Sweet Georgia Brown

Everything about the swinging music we love to DJ

Moderators: Mr Awesomer, JesseMiner, CafeSavoy

Message
Author
Roy
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:23 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

Sweet Georgia Brown

#1 Post by Roy » Sun Feb 06, 2005 9:54 am

Does anyone play this song? I'm curious because the past year or so it has grown into one of my favorites. I often use the Earl Hines version from 1936 as the first song of a big band set. Because of it's familiarity everyone always gets up and dances to it. But sometimes I will use other more modern verions -Alberta Hunter, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown trio(very long version). Sometimes I will play the Eddie South/Django version. but all versions get people dancing, for me it's one of those sure thing songs if I feel I lost connection with the crowd.

So, anyway last night I was listening to blues before sunrise (www.bluesbeforesunrise.com) and Steve Cushing put on a version by Brother Bones which is the same version that the Harlem Globetrotters use. And He said he knew very little about Brother Bones. I found that curious I mean geez just go to allmusic.com. So, I did to look it up. and brother bones is not listed at all. I found that strange how can one of the most recognized version of any song not have a listing? Nothing? So I had to do a deeper internet search and found information on Brother Bones here: http://www.whistlingrecords.com/brother ... _bones.htm
At this site you can here many of his songs, most of his other stuff I thought was garbage. But on this site tallking about bones players there is an interesting version of "Ain't she Sweet" by Mr. Goon-Bones who is a conteporary on Brother Bones. (I ain't making this up)

So this got me thinking. Is there any song out there that anyone plays or a swing song that someone does not play in which the "bones" are played? It's an interesting sounding insturment and out of my own curiousity I would like to hear it in a few jazz recordings for I can make up my my if I like it or not.

User avatar
GemZombie
Posts: 772
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 2:46 pm
Location: Alpharetta, GA (Formerly SLO, CA)
Contact:

#2 Post by GemZombie » Sun Feb 06, 2005 10:06 am

I don't have the Brother Bones version, but I do play an Erskine Hawkins and an Earl Hines version from time to time... good stuff. I have other versions, but I can't say I've really listened to them... perhaps I will and see if they will go over well, like you suggest they will.

I was buying some 78's for my wife (she likes to collect them), and did find a version of Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue, by Brother Bones. I have not found anything on CD.

Here's some info: http://www.whistlingrecords.com/brother ... _bones.htm

Versions of Sweet Georgia Brown I have:
Earl Hines
Benny Goodman
Benny Carter & His Chocolate Dandies
Cab Calloway
Django Reinhardt (3 versions)
Erskine Hawkins
Harry James

User avatar
kitkat
Posts: 606
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 10:34 am
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Sweet Georgia Brown

#3 Post by kitkat » Sun Feb 06, 2005 10:13 am

Roy wrote:So this got me thinking. Is there any song out there that anyone plays or a swing song that someone does not play in which the "bones" are played?
Patrick Szmidt of Paris, France spins Brother Bones's version of Sweet Georgia Brown pretty regularly.

I personally don't really like dancing to it as much as other artists' versions. Then again, I think his version of "Charleston" that you can find on that site is the best I've ever heard. It gets especially captivating after the last whistling solo at 1:14. I'd spin it in Paris, where people are used to hearing his music (familiarity can put more of a happy smile on dancers' faces than bad recording quality can take off) or perhaps at an event with fans of older music.

Roy
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:23 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

#4 Post by Roy » Sun Feb 06, 2005 12:36 pm

Jive Melody of that site is pretty good also.

User avatar
caab
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun May 02, 2004 8:40 am
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

#5 Post by caab » Mon Feb 07, 2005 9:27 pm

So funny that you posted this, a few months ago I got the Sweet Georgia Brown bug and I looked for as many different versions as I could find. In addition to some listed already, I love to play versions by Diane Schuur and the Ink Spots.

