[Ads-l] Antedating of "Chops" (Technical Jazz Skills)

[Shapiro, Fred]

chops (OED, s.v. chop, n2, Additional Sense, b., 1968)

1963 Down Beat 14 Mar. 28/1 (RIPM Jazz Periodicals)

Mendes, too, showed his impressive jazz piano chops.

NOTE: It is very difficult to determine whether citations for "chops" are referring to embouchure or to technical jazz skills.  However, the 1963 citation is unambiguous, since a pianist would not be noted for his embouchure.

Fred Shapiro

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