SwingDJs

Hi all!

I don't know if this has already been asked (if so, please direct me to the post) and I'm not sure how best to explain this but I'm looking for some swing songs that also have other sections of the song that are in a different style - essentially I'm looking for swing songs that you can mix other dance styles into.

[if you happen to know of songs that are a mix of styles other than swing, I'd be very happy to hear about those too ]

Here are a few examples of songs like this that I know of which might help give an idea of what I'm looking for:

- Buona Sera by Louis Prima starts off sort of tango-y, goes to swing, turns back to tango towards the end, and switches back to and ends in swing.

- Blue Danube by Pat Flowers starts as the Blue Danube does: as a waltz. It then turns into swing for the rest of the song.

- It don't mean a thing by the Puppini Sisters has a bluesy section in the middle.

- There's a version of Bei mir bist du schoen (by Janis Siegel?) that slows down a bit over halfway through the song and you can dance blues or maybe even something else (maybe even rhumba?) and then it goes back to a fast swing.

Does anyone else have any other songs they can suggest?

Thanks!

Most versions of "After You've Gone" will have a significant tempo/style change. Try the one by Lavern Baker.

Check out Gene Krupa's version of "Green Eyes" (1941): Rhumba / Swing

The first strain of "St Louis Blues" is traditionally played with a latin rhythm. Most modern recordings don't retain this feature, sadly. Everything before 1927 or so will have the traditional rhythm. A more modern (hah!) recording that retains this feature is Bob Scobey's form 1955 (on "Scobey and Clancy", a pretty fun album if you're into New Orleans revival jazz).

Two other favourites, both of which are hard to social dance to:
Artie Shaw's "Frenesi" (1940)
Edmond Hall's "Petit Fleur" (1958)

I once did a choreography to "Frenesi" that was part lindy, part tap, and part argentine tango.