicago. The term has sexual overtones.Hey, Lester, dig that "boogie woogie" that Yancy is layin' down. Bose Bouncing --- To play notes so low as to bounce a Bose speaker from its foundation.I'm sorry, my bass player was just "Bose bouncing. Bread --- A jazzman's word for money.Alright, Jack, if ya want me to play, ya gotta come up with some "bread." Break it down --- Get hot!! Go to town. Bring Down or Bringdown --- As a verb - to depress.

As a noun - one who depresses.Hey, man, don't "bring me down" with all of this crazy talk.Hey, let's get out of here, that guy is a real "bringdown." Bug --- To annoy or bewilder.Man, don't "bug" me with that jive about cleanin' up my act. Burnin --- Used to describe a particularly emotional or technically excellent solo.Hey, man, did you hear that solo by Lee? It was "burnin." Cans --- Headphones.That last take was really kickin', put on the "cans" and lets record the final take. Cats --- Folks who play jazz music.I used to partake in late-night jam sessions with the "cats" over at Sid's. Changes --- Chord progression.Hey, Pops, dig those "changes" that the Hawk is playin'. Character --- An interesting, out of the ordinary person.Sonny is certainly a "character." Chick --- A young and pretty girl.Hey, Buster, leave it alone. That "chick" is outta your league.

Chill 'ya --- When an unusual "hot" passion gives you goose pimples.Gee, Jody, doesn't it "chill 'ya" the way Benny plays the clarinet? Chops --- The ability to play an instrument, a highly refined technique. Also refers to a brass players facial muscles."He played the hell out of that Gershwin; he's sure got chops." and "My chops are still achin' from last nights gig." Clams --- Mistakes while playing music.Charlie is really layin' down some "clams" tonight. Clinker --- A bad note or one that is fluffed.Hey, Charlie, that was some "clinker" that you just hit. Combo --- Combination of musicians that varies in size from 3 to 10.Here me talkin' to ya Lester. Did you see that supreme "combo" that the Hawk put together? Cool --- A restrained approach to music. A superlative which has gained wide acceptance outside of jazz.That cat Miles Davis plays some "cool" jazz.

That cat Miles, is "cool." Corny, Cornball --- A jazz man's term for trite, sweet or stale.Man, Guy Lombardo is one "corny" cat. Man, Guy Lombardo plays some "cornball" music. Crazy --- Another jazz superlative.Count Basie's band sure lays down a "crazy" beat. Crib --- Same as pad.Hey, baby, come on up to my crib awhile and relax. Crumb --- Someone for whom it is impossible to show respect.Sleazy Eddie is a real "crumb." Cut --- To leave or depart. Also to completely outdo another person or group in a battle of the bands.Hey, man, did you see the way that two-bit band "cut" when Basie "cut" them last night. Dad, Daddy-o --- A hipster's way of addressing another guy.Hey, "daddy-o", what's cookin'. Dark --- Angry or upset (used in the Midwest).Joe was in a real "dark" mood after Jaco showed up 30 minutes late for the gig.

Dig --- To know or understand completely.Hey, dad, I been listenin' to what you been doin' and I "dig" that crazy music. DeeJay, Disk Jockey --- An announcer of records on radio.Man, he is one crazy "deejay". He spins some cool disks. Down by law --- is to have paid dues; that is, to have earned respect for your talent or ability to "get down."Charlie Parker spent years on the road working a lot of dives to fine-tune his craft. He earned every bit of success and recognition he later received. He was "down by law." Drag --- As a verb - to depress or bring down a person's spirits or, as a noun - a person or thing which depresses.Let's get outta here, that guy is a real "drag." The End --- Superlative that is used interchangeably with "too much" or "crazy."The way Benny blows the clarinet is "the end." Finger Zinger --- Someone who plays very fast.Ignasio the new guitarist is a finger zinger on the guitar. Damn, that boy is incredible!

