Swing Riff

Moten Swing is a 1932 jazz standard by Bennie Moten and his Kansas City Orchestra.  This song has a nice riff in it which consists of a melodic phrase, often constantly repeated, forming an accompaniment or part of an accompaniment for a soloist.  A riff is short simple and brief and it says a lot with a little.  Moten and his Orchestra, which included Count Basie on piano, achieved much success.  ‘Moten Swing’ became more popular in 1938 when it was recorded by the Benny Goodman orchestra during a Kansas City radio session. Basie introduces the first chorus with a confident, eight-bar stride piano solo, segueing into a forceful contrasting riff exchange between the brass and reed sections.