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I have a question that I hope someone can help me with. I have a student learning "Birk's Works" by Dizzy Gillespie. At the beginning you are instructed to swing the eighth notes. Later on there is an eighth note joined to 3 triplet sixteenth notes. Would the triplet 16th notes still be the short part of the swing? I believe it would. So... there are also 4 sixteenths written quite frequently (joined together so they are one count) and then the music has the regular 2 eighth notes again. Would you unswing the 16th notes?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Tammy

Hi Tammy,

I left you a private message on this.

I just looked at my lead sheets for these, and in both cases, the 16th triplets are on the beat (hence, the long part of the 8th note). Not that it really matters, I think. It's more of a feel thing.

I suggest listening to a recording to hear how the melody is supposed to sound.

I second that, definately listen to the recording.
I feel that this particular rhythmic pattern is such an integral part of the jazz line that it's really worth spending time figuring it out. You should also pay careful attention to the accents, accenting any of those 16ths triplets could really mess up the feel.