Flip --- A verb meaning to go crazy or a noun meaning an eccentric.That dude is really cooking, I think he's going to "flip." Flip your lid --- Same as "Blow your top."That cat looks crazy. I think he's gonna "flip his lid." Fly --- Smooth or slick.Hey, Eddie, did you see the hat-check girl Bernice? Man, she is "fly.". Fracture --- To inspire or move someone.You are the funniest guy I know. When you start to tell a joke, it "fractures" me. Freak Lip --- A pair of kissers that wear like leather; one who can hit high C's all night and play a concert the next day.Ol' Satchmo, ...now he had a pair of "freak lips!" Funky --- Earthy or down-to-earth.That George Clinton is one "funky" cat. Gas --- As a noun - something that moves you.

As a verb - to stir up feelings.The way that guy beats the skins is a real "gas." Gate --- Early term for a Jazz musician.Armstrong is the original Swing Jazz player that's why they call used to call him "Gate." Get Down --- To play or dance superlatively with abandon.Jaco can really "get down" on the 4-string. Gig --- A paying job.I'm playing a gig in the city tonight. Gone --- Yet another Jazz superlative.Lester is a real "gone" cat. Goof --- Fail to carry out a responsibility or wander in attention.Hey, Leroy, stop "goofin'" when I'm talkin' to ya. Got your glasses on --- you are ritzy or snooty, you fail to recognize your friends, you are up-stage. Groovy --- Used in the fifties to denote music that swings or is funky. For a short while in the sixties, groovy was synonymous with cool. The word has been used little since the seventies.Hey, Jack, dig that "groovy" beat. Gutbucket ---Gutbucket refers to something to store liquor in and to the type of music associated with heavy drinking.

An early term for lowdown or earthy music.That cat Satchmo started out playing some real "gutbucket" in the houses down in New Orleans. Hand me that skin (later modified to Hand me some skin) --- A big expression for "shake, pal."Hey, whaddya say Rufus, "hand me some skin." Head or Head Arrangement --- An arrangement of a song that is not written, but remembered by the band members (the tune and progression to improvise on).Man, Basie's band uses a lot of "heads", not those written arrangements. That's why his band really cooks. Heat --- Solo space.Yo, man, I want some "heat" on 'Giant Steps'! Hep --- A term once used to describe someone who knows or understands. Replaced by "hip" about the same time that cool replaced hot. Some sources believe that "Hep" was the surname of a Chicago gangster of the 1890's.Dipper Mouth Armstrong is a "hep" cat. Hide hitter - drummer.The hide hitter didn't show, so we had to make it a duo. Hip --- A term used to describe someone who knows or understands.

Originally "hep" until the 40's or 50's.Yardbird Parker is really "hip". Hipster --- A follower of the various genres of bop jazz in the 50's. These were the precursors of hippies in the 60's.Those "hipsters" that hang out at Shelly's Manne-Hole are really diggin' the West Coast sound. Horn --- Any instrument (not necessarily a brass or reed instrument).That dude can sure blow his "horn.". Hot --- A term once used to describe "real" jazz. Replaced as a superlative by "cool" in the late 40's or early 50's.Satchel Mouth Armstrong played some really "hot" jazz in the 20's. A Hot Plate --- A hot recording.Boys, I think we got ourselves a "hot plate." I'm Booted --- I'm hip or I understand.It's cool, man, I know just what you mean, "I'm booted." In the Mix --- Put it together, make it happen.Put that cat "in the mix," we need a drummer for our upcoming tour.

In the Pocket --- Refers to the rhythm section being really together as in...Those guys are really in the pocket, tonight. Jack --- Jazz man's term for another person. Often used in a negative manner.Please don't dominate the rap, "Jack." Hit the road, "Jack." Jake --- Okay.Even though nobody seems to like him, that guy is "jake" with me. Jam --- To improvise.The band is "jammin'" inside right now. Jam Session --- A group of jazz players improvising.You might want go downstairs, Duke's boys are having a "jam session." Jazz --- The music which is discussed here. May have come from the French jaser - to chatter. May have come from Jasbo Brown - a dancer.The 1920's was declared the Age of "Jazz." Jazz Box --- a jazz guitar.The Ibanez PM model was developed in conjunction with Pat Metheny to meet his demand for a true "jazz box" Jitterbug --- A jumpy, jittery energetic dance or one who danced this dance during the swing period.Artie Shaw is a hot clarinet player. He sure has all of the "jitterbugs" jumpin'.

