Unless the piece is played in strict tempo, he asserts, its structure is obscured.

"In the 50's they had live drummers, and even the best ones didn't play in strict tempo," Mr. Pickles said.

In performing dance music, he played fast but deviated from strict tempo to bring out the character of the tune.

A feature of all the strict tempo bands was the absence of a singer, who might have interfered with the clarity of the rhythm.

Silvester's drummer for over four decades was Ben Edwards, crucial for supplying the strict tempo.

The dance follows a strict and slow tempo not emphasising on the steps, but more on the "attitude, style and grace" of the dancer.

Still, these deviations from strict tempo are one of the primary ways in which a musical personality is expressed.

The Wurlitzer's job had been to provide music for dancing, however, and neither organist could tackle the difficult task of keeping a strict tempo.

Once he had mastered playing in strict tempo, Dixon further developed his playing style, with a strong bass line, and both hands providing accompaniment and melody.

The dance follows a strict tempo with emphasis in the "attitude, style and grace" of the dancer.