Favourite recording of ... Moten Swing?

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Haydn
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Favourite recording of ... Moten Swing?

#1 Post by Haydn » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:03 pm

Well we can't leave this one out :wink: . I'm always hearing different versions, and I never know what they are. Most are modern, and they always seem to work - it's that sort of number. I think my favourite is by Andy Kirk, arranged by Mary Lou Williams, but the sound quality is poor. There's a good modern version of this by 'Big Band Sounds', which is available on iTunes.

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djstarr
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#2 Post by djstarr » Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:34 pm

I like the version on Count Basie/Atomic Swing - nice slow barn burner, really builds up to a big finish.

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#3 Post by julius » Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:13 pm

I like the Kansas City soundtrack version. The opening notes are slightly out of tune and disjointed, like the band is really relaxed and having fun.

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#4 Post by Campus Five » Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:42 pm

I really dig the Willie Smith version with Les Paul on the Proper Guitar Box.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop- ... 88-6339846
Last edited by Campus Five on Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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kitkat
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#5 Post by kitkat » Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:39 pm

Charlie Barnet, hands down. I think the album it's on is called "Cherokee." Exciting play with the recognizeable theme all the way through (rather than getting around to it near the end).

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#6 Post by GemZombie » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:46 pm

1. Buster smith w/ Eddie Durham
2. Andy Kirk (more mellow) and I agree... I *love* Mary Lou Williams tunes/arrangments. She *made* the Andy Kirk Band.

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#7 Post by JesseMiner » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:16 pm

"Moten Swing" is one of my all-time favorite melodies for dancing! Though I prefer the later arrangement of the song.

My favorites that I regularly play when I DJ are from:

Ray Anthony - Swing Back To The 40's
Oscar Peterson - Night Train
Lindy Hop Heaven - Goin' To Lindy Land
Slam Stewart - Slam Bam (Definitive Black And Blue Sessions)
Jonah Jones - I Dig Jonah

I'm always surprised that one of the many Basie versions doesn't make my list, but I've yet to find a version I enjoy dance-wise as much as the above.

Jesse

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Jonas
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#8 Post by Jonas » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:58 am

Bennie Moten's version from 1932, yeah! :D

/Jonas

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Lawrence
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#9 Post by Lawrence » Thu Mar 08, 2007 2:52 am

Vintage: Harry James from "Snooty Fruity"

Hi-Fi: Can't pick among the dozens of Basie versions.

Edit: Forgot about the Kansas City version, which I ironically didn't like at first (way back in the Neo days), but absolutely love now. It is one of my steadfast fallback songs: if all goes wrong and the vibe is completely screwed up, play KC Moten Swing to get things back on track.
Last edited by Lawrence on Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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anton
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#10 Post by anton » Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:14 pm

Jonas wrote:Bennie Moten's version from 1932, yeah! :D
Amen to that! And what incredible sound quality (on the Ken Burns Jazz set) for being recorded in 1932!

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Swifty
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#11 Post by Swifty » Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:40 pm

julius wrote:I like the Kansas City soundtrack version. The opening notes are slightly out of tune and disjointed, like the band is really relaxed and having fun.
Same here.
"Dance like it hurts. Love like you need money. Work when people are watching."

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#12 Post by Haydn » Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:14 am

julius wrote:I like the Kansas City soundtrack version. The opening notes are slightly out of tune and disjointed, like the band is really relaxed and having fun.
Two people have mentioned this now. Is this a band called Kansas City, or the soundtrack of a film by that name? (Sorry, but I've never heard of it.)

Can you give a link to the CD on allmusic?

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Jonas
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#13 Post by Jonas » Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:26 am

Haydn wrote:
julius wrote:I like the Kansas City soundtrack version. The opening notes are slightly out of tune and disjointed, like the band is really relaxed and having fun.
Two people have mentioned this now. Is this a band called Kansas City, or the soundtrack of a film by that name? (Sorry, but I've never heard of it.)

Can you give a link to the CD on allmusic?
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... 6ktr6qkl5x

(vol. 2, with great King Porter Stomp: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... cibkg9kakm)

/Jonas

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#14 Post by julius » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:11 pm

Both albums are worth getting, although not all the music is great for dancing. The vibe on the albums are what really grab you -- just loose, spontaneous, somewhat unrehearsed, just like it would have been in Kansas City in the 30s.

Haydn
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#15 Post by Haydn » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:17 am

Jonas wrote:
Haydn wrote:
julius wrote:I like the Kansas City soundtrack version. The opening notes are slightly out of tune and disjointed, like the band is really relaxed and having fun.
Two people have mentioned this now. Is this a band called Kansas City, or the soundtrack of a film by that name? (Sorry, but I've never heard of it.)

Can you give a link to the CD on allmusic?
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... 6ktr6qkl5x

(vol. 2, with great King Porter Stomp: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... cibkg9kakm)

/Jonas
Thanks Jonas :)

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