Jive --- A versatile word which can be used as a noun, verb or adjective. Noun - an odd form of speech. Verb - to fool someone. Adjective - phoney or fake.Old Satchmo can lay down some crazy "jive." Don't "jive"me man, I wasn't born yesterday. That cat is one "jive" dude. JAMF - Jive A-- Mother F----R. Someone who is not thought highly of. Joe Below --- A musician who plays under-scale.How can you expect to make a buck when "Joe Below" almost plays for free? Jump --- To swing.Let's check out that bar over there. It sounds like the joint is "jumpin'." Junk --- Heroin."Junk" and booze have laid a heavy toll on Jazz. Kill --- To fracture or delight.You "kill" me, man, the way you're always clowning around. Lame --- Something that doesn't quite cut it.Some of the cats that claim to be playin' Jazz these days are layin' down some "lame" music.

Licks, hot licks --- An early term for phrase or solo.Louie can really lay down some "hot licks." Licorice Stick --- ClarinetGee, Jody, doesn't it "chill 'ya" the way Benny plays that "licorice stick"? Lid --- Hat.Hey man, nice lid."Lid" has also entered the world of hip-hop slang via a company called Ultimate Lids that makes hats. Moldy Fig --- During the Bop era, fans and players of the new music used this term to discribe fans and players of the earlier New Orleans Jazz.What do you expect, Eddie is a "moldy fig" and he'll never dig the new sounds. Muggles --- One nickname for marijuana used by early Jazzmen (Armstrong has a song by this title).Hey, Louis, I need to calm down. You got any "muggles?" My Chops is beat --- When a brass man's lips give out.Too many high C's tonight, man, "my chops is beat!!" Noodlin' -- To just play notes that have no particular meaning to a tune or solo.Quit "noodlin" cat, let's start working the tune.

Out of this world --- A superlative which is no longer in common use.I'm tellin' ya, man, the way Benny Goodman blows is "out of this world." Out to Lunch --- Same as lame.That guy is "out to lunch," I can't stand the way he plays. Pad --- House, home, apartment or bed.Hey, Lester, c'mon up to my "pad" you look like you need to cool down. Popsicle Stick --- A sax player's reed.I'm playing a great popsicle stick. Rock --- To swing or jump (as in Jump bands - the fore-runners of Rock and Roll bands).Louis Jordan's band really "rocks." Rock and Roll --- Of course the new music of the 50's, but originally slang for sex.Hey, baby, you're drivin' me crazy, let's "rock and roll." Rusty Gate --- Someone who can't play.That cat swings like a rusty gate. Sackbut --- The Sackbut was a 16th century instrument, similar to the trombone.The History of the Sackbut Scat --- Improvise lyrics as nonsense syllables.

Said to have originated on the "Hot Five" song "Heebie Jeebies" when Louis Armstrong dropped his lyrics.I can really dig Dizzy's new way of singing "scat." Scene --- A place or atmosphere.In the late twenties, Armstrong was the man on the New York "scene." Schmaltz it --- Play it "long-haired." Schmaltz or Schmalz --- It's the Yiddish word for chicken fat, and has been a slang term in the U.S. since the '20s for anything sickeningly sweet or "greasy", especially music or poetry.That Lombardo guy is popular, but he sure plays a lot of "schmaltz." Scratch --- (see Bread)I need to get my axe fixed, but I got no "scratch." Screwin' the Pooch --- Really bad mistakes while playing music.Roscoe must've had a bad day, cause he's really "screwin' the pooch." Send --- to move or to stimulate.Roscoe, you really "send" me. Sharp --- Fashionable.Hey, Rufus, that's one "sharp" looking suit of clothes you're sportin' there.

Sides --- Records.We sat around and dug "sides." Or, as George Crater (or was it Ira Gitler?) once put it, "I sat around with another musician and Doug Sides." ~ Bob Blumenthal Skins player --- The drummer. (Skins comes from the days when cowhide or other dried animal skin was used to make drum heads.)Man, we were all ready to have a little improv jam session but our "skins player" skipped out on us. There's one cat that I'm gonna skin! Smokin' --- Playing your ass off.I can already tell from outside that Jimmy is "smokin'" tonight. Snap your cap --- Same as "Blow your top."Hey, Buddy, calm down. Don't "snap your cap." Solid --- A swing-era superlative which is little used today.Little Jazz can blow up a storm, he's really "solid." Split --- To leave.Sorry I can't stick around Slick, I gotta "split." Square --- A somewhat outmoded term meaning unknowing which can be a noun or a verb.That cat is a real "square" Sugar band --- A sweet band; lots of vibrato and glissando.

