The Kansas City style jazz became popular during the Great Depression and continued to grow during the American Prohibition Movement. Local clubs often hired bands that played this style of jazz. People would sit and relax while they listened to the blues tones of the music. This may have been because liquor was prohibited in their country. Whatever the reason, sitting and sipping a glass of wine or liquor is still popular with this type of music today.
Swing was a very popular style of jazz music in the 1930's. Performed by big bands, this style of music has stayed popular within certain communities. It is currently making a comeback. The contagious beat of the music encourages dancers to get on their feet and hit the floor. It has its own styles of dance, and those that perform it have an outgoing and saucy style. It is almost impossible to just sit back and listen when a band gets going on a good Swing number.
There are more than a dozen different types of jazz music. For people that love to dance, Swing is currently the most popular form. Hard Bop, Cool and Kansas City styles are for people that want to relax with a good drink and enjoy the music from their comfortable chairs. So, whatever a person's mood, there is apt to be a jazz style that suits it perfectly.
