Why did jazz musicians start referring to an engagement as a "gig"?
If any, could anyone provide a couple of quotations from eminent authors to show where a word was first used in this sense?
gig | noun, a live performance by a musician or group playing popular or jazz music. | verb, perform a gig or gigs.
The OED says the origin of gig is unknown.
Here's the full entry in A Jazz Lexicon (1964) by Robert S. Gold, pp. 123–124, which offers a possible etymology and some early quotations (with extra line breaks for readability).
gig, n. [poss. from gigue, a lively dance form of Italian origin commonly used as the last movement of a suite (cf. English counterpart jig): from Old French giguer; according to jazzman Eubie Blake, bandleader James Reese Europe used the term in its jazz sense as early as c. 1905; widely current since c. 1920] Initially, see 1955 quot.; since c. 1955, see 1959 quot. (though, it should be noted, for the non-jazz job, the term is applied only to a non-jazzman; for the jazzman, the non-jazz job is a hame or a day gig, q.v.).
— 1926 Melody Maker, Sep., p. 7. One popular “gig” band makes use of a nicely printed booklet.
— 1931 Melody Maker, May, p. 369. Bill Henry and his orchestra were responsible for the undoubted success of half the local gigs.
— 1946 Really the Blues, p. 370. gig: single engagement, club date.
— 1955 The Encyclopedia of Jazz, p. 346. gig: job (esp. one-night stand).
— 1959 The Holy Barbarians, p. 89. He returned to the bass fiddle and started making night club gigs again.
— 1959 Newport Jazz Festival: 1959, p. 45. gig: a job of any kind, musical or non-.v.i. (sometimes with around), [widely current since c. 1940] See 1947 quot.; also, since c. 1955: to work at any job (see also HAME).
— 1947 N.Y. Herald Tribune, 10 March. At present he is “gigging around,” a musician’s term for those who take casual dates whenever they can find them.
— 1952 Music Out of Dixie, p. 158. “I only played with him a few times, jes’ giggin’ aroun’.”
— 1955 The Encyclopedia of Jazz, p. 346. gig: to work one-night jobs.day gig, [jazz is generally performed at night: hence, the logic of the distinguishing term; current since c. 1945; see also HAME, SLAVE] A non-jazz job reluctantly taken by a jazzman for purely monetary reasons.
— 1962 The Village Voice, 14 June, p. 13. Shepp. Dixon, and even a leader of the advance guard like Cecil Taylor must rely on the day gig in order to survive.
The first documented use of the term "gig" in this way appears in 1926: Melody Maker 7 September 1926, with the story byline stating, "One Popular Gig Band Makes Use of a Nicely Printed Booklet." [1]
As discussed at the link cited, some jazz historians believe that the term originated from a dance called a "gigue," while others believe that the term derived from carriages called "gigs" in New Orleans. The thought is that black musicians, in order to avoid being arrested for playing on the street would instead play jazz on the back of carriages or trucks.
The latter explanation has some support from popular culture. Richard Digance on UK TV Channel 4's Countdown is widely quoted as forwarding the notion that the term derives from black musicians in New Orleans as stated above.
I'm not sure what to make of the following lengthy slang history of gig from Harold Wentworth & Stuart Flexner, Dictionary of American Slang (1960), but it's certainly interesting and unexpected:
gig n. 1 A child's pacifier or any object, as a cloth square, spoon, or the like, used as a toy; any object to which a small child is attached and with which he likes to play; any object treated by a child as a fetish; a gigi or ju-ju. Orig. Negro slave and Southern use. From "gigi," the word is very well known to about 35% of the population, unheard of by the rest. 2 [sometimes taboo] The rectum. From "gigi." Used euphem. by some children, as part of their bathroom vocabulary, but not common to all children. Used by some male adults [taboo] as a euphem. for "ass" in such expressions as "up your gig." 3 [taboo] The vagina. From "gigi." Not common. Prob. Southern use. 4 A party, a good time; esp. an uninhibited party; occasionally but not often, an amorous session, necking party, or even a sexual orgy between a man and a woman. c1915 [1954]: "Cornet players used to pawn their instruments when there was a lull in funerals, parades, dances, gigs and picnics." L. Armstrong, Satchmo, My Life in New Orleans, 100. 1958: "Life is a Many Splendored Gig," a song title. 5 A jam session ; a jazz party or gathering of jazz musicians or enthusiasts. Orig. swing use. 1920 [1954]: "Kid Ory had some of the finest gigs, especially for the rich white folk." L. Armstrong, Satchmo, My Life in New Orleans, 141. 6 Specif., an engagement or job for a jazz musician or musicians, esp. for a one-night engagement. 1950: "If I ask you to go out on a gig, it's thirty-five or forty dollars for that night." A. Lomax, Mr. Jelly Roll, 204. 1954: "On a gig, or one night stand." L. Armstrong, Satchmo, My Life in New Orleans, 221. 7 Something, as a jazz arrangement, that is satisfying or seems perfect. Orig. swing use. 8 A fishing spear; a pronged fork as used for catching fish, frogs, and the like. 1946: [citation omitted]. 9 An unfavorable report; a demerit; a reprimand. Army and some student use since c1940. The relations, if, any, between a child's pacifier or fetish, the rectum and vagina, a party, a sex orgy, jazz music, a pronged fork, and a reprimand are most interesting, and lie in the field of psychology rather than of etymology.
