Really? Like making the beats 2 and 4 into 1 and 3? Yep. In all of the American styles? Well ... maybe not folk music. Jazz, blues and rock? Absolutely. So why would we want to do this? Well, to jazz things up a bit? Just kidding. But in all seriousness, turning the beat around is a very cool way to give our lines an added dimension when improvising. Although difficult to do when first "getting there", advanced players will oftentimes do this sort of rhythmic juxtopositioning of the beat to get the emotional level of their improvisations to a higher plane.
So how is it done? Well, mainly in playing against the steady pulse of the "2 and 4" magic, the bread and butter of the swing thing. Once this groove is locked in, turning the beat around can be done lot's of ways. The idea is to get your lines to "float" above this groove and imply a different time or pulse against the 2 and 4, heightening the rhythmic tension. Triplets work this magic. Playing clusters of pitches with a different accenting or articulation will turn the beat around. Other "odd" meter configurations, groups of 5 or 7 pitches will do it. Lot's of ways, as varied as the players who do it.
Listening to your favorite players is the key to working this magic. Singing the lines and finding the licks on your instrument is the time honored way that we all have done it. Once this ability is acquired, you'll find yourself coming up with your own ways of doing it. As you explore this tricky aspect of the rhythms, you'll realize just how important it is to be able to set things straight, commonly know as "landing on your feet." So whatever styles of music you play and dig, listen to the monsters and see how they turn the beat around ... over and over till ya got it in your soul. Cool? Comments / questions?
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
Sir Winston Churchill