A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of jazz ensemble composed of ten or more musicians, usually in four parts: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands emerged in the early 1910s and dominated jazz in the early 1940s, when swing was most popular. While this is not the only style of music played by big bands, the term "big band" is also used to describe a genre of music.

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