Music that Swings HARD!

Everything about the swinging music we love to DJ

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fredo
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#16 Post by fredo » Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:48 pm

I guess part of the joke is that what you asked for at the start of this thread is what music collectors like ourselves are on the look out for all the time.

It's also somewhat subjective. The fact that Jimmie Lunceford and Louis Armstrong have recordings that "swing hard" seems obvious, but they also have recordings that are much sweeter, on the same album most of the time, so that's another part of what makes this question funny...you just have to listen to them to find out.

You'll probably get the best feedback if you continue to share the names of recordings you know fit the sound you're looking for, then let others try to think of songs they have that are similar, just as you did with Cole Slaw and whathaveyou. I don't personally think of Cole Slaw when I think of songs that "swing hard", so that's why your question is hard to answer unless you give more examples of what you're hearing in your head.

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btluhrman
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#17 Post by btluhrman » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:26 pm

Can anyone tell me what other songs I might like if these are some of the songs I think swing hard?

For Dancers Only - Duke Ellington
Kansas City Riffs - Buster Smith
Early Morning Rock - Johnny Hodges
Lindyhopper's Delight - Chick Webb
Blue My Naughty Sweetie - Sidney Bechet
On the Sunny Side of the Street - Dizzy Gillespie
Woodchoppers Ball - Woody Herman

Other tracks that I think are fun dancing to:

Baby, You've Got What It Takes - Nellie McKay
Alligator Meat - Joe Swift
Shake it up and Go - B.B. King
All Around the World - Lou Rawls

Nate Dogg
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#18 Post by Nate Dogg » Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:06 pm

You probably should stop using the "swing hard" description, it just confuses things. Most people don't share your interpretation of the word, "music you like" works just fine.

Check the Yehoodi DJ Set list thread, go to iTunes or Amazon MPS and play the 30 second samples of the songs you can find on there. Buy the ones you like. Do something similar on eMusic. Print the list of songs and go to your local used record store and sample what they have. Listen to the internet radio shows (Yehoodi radio, etc..) and take notes about what you like.

Pay attention at dances, if you hear a song your like, ask the DJ what they played.

Your song list has a lot of variety. You just need to listen to a lot of music and develop your sense of what feels right.

Nathan

straycat
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#19 Post by straycat » Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:18 pm

As Nate says - this is all pretty subjective, and there's not a lot on your list which I'd put in my own 'swings hard' list.

Reading through though, a couple of associations kick in for me, so a few personal favourites of mine you might try (if you don't already have 'em, which you may well do)

You should already have Take it From the Top by Chick Web, but if not, grab it.
Ball of Fire - Gene Krupa
Troubled - Glen Miller / Frankie Trumbauer / Bunny Berigan et al
Johnson Rag - Glen Miller
Le Jazz Hot - Jimmie Lunceford
Mr Ghost Goes to Town - Tommy Dorsey
Pussy Willow - Ellington
By Heck - The Dorsey Brothers

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btluhrman
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#20 Post by btluhrman » Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:16 am

Thanks so much, I actually don't have some of those. Thanks for the help and does anyone else have any suggestions based off of my list?

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Eyeball
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#21 Post by Eyeball » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:38 am

Tommy Dorsey 1940 - 1942

DEEP RIVER
SWINGTIME UP IN HARLEM
WELL, GIT IT!
QUIET, PLEASE
NOT SO QUIET, PLEASE
SO WHAT?
SWING HIGH

Most bands couldn't cut 1941's DEEP RIVER the way TD plays it and many dancers would not be up to the challenge of making it through the entire number which runs more than 4 minutes. It's fast and intense and it builds!

Most people have not heard it because it has rather successfully avoided a legitimate reissue since 1956 or so; that's the last time I saw it on an TD collection on RCA, except for a Reader's Digest box set reissue in the 70s, IIRC.
Will big bands ever come back?

Toon Town Dave
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#22 Post by Toon Town Dave » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:54 am

Do you mean this 1941 recording of Deep River - VICTOR 36396? It's not very fast, just shy of 4 minutes.

straycat
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#23 Post by straycat » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:58 am

Toon Town Dave wrote:Do you mean this 1941 recording of Deep River - VICTOR 36396? It's not very fast, just shy of 4 minutes.
This one's a little faster (just a bit)
http://www.emusic.com/album/Tommy-Dorse ... 13934.html

Nice track.

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Eyeball
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#24 Post by Eyeball » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:21 am

Toon Town Dave wrote:Do you mean this 1941 recording of Deep River - VICTOR 36396? It's not very fast, just shy of 4 minutes.
That isnt DEEP RIVER. It's WITHOUT A SONG.

Seems like they uploaded WASong twice b/c it on their list as both that and DEEP RIVER.
Last edited by Eyeball on Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Eyeball
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#25 Post by Eyeball » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:31 am

straycat wrote:
Toon Town Dave wrote:Do you mean this 1941 recording of Deep River - VICTOR 36396? It's not very fast, just shy of 4 minutes.
This one's a little faster (just a bit)
http://www.emusic.com/album/Tommy-Dorse ... 13934.html

Nice track.
That's a pretty good recreation of DEEP RIVER by someone. That's the TD arrangement (Sy Oliver). Be nice to hear the rest.

BTW - WITHOUT A SONG was the reverse side of thE original record release of DEEP RIVER, so same catalog number 36396.

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Eyeball
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#26 Post by Eyeball » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:42 am

And let me add by TD-

BLUE SKIES
LOOSE LID SPECIAL
and the two part
MILENBURG JOYS

Great web site

http://www.jazz-on-line.com

Lots of great Tommy Dorsey to listen to and dig! One of the greatest bands of the Swing Era.

Go, youngbloods, go!!!!

http://www.jazzitude.com/bldorseya.htm

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djstarr
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#27 Post by djstarr » Thu Mar 13, 2008 2:49 pm

btluhrman wrote:Thanks so much, I actually don't have some of those. Thanks for the help and does anyone else have any suggestions based off of my list?
If you don't have The Fabulous Sidney Bechet [which has Blues my Naughty...] on it, you should get it. The entire CD really swings hard.

Another CD that has a great range of songs on it is Henry Red Allens "World on a String".

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btluhrman
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#28 Post by btluhrman » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:51 pm

I got the proper box set of sidney bechet and that is pretty awesome. I'll try that album. Thanks for the advice.

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