User avatar
Yakov
Posts: 614
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 8:02 pm
Location: Miami
Contact:

#6 Post by Yakov » Mon Feb 07, 2005 9:38 pm

Gene Harris! Image

User avatar
Nima
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 10:39 am
Location: Atlanta, GA
Contact:

#7 Post by Nima » Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:40 pm

The version which I started to like recently is from one of our local bands. AS a matter of fact I played it last night. Corny name, but good sounds: Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz

User avatar
CafeSavoy
Posts: 1138
Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 6:25 pm
Location: Mobtown
Contact:

Re: Sweet Georgia Brown

#8 Post by CafeSavoy » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:23 pm

Roy wrote:Does anyone play this song? I'm curious because the past year or so it has grown into one of my favorites.
Since you're collecting versions, a few not mentioned:

Henderson, Bill _Sweet Georgia Brown (180) _Live with the Count Basie Band ['65]
Aleman, Oscar _Sweet Georgia Brown (200) ['41] _Swing Guitar Masterpieces 1938~1957 (Disc 1)
Charles, Ray _Sweet Georgia Brown (245) _Ray Charles and Betty Carter , Dedicated To You
Kirby, John _Sweet Georgia Brown ['39may19] [C6] _Charlie Shavers, Jazz Archives No203~~ The Amazing Trumpet of Mister Charlie 1937~1947
Murphy, Mark _Sweet Georgia Brown (133) _The Best of the Capitol Years ['59~60]
Schuur, Diane _Sweet Georgia Brown (188'') ['92] [BB] _In Tribute

User avatar
JesseMiner
Posts: 1034
Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 5:36 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

#9 Post by JesseMiner » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:54 pm

You're missing my favorite to play at dances:

Ella Fitzgerald w/ Duke Ellington - Cote d'Azur Concerts (Disc 7)

She also has a slightly faster one on "A Perfect Match" (with the Basie band), but I prefer the version with Ellington.

As for Brother Bones, his version used to be played all of the time here in San Francisco. I've gotten a kick on several occasions from watching dancers goofing around with some "air basketball" while it is playing.

Interesting side note: Leland Ho ripped Brother Bones' version from a 45 record, and every dancer/DJ I know who has the song got it either from Leland or from someone who got it from him - Erwin and Brainard from Chicago being one example. It's fun to trace how some songs have been discovered and have gotten around the Lindy scene.

Jesse

User avatar
Swifty
Posts: 448
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2002 7:53 pm
Location: NY, NY
Contact:

#10 Post by Swifty » Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:08 pm

JesseMiner wrote:She also has a slightly faster one on "A Perfect Match" (with the Basie band), but I prefer the version with Ellington.
I find this one is wierd to dance to for some reason.

There's also a nice version on Chicago: The Living Legends by Alberta Hunter w/ Love Austin's Blues Serenaders. FWIW, the entire album is great - it's got my current favorite version of "St. Louis Blues." (More sound clips here)

Image

User avatar
Yakov
Posts: 614
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 8:02 pm
Location: Miami
Contact:

#11 Post by Yakov » Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:26 pm

FYI - amazon lists the 8-disc Verve Ella/Duke Cote set for $50 in zshops.
wow

User avatar
Lawrence
Posts: 1213
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2002 2:08 pm
Location: Austin, Texas
Contact:

#12 Post by Lawrence » Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:19 pm

Image

Contains a phenomenal, explosive Big Band version that starts slow and builds to Mid-Tempo. Very good spin on a somewhat staid tune.
Lawrence Page
Austin Lindy Hop
http://www.AustinLindy.com

User avatar
Ryan
Posts: 129
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 5:15 pm
Location: LA to NY-Fuckin-C

#13 Post by Ryan » Wed Feb 09, 2005 9:01 pm

You have to cue it up at a certain time (or edit it) to avoid the intro... but Condon has an awesome live version on...

The Town Hall Concerts Vol. 11

hep2hop
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 9:08 am
Location: Orlando, FL
Contact:

#14 Post by hep2hop » Thu Feb 10, 2005 8:21 am

I also like to play Harry Connick Jr's version, done when he was eleven years old :shock: :

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... ce&s=music


Chris

User avatar
djstarr
Posts: 1043
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2003 2:09 pm
Location: Seattle

#15 Post by djstarr » Thu Feb 10, 2005 7:39 pm

hep2hop wrote:I also like to play Harry Connick Jr's version, done when he was eleven years old :shock: :

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... ce&s=music


Chris
wow - I thought '20' was his first album. I was very into Harry Connick about 15 years ago and really enjoyed seeing his live band play the Seattle Opera House; I've been meaning to go through the CDs I have (about 7) to look for tracks for swing dj'ing.

Locked