Supermurgitroid --- really cool.That club was supermurgitroid! Swing --- to get a rocking or swaying beat.Ellington's band "swings" like no other. It's elegant. Sraw Boss --- From Dan Nicora: The term was explained to me by Richard Davis, bass player with Thad & Mel, and many NY groups. It refers to the lead alto player in a big band, being the dude who leads all the other saxophones, knows all of the answers and takes care of the crew. Tag --- Used to end the tune, repeating the last phrase three times. Take five --- A way of telling someone to take a five minute break or to take a five minute break.Hey, Cleanhead, this is a cool tune and we're blowin' too hot. We oughta "take five." Too much --- Just one more jazz superlative. Originally something so good, that it is hard to take.Art Blakey is a fantastic drummer. His playing is "too much." Torch --- Used occasionally as a description of a song that expresses unrequited love.Nobody could sing "torch" songs like Peggy Lee.

Train Wreck --- Event during the playing of a tune when the musicians "disagree" on where they are in the form (i.e. someone gets lost), so the chord changes and the melody may get confused for several bars, but depending on the abilities of the musicians (it happens to the best of them), there are usually no fatalities and the journey continues. Tubs --- Set of drums.Jo is really hot tonight. Listen to him pound those "tubs.". Two beat --- Four-four time with a steady two beat ground beat on the bass drum. New Orleans Jazz.I can't dig this "two beat" jazz. My boys got to have four even beats to the measure. Wail --- To play a tune extremely well.Count Basie did a tune called "Prince of Wails" -- a clever play on words. Damn, Basie's band can really "wail." Walking bass or walking rhythm --- an energetic four-beat rhythm pattern.I really dig the way Earl plays the 88's. He plays the tune with his left hand and a "walking bass" with his right. Wax a disc --- Cut a record.I just "waxed a disc" up at Rudy Van Gelder's studio with Jimmy Smith.

Wig, Wig out --- To flip out. Also to think precisely.I don't know what happened, man, we were just sittin' there and Louie just "wigged out." Wild --- Astonishing or amazing.It's really "wild" the way Lee plays the trumpet. Witch Doctor --- A member of the clergy.Have you heard, Margie's brother is a "witch doctor." Woodshed (or Shed) --- To practice.Duke was up all night shedin' that untouchable lick. Zoot --- Used in the thirties and forties to describe exaggerated clothes, especially a zoot suit.Look at that cat's "zoot" suit. It's crazy, man. The Blues . Blues Classroom . Glossary | PBS << Blues Classroom Amplification The act of increasing the magnitude of a signal without altering any of its other qualities, or the use of a device (amplifier) that does this. Specifically important in the transition from acoustic blues, where amplification was rarely used in live performance, to electric blues, where performers began using amplifiers, particularly with guitars and harmonicas, to increase the volume and power of their performance.

Musical-instrument amplifiers are also frequently used to alter the tone of the instrument's signal ("distortion"). Axe Gang A group of manual laborers, under the supervision of a foreman, using axes to chop wood, either to clear a piece of land, or for fuel. While axe gangs could be composed of free laborers, those whose work songs were recorded by the folklorists of the early 20th century were frequently composed of prisoners. Barrelhouse A colloquial term, originating around the late 1800s, used specifically to refer to a bar that served liquor (especially whiskey) straight from the barrel, but more widely understood to mean any rough and rowdy drinking establishment. "Barrelhouse piano" is a distinct style that arose out of such establishments and is characterized by the highly percussive and loud style that was necessary to encourage dancing in such venues. Beale Street "I didn't think of Memphis as Memphis. I thought of Beale Street as Memphis."BB King Located in Memphis, Tennessee, Beale Street was the central street in what was considered by many in the early 20th century to be the capital of black America.