The second edition of Wentworth & Flexner (1975) repeats this definition word for word, but the the third edition, which is essentially a completely new book, cuts back on the early definitions. From Robert Chapman & Barbara Kipfer, Dictionary of American Slang, third edition (1995):
gig 1 n jazz musicians by about 1915 A party for jazz musicians and devotees; =JAM SESSION [citation (the Kid Ory quote again) omitted] 2 n jazz musicians by about 1905 A playing date or engagement, esp a one-night job [citations omitted] 3 v [citation omitted] 4 n 1950s Any job or occupation [citations omitted] 5 n A criminal act; swindle; =JOB, SCAM [citations omitted] 6 n Armed forces by 1940s A demerit; report of deficiency or breach of rules [origin unknown; musicians' senses are extensions of earlier meanings "spree, dance, party," found by 1777]
The term "gig" was explained to me back in about 1976 by my piano teacher. He was an extraordinary jazz pianist. He played on the Mike Douglas show in Philadelphia as one of his gigs. His explanation was that in the 30's and 40's musicians of color were not always paid for their talents. Keep in mind that many of these musicians understood and gave credence to their roots of understand that God was real. Most were brought up in a faith that was greater than their own understanding, far, far beyond black or white. These musicians were unfairly treated, yet when they were paid for the talents, they simply said "God is Good" a GIG.
I am now a 58 year old piano player and this explanation makes the most sense of anything I have ever heard.
The two suggestions that make the most sense to me (unless you count "obscure" as a suggestion) are the German Geig, violin, or Old French gigue, dance.
according to some new orleans musicians the term GIG originates from when they started earning enough money to go out and buy a gig, which is a type of small carriage. [this is pre automobile] and went out to" play on their gig", which would have been a bit of a boast ! check it out !
Are we looking at the wrong continent?
All the early citations seem to be from England. Melody Maker was a music journal that was published in London, and S.R. Nelson's All About Jazz was published in the U.K. It was not uncommon for black jazz musicians to tour Europe in the 1920s, and they could have brought back the word.
— 1926 Melody Maker, Sep., p. 7. One popular "gig" band makes use of a nicely printed booklet.
— 1927 Melody Maker, May, This seven-piece combination does many ‘GIGS’ in S.E. London, but is hoping to secure a resident engagement at Leamington in the near future.
— 1931 Melody Maker, May, p. 369. Bill Henry and his orchestra were responsible for the undoubted success of half the local gigs.
— 1934 S. R. Nelson All about Jazz vi. 113 Jack runs numerous bands which play ‘gig’ work—i.e. private engagements or public work. In his office, he has a file in which some hundreds of ‘gig’ musicians are listed.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia (1903) has the definition
gig 4 Sport; fun; lively time [Prov. Eng.]
One can imagine that this turned into a word for a party, which then turned into the musician's meaning for "gig". But this seems quite hard to verify.
It could well have a source in the word jig
1.Music and Dancea rapid, lively, springy, irregular dance for one or more persons.
2.Music and Dancea piece of music for such a dance.
3.Music and Dance[no object] to dance a jig or any lively dance.*
This is a music with a connotation of being live, and as a show, and is dated from the 16th century
Short for engagement (notice the two g's)
