The Music
Jiving is traditionally associated with Rock n Roll, but it's suitable for dancing to a host of other genres.
Take a look at the links for more information about the history of the genres and to hear some examples of suitable Jivers.
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A brief history
As the popularity of the Big Bands declined towards the end of the 1940s, the emphasis moved towards smaller groups of musicians who began to blend other styles into the music.
The addition of Blues created Rhythm and Blues (RnB) and Jump Blues which, incorporated with Gospel and Soul, became the forerunner of Rock n Roll, while a Country element created Hillbilly and Rockabilly.
The music you'll come across on the dancefloor at events will be predominantly a mixture of Rock n Roll, Rockabilly, and RnB, but there are many variations, sub-genres, and styles that fit in and around the 1950s scene including Western Swing, Hillbilly, Country, Boogie-Woogie, Doo-Wop, Blues, Swing, Surf and others.
Since then there's been a steady stream of artists performing songs from these genres, and from new genres that have since emerged. In the late 1970s, Rock n Roll and Rockabilly went through a revival following the popular chart success of bands like Showaddywaddy, Darts, Rocky Sharpe and the Replays, and Shakin' Stevens. This led to a resurgence of the Teddy Boy culture and the arrival of a new Neo-Rockabilly style with chart hits by bands such as Matchbox, Stray Cats, The Polecats, The Jets, and The Stargazers amongst others - many of which are still going strong today!
Rock n Roll and Rockabilly are still inspiring many new bands in the 21st Century. Artists such as Imelda May and Si Cranstoun catch the public eye, but a huge number of other artists perform all over the country and around the world every week at Events and Record Hops, with the music of new and original artists (often on original vinyl) filling the dancefloors. New bands continue the look and feel of the original artists, keeping the style alive today - click the picture for a tiny selection of original and revival artist!