The Beale Street district, despite being the product of a strictly segregated city, was at the time a self-sustaining neighborhood that offered African Americans a comparative degree of freedom rarely found elsewhere. Beale Street's wide-open atmosphere and the crowds it generated attracted droves of musicians from throughout the region, making it synonymous with the blues. Reform in the 1940s and urban renewal in the late 1960s slowed the Beale Street neighborhood; however, it has recently begun a successful revival as a tourist-oriented entertainment district. Boogie-Woogie Boogie-woogie refers to a particular style of jazz/blues piano, typically played at a rapid tempo, in which the left hand maintains a repeated rhythmic and melodic pattern in the bass and the right hand handles improvised variations in the treble. Arising most likely in the Midwest around the beginning of the 20th century, it spread widely in blues circles during the 1920s, gaining its name for posterity with the 1928 recording "Pinetop's Boogie-Woogie," by Clarence "Pine Top" Smith.

Through the 1930s and 1940s, elements of boogie-woogie, particularly its repetitive blues bass lines, became integral components of big-band jazz, and would in later years form an important foundation of jump blues and early rock 'n' roll. Bourbon Street Named for the dynasty that ruled France when New Orleans, Louisiana, was founded in the early 1700s, Bourbon Street has ever since been one of the major streets of the city's "French Quarter." With increasing tourists and military visitation during the 1920s and 1930s, Bourbon Street began establishing its current reputation as an all-hours destination for food, drink, and entertainment, and its clubs have thus served as an important musical "school" for city musicians of many genres, particularly blues and early R&B. British Blues More than a mere geographical distinction, the early British blues of the late 1950s and early 1960s paid strict adherence to replicating American blues genres, with an admiration for its originators bordering on reverence.

But by the time of the blues revival of the mid-1960s, British guitarists-mainly led by Eric Clapton-were starting to bend the form to create their own amalgam. Wedding the string-bending fervor of the BB, Albert, and Freddie King styles to the extreme volume produced by large amplifiers, British blues largely coalesced into blues-rock, with formerly traditional blues artists like the Rolling Stones and Clapton becoming rock stars. The British style has perhaps the closest ties to rock music as opposed to rock 'n' roll, a distinct stylistic descendant of the 1950s. It is this constant shift between preserving older styles and mainstreaming it into the pop marketplace that is the hallmark of British blues(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Call and Response A musical term referring to the alternation between two musical voices in a work, particularly that between a solo singer (the "call") and a group chorus (the "response").

In the blues, the call and response structure may have derived in part from work and gospel songs, and is particularly prominent in Delta blues and styles arising from it, in which the solo performer often uses his guitar to respond to, and sometimes even complete, his vocal line. Captain A term of address conventionally demanded of black employees by Southern white bosses. "Captain" frequently appeared in work songs, referring either specifically or generally to the white foreman. Chicago Blues What is now referred to as the classic Chicago blues style was developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, taking Delta blues, fully amplifying it, and putting it into a small-band context. Adding drums, bass, and piano (and sometimes saxophones) to the basic string band and harmonica aggregation, the style created the now standard blues band lineup. The form was (and is) flexible to accommodate singers, guitarists, pianists, and harmonica players as featured performers in front of the standard instrumentation.

Later permutations of the style took place in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with new blood taking their cue from the lead-guitar work of BB King and T-Bone Walker, creating the popular West Side subgenre (which usually featured a horn section appended to the basic rhythm section). Although the form has also embraced rock beats, it has generally stayed within the guidelines developed in the 1950s and early 1960s.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Country Blues Country blues is a catchall term that delineates the depth and breadth of the first flowering of guitar-driven blues, embracing solo, duo, and string band performers. The term also provides a convenient general heading for all the multiple regional styles and variations (Piedmont, Atlanta, Memphis, Texas, acoustic Chicago, Delta, ragtime, folk, songster, etc.) of the form. It is primarilybut not exclusivelya genre filled with acoustic guitarists, embracing a multiplicity of techniques from elaborate fingerpicking to the early roots of slide playing.

But some country-blues performers like Lightnin' Hopkins and John Lee Hooker later switched over to electric guitars without having to drastically change or alter their styles.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Delta Blues The Delta blues style comes from a region in the southern part of Mississippi, a place romantically referred to as "the land where the blues was born." In its earliest form, the style became the first black guitar-dominated music to make it onto phonograph records back in the late 1920s. Although many original Delta blues performers worked in a string-band context for live appearances, very few of them recorded in this manner. Consequently, the recordings from the late 1920s through mid-1930s consist primarily of performers working in a solo, self-accompanied context. The form is dominated by fiery slide guitar and passionate vocalizing, with the deepest of feelings being applied directly to the music. Its lyrics are passionate as well, and in some instances remain the highest flowering of blues songwriting as stark poetry.

The form continues to the present time with new performers working in the older solo artist traditions and style.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Electric Blues Electric blues is an eclectic genre that embraces just about every kind of blues that can be played on an amplified instrument. Its principal component is that of the electric guitar, but its amplified aspect can extend to the bass (usually a solid body Fender type model, but sometimes merely an old "slappin''' acoustic with a pickup attached), harmonica, and keyboard instruments. Stylistically, the form is a wide-open field, accessible to just about every permutation possible embracing the old, the new, and sometimes the futuristic. Some forms of it copy the older styles of urban blues (primarily the Chicago, Texas, and Louisiana variants), usually in a small-combo format, while others head into funk and soul territory. Yet electric blues is elastic enough to include artists who pay homage to those vintage styles of playing while simultaneously recasting them in contemporary fashion.

It is lastly a genre that provides a convenient umbrella for original artists of late 1940s and early 1950s derivation that seemingly resist neat classifications.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Field Hollers Field hollers are a class of rural African American vocal performance performed by an individual (as opposed to a group) while engaged in manual labor, and unaccompanied by any instrument. Folklorists documenting the music in the early portions of the 20th century first used the term, although field hollers were in existence before that time. Field hollers are generally slower and much less rigid in musical form than group work songs, combine lyrical phrases common to the community with individual interpretations and improvisations, and are most often lamenting or sorrowful in subject matter. Because they established and expanded a musical tradition of individual expression and common lyrical phrases, field hollers are considered an important antecedent of the blues form.

Great Migration, The The Great Migration was a mass movement during the first half of the 20th century, during which millions of African Americans from primarily rural locations in the Southern United States moved to urban locations, particularly in the North. The migration occurred in two major waves, each centered around the World Wars, during which a great need for industrial workers arose in Northern (and later Western) cities. Although this promise of reliable employment attracted many, as did the hope for living conditions that were better and less oppressive than those in the South, it was not always found. However, the cultural impact of the Great Migration upon those who moved, and the cities to which they moved, was and continues to be dramatic. Griot A griot is a West African performer who perpetuates the oral traditions of a family, village, or leader by singing histories and tales. Griots typically perform alone, accompanying themselves on a stringed instrument, and are considered by many musicologists a critical African root of the solo acoustic blues that developed among African American communities during the early 20th century.

Harp In blues circles, the term "harp" is used interchangeably with "harmonica." Harmonicas are also occasionally referred to in jest as "Mississippi Saxophones." Highway 51 Running from La Place, Louisiana to Hurley, Wisconsin, Highway 51 is now largely supplanted by Interstate 55. However, prior to that road's construction, 51 was a frequent metaphor in blues songs, particularly from the Mississippi Delta region, the eastern edge of which it borders as it connects Jackson to Memphis. Mentions of 51 frequently connoted "rambling," both around the Delta region and beyond, as well as joining the Great Migration northwards for a new life. Hoochie Coochie Man A slang term referring to both a type of suggestive dance, as well a class of conjurer or folk doctor in the voodoo tradition. In the Willie Dixon song "Hoochie Coochie Man," made famous by Muddy Waters, the latter is the definition being used.

However, the sexual suggestiveness of the song itself has led to an expanded definition, in which the hoochie coochie man is someone with sexual prowess and appeal as powerful as the magic of a voodoo conjurer. Hobo A homeless person, typically one who is traveling in search of work. Though often used derogatorily to refer to such a person, it is also used more neutrally to describe the act of traveling in search of work, e.g., "when I first started hoboin'." House Party Also known as "rent parties," an informal gathering at a private residence for drinking, eating, live music, and occasionally gambling, where the resident charges money for some or all of the above. Like juke joints in the South, house parties in the North are credited with being key incubators of the blues, particularly the electrified Delta style of Muddy Waters and other performers newly arrived to the city whose styles were at first considered too "country" to attract a club audience. Improvisation Musically, the act of composing, performing, or otherwise playing without prior planning or consulting specific notation such as sheet music.

In jazz and blues, for example, familiar forms may be utilized throughout a song, but the singer may alter the lyrics to better suit their mood, and the instrumentalists may take solos of a length and direction that is entirely determined by them. Jim Crow A term arguably arising from a minstrel performer of the early 19th century, Jim Crow more generally refers to the laws and regulations that arose in the South following post-Civil War Reconstruction. Through the mandated segregation established by these laws, African Americans were systemically prevented from achieving economic, political, and cultural power and equality. Used to refer to both the oppressive laws (e.g., a law enforcing separate train cars for whites and blacks), as well as the general time period during which they were predominate (from approximately the mid-1870s through the 1960s.) Jive A slang term with multiple connotations. Rose to common usage in the late 1930s among African Americans in reference to swing and jump blues music-"that's some great jive they're playing"-as well as the dance styles that accompanied this music.

Also used to refer, sometimes dismissively, to the lingo used by fans and musicians of this music-"Don't listen to him, man, he's just talkin' jive." Jug Band With a likely origin in Louisville, Kentucky, in the early part of the 20th century, jug bands employed an array of homemade and found instruments such as kazoo, washtub bass, and whiskey bottle, as well as banjo, harmonica, or guitar. Particularly fashionable in Memphis, jug bands played up-tempo popular, vaudeville, and blues numbers for both black and white audiences, and accompanied blues musicians from that era, many of whom were also members of the ensembles, both live and on recordings. Some jug band performers remained active in the region until the 1970s, most notably Gus Cannon. Juke Joint An informal type of drinking establishment that arose along the rural back roads of the South among and to serve the regional African American population (as opposed to "honky tonks," similar establishments that served the white population).

The term "juke" has its likely origins in West Africa, where similar terms mean "wicked." Juke joints are thus understood to be potentially rough and rowdy, with drinking, eating, live music, and occasionally gambling, and were (and continue to be) key incubators of the blues, even if now more frequently heard on a "jukebox" than from a live performer. Jump Blues Jump blues refers to an up-tempo, jazz-tinged style of blues that first came to prominence in the mid- to late 1940s. Usually featuring a vocalist in front of a large, horn-driven orchestra or medium-sized combo with multiple horns, the style is earmarked by a driving rhythm, intensely shouted vocals, and honking tenor saxophone solos-all of those very elements a precursor to rock 'n' roll. The lyrics are almost always celebratory in nature, full of braggadocio and swagger.

With less reliance on guitar work (the instrument usually being confined to rhythm section status) than other styles, jump blues was the bridge between the older styles of blues primarily those in a small band context-and the big-band jazz sound of the 1940s.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Killing Floor Literally, the location in a slaughterhouse where animals are killed prior to processing. Figuratively, it is a fairly common blues motif, denoting a state of high distress or hopelessness (see Skip James' "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues," and Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor"). Levee Camps Levee camps arose throughout the post-Civil War South as large numbers of manual laborers (typically African American) were gathered, sometimes by force, to build and maintain systems of earthen levees that held rivers in their channels, thus making more farmland available and (theoretically) minimizing the hazards of annual flooding. Frequent locations of group work-song singing and solo field hollers, they were notoriously difficult and violent places to make a living.

They were natural destinations, as well, for traveling musicians, who sought the money of workers enjoying their fleeting and hard-earned pay. Louisiana Blues A looser, more laid-back, and percussive version of the Jimmy Reed side of the Chicago sound, Louisiana blues has several distinctive stylistic elements to distinguish it from other genres. The guitar work is simple but effective, heavily influenced by the boogie patterns used on Jimmy Reed singles, with liberal doses of Lightnin' Hopkins and Muddy Waters thrown in for good measure. Unlike the heavy backbeat of the Chicago style, its rhythm can be best described as "plodding," making even up-tempo tunes sound like slow blues simply played a bit faster. The production techniques on most of the recordings utilize massive amounts of echo, giving the performances a darkened sound and feel, thus coining the genre's alternate description as "swamp blues."(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed.

San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Maxwell Street From the early 1900s until its relocation in the mid-1990s, the weekend open-air market along Chicago's Maxwell Street was a frequently changing urban milieu where one could find everything from used and new merchandise, to food, religion, and live music. It was a particularly important location for new immigrants to the city seeking employment, entertainment, and the familiarity of customs and people from "back home." Memphis Blues A strain of country blues all its own, Memphis blues gives the rise of two distinct forms: the jug band (playing and singing a humorous, jazz-style of blues played on homemade instruments) and the beginnings of assigning parts to guitarists for solo (lead) and rhythm, a tradition that is now part and parcel of all modern day blues-and rock 'n' roll-bands. The earliest version of the genre was heavily tied to the local medicine show and vaudeville traditions, lasting well into the late 1930s.

The later, post-World War II version of this genre featured explosive, distorted electric-guitar work, thunderous drumming, and fierce, declamatory vocals.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) New Orleans Blues Primarily (but not exclusively) piano and horn-driven, New Orleans blues is enlivened by Caribbean rhythms, an unrelenting party atmosphere, and the "second-line" strut of the Dixieland music so indigenous to the area. There's a cheerful, friendly element to the style that infuses the music with a good-time feel, no matter how somber the lyrical text. The music itself uses a distinctively "lazy" feel, with all of its somewhat complex rhythms falling just a hair behind the beat. But the vocals can run the full emotional gamut from laid-back crooning to full-throated gospel shouting, making for some interesting juxtapositions, both in style and execution.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed.

San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Oral Culture Conventionally, oral culture is understood to mean any and all traditions that are sustained within and between generations strictly through the spoken (as opposed to written) word, such as stories, tales, and songs. Panama Limited With the exception of a few years during the depression, the "Panama Limited" was, during the first half of the 20th century, the most luxurious of the Illinois Central's trains running the route from New Orleans to Chicago. The Illinois Central was a very popular manner in which to head North during the Great Migration. Parchman Farm Formally known as the Mississippi State Penitentiary, the Parchman Farm was opened in 1904 and, until federally mandated reform in the 1970s, was geared primarily towards the profitable production of cotton using convict labor. With little emphasis upon rehabilitation, it had a solid reputation for deplorable and brutal living and working conditions.

A frequent image in blues songs from the surrounding Delta, both among musicians who did time there and those who did not, it was also a frequent destination in the mid-20th century for folklorists recording work songs and related traditions in an effort to trace the development of the blues. Piedmont Blues Piedmont Blues refers to a regional substyle characteristic of black musicians of the southeastern United States. Geographically, the Piedmont means the foothills of the Appalachians west of the tidewater region and Atlantic coastal plain stretching roughly from Richmond, VA, to Atlanta, GA. Musically, Piedmont blues describes the shared style of musicians from Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia, as well as others from as far as Florida, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. It refers to a wide assortment of aesthetic values, performance techniques, and shared repertoire rooted in common geographical, historical, and sociological circumstances; to put it more simply, Piedmont blues means a constellation of musical preferences typical of the Piedmont region. The Piedmont guitar style employs a complex fingerpicking method in which a regular, alternating-thumb bass pattern supports a melody on treble strings.

The guitar style is highly syncopated and connects closely with an earlier string-band tradition, integrating ragtime, blues, and country dance songs. It's excellent party music with a full, rock-solid sound.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Piano Blues Piano blues runs through the entire history of the music itself, embracing everything from ragtime, barrelhouse, boogie woogie, and smooth West Coast jazz stylings to the hard-rocking rhythms of Chicago blues.(Erlewine, et al., eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 1999.) Race Records "Race records" was a term used by major and independent record labels from the early 1920s until the early 1950s to specifically label records recorded by African American artists. The term itself was not used pejoratively, but instead so that the records could be more readily marketed to an African American audience.

Ramblin' Slang term used to connote both the act of leaving a place and of wandering, particularly in search of work, a home, or spiritual peace. Rent Party

Question: In music, an axe is a slang term for which instrument?
Answer: Guitar