Actual (not armchair) HJDF

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Lawrence · #1 Post by **Lawrence** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:42 am

Well... what happened? Music-wise, was it an event focused on Harlem Jazz, or just another Lindy Hop Event that did not differ from an Exchange?

main_stem · #2 Post by **main_stem** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:12 pm

It would be nice to hear from the DJs who went and battled. I've heard that Shiny Stockings was played about 15 different times. Any truth to that?

Abdel · #3 Post by **Abdel** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 9:34 pm

The event was amazing. I had a fabulous time dancing in tight spaces. BGirls ruled and Hellzapoppin' was memorable. I love all of the music that was played at the dance competitions.

I djed there Saturday night for about an hour before the battle began. Originally, I didn't like the idea of having each djs play 5 songs, but in my opinion that provided the best mix of music that I have heard it a while. The music never got too slow or too fast and I danced my butt off. In fact, I heard several of my favorite songs played during the battle. It was nice meeting Lucy and thanks for dancing with me several times that night.

Now, I want you guys to post the music that you played there for the battle and the dance competions.

Zot · #4 Post by **Zot** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:47 pm

Well, I was up first in the contest, so I guess I'll post my set first too.

Yacht Club Swing Intro (180) 1:00 Fats Waller A Career Perspective 1922-1943
Yacht Club Swing (170) 3:52 Fats Waller A Career Perspective 1922-1943
Pent Up In A Penthouse (128) 3:40 Fats Waller A Career Perspective 1922-1943
Smart Aleck (182) 3:24 Lionel Hampton All Star Sessions, Volume 1: Open House (Disc 2)

CafeSavoy · #5 Post by **CafeSavoy** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:24 am

here's my set list:

in a mellotone (158), duke ellington, historically speaking
swing brother swing (194), billie holiday, billie swings
satin doll (145), duke ellington orchestra (mercer leading), mood indigo
art tatum, you took adavantage of me (118), the tatum group masterpieces, vol. 2- w,roy eldridge
don't be that way (220), chick webb, spinning the webb
you turned the table on me (124), sarah vaughan and count basie

djstarr · #6 Post by **djstarr** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:30 am

Abdel wrote:Now, I want you guys to post the music that you played there for the battle and the dance competions.

Thanks! I should have kept reading before I posted the same request on another thread

Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you Abdel, but I agree it was an awesome weekend of music!

Brenda

Mr Awesomer · #7 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 1:20 am

1. Apollo Jump - Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra ('41)
2. Echoes of Harlem - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra ('36)
3. Drop Me off In Harlem - Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington ('61)
4. Harlem Air Shaft - Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra ('99)
5. Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie - Chick Webb and His Orchestra ('37)

Mr Awesomer · #8 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 1:23 am

main_stem wrote:It would be nice to hear from the DJs who went and battled. I've heard that Shiny Stockings was played about 15 different times. Any truth to that?

"Shiny Stockings" being played 15 times seems a little exaggerated... but if you were to add up the versions of "Shiny Stockings" and "Satin Doll" that were played, I'm sure it would have been at least 15.

#9 Post by **JesseMiner** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 9:45 am

GuruReuben wrote:"Shiny Stockings" being played 15 times seems a little exaggerated... but if you were to add up the versions of "Shiny Stockings" and "Satin Doll" that were played, I'm sure it would have been at least 15.

I actually didn't hear either of those songs played too many times during the weekend. Maybe "Satin Doll" 2 or 3 times at most, always different versions, and "Shiny Stockings" only once or twice. Definitely not enough for me to even notice or have any problem with it. The most memorable of course being Junior Mance's extended version of "Satin Doll" on Sunday night...wow! Greg and I were thoroughly enjoying that one.

Jesse

#10 Post by **JesseMiner** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 10:10 am

Here's the rundown on the HJDF DJ Battle on Saturday:

Before things started, the order of DJs was chosen at random. The first four would be in Round 1, and the second four would be in Round 2. Each DJ would get to play roughly 15 minutes of music. At the end of each round a winner would be selected by audience applause and then at the end of the evening the two winners would battle it out to determine the final winner.

To get a better understand for how all the DJs sets went together in the DJ Battle, here is the order of DJs:

Round 1
1. Matt Riddle (Australia)
2. Reuben Brown (Altadena, CA)
3. Lucy Falkner (Vancouver)
4. Rayned Wiles (Washington DC)

The winner of round 1 was determined by audience applause: Rayned Wiles.

Then there was a break for the Apple Jack'n'Jill prelims.

Round 2
1. Andy Reid (Ithaca, NY)
2. Greg Avakian (Philadelphia, PA)
3. Manu Smith (New York, NY)
4. Jesse Miner (San Francisco, CA)

The winner of Round 2 was determined by audience applause: Jesse Miner (though it was really close with all the applause that Andy Reid got).

Then the winners of Round 1 and Round 2 traded songs for the last hour or so of the evening. The last song of the evening was going to be played by the winner of that final hour, but it was declared a tie, so Rayned and I selected the final song together.

I'll post my Round 2 set list and Rayned's and my joint list when I get a chance.

Jesse

djstarr · #11 Post by **djstarr** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:23 pm

GuruReuben wrote:1. Apollo Jump - Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra ('41)
2. Echoes of Harlem - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra ('36)
3. Drop Me off In Harlem - Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington ('61)
4. Harlem Air Shaft - Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra ('99)
5. Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie - Chick Webb and His Orchestra ('37)

What did you play for the 3 song jam Sunday night upstairs? That really kicked!

djstarr · #12 Post by **djstarr** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:27 pm

GuruReuben wrote:
main_stem wrote:It would be nice to hear from the