SwingDJs

I don't play stuff that doesn't inspire me to dance.

I don't play stuff that I don't think is any good.

I don't like playing a lot of vocal jazz, but I don't like playing all instrumentals, either.

I don't usually play really slow songs, unless the night is wearing on. It's a tough rut to get out of.

I don't play a lot of 'quiet' jazz, though I do enjoy listening to it.

And the most basic of all: I don't play stuff I don't like.

I haven't really DJed enough to establish "rules" or "guidelines" but there are three things that I like to do at every set.

1. I like to write down the songs as I play them and look at what I play later on. It's ridiculously anal, but hey, that's me.

2. I like to play at least one song that I've never spun before.

3. I like to play at least one Ella song because I personally can never hear enough of her.

So far, that's it...

Tina

Naw, you are not the only ones who have internal guidelines. I didn't realize I had many until I ended up being the "newbie DJ wrangler" in Houston. As I talked about why something "felt" right, I realized that I DID have some internal guidelines that I normally followed. Oops, work calls......more later.

I don't have many rules. However here are some that I try to observe:

1) When playing home gigs I always have a drink by me. It can get very lonely at the DJ booth

2) Lots of Duke, lots of Basie.

3) Lately I like to alternate between a male vocal and a female vocal.

4) When I DJ after the class I tend to play easier to dance songs.

5) Always have fun when DJing.

6) Mix a lot (fast, slow,vocals,instrumentals, Jump Blues,Big Band, Jazz,Blues, some Hip Hop, Motown and R&B and even ECS when the mood is right!).

Serg

Be open to feedback. Have "plants" in the audience to give you REAL feedback and won't whitewash the responses.

Don't piss off the other DJs in town if they have gone to bat for you and have any sort of control over booth time that you might want. I don't know about the boys, but girls have long memories for being dissed, especially if there is no apology afterwards.

Don't play too much weird stuff. It will follow you. For years.

Just like opinions, one bad song seems equal to ten good ones in people's memories. I keep that in mind when I am thinking about trying out new stuff.

Have fun. If it isn't fun, why are you doing it?

Despite my own, annoying penchant for analysis, my biggest reaction to this thread is that, just as with dancing, you need to internalize many of these so-called "rules" into your "muscle-memory" and forget them while doing it. Otherwise, you will be crippled by analysis or develop bad habits that mirror the words but not the spirit of some of the most well-intentioned "rules."

I also doubt there is any rule that can never be broken, ever. If I knew seven years ago that I would play a Prince song at a swing dance a few nights ago and get a hugely positive reaction, I would have shuddered and wondered what the (Swing/Lindy) world is coming to. Now, it just adds to the fun and breaks the monotony.

define your rules, then break them.

I play what I want. Sometimes what I want is guided by what I see happening on the floor. Sometimes I want to break up an energy; sometimes I want to build it. Sometimes I just don't give a shit and I play to the voices in my head. It works. I've gotten flamed in the past on forums for seeming not to serve the crowd. It's never been the case on the floor.

"I don't go to school and I kill people. What-EVA. I do what I want."

Serg wrote: 3) Lately I like to alternate between a male vocal and a female vocal.

I just realized that most of the vocals I play are female. Anyone have suggestions on male vocalists I should check out?

I don't play a song the band has played, or is likely to.

-FF

kbuxton wrote:

Serg wrote: 3) Lately I like to alternate between a male vocal and a female vocal.

I just realized that most of the vocals I play are female. Anyone have suggestions on male vocalists I should check out?

My two favorites lately are Jimmy Rushing's Every Day I Have the Blues and Joe William's work with Thad Jones/Mel Lewis.

I have also been playing a lot of Louis Armstrong vocals, and I love Pops from Swing Session.

kbuxton wrote:

Serg wrote: 3) Lately I like to alternate between a male vocal and a female vocal.

I just realized that most of the vocals I play are female. Anyone have suggestions on male vocalists I should check out?

Joe Williams, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jimmy Rushing, Kevin Mahagony, Ernie Andrews, Big Joe Turner, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Joe Carroll, King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson, John Pizzarelli, Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Ray Charles, Roy Eldridge, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Charles Brown are few suggestions.

That covers my favorites but a few more I can think of: Mose Allison, Billy Eckstien, Eddie "cleanhead" Vinson, Lou Rawls, Johnny Hartman, Bobby Darin, Slim & Slam, Floyd McDaniel, Fats Waller.

CafeSavoy wrote: Joe Williams, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jimmy Rushing, Kevin Mahagony, Ernie Andrews, Big Joe Turner, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Joe Carroll, King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson, John Pizzarelli, Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Ray Charles, Roy Eldridge, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Charles Brown are few suggestions.

Roy wrote:That covers my favorites but a few more I can think of: Mose Allison, Billy Eckstien, Eddie "cleanhead" Vinson, Lou Rawls, Johnny Hartman, Bobby Darin, Slim & Slam, Floyd McDaniel, Fats Waller.

Just realized I have stuff by most of these, I just need to dig through make sure to play them more often. The voices of Mose Allison and John Pizzarelli both just grate on me though. Any suggestions for places to start for Kevin Mahagony, Eddie Jefferson, Ray Nance and Floyd McDaniel since those are the ones I don't have anything of?

-I only play music that makes me want to dance.
-I try to make a connection between each song so that my set isn't a series of train wreck changes in feel.
-If the room wants fast, I play fast. If the room wants slow, I play slow. If the room wants everything, I play everything.
-I avoid poaching other local DJs' signature tunes.
-I don't take myself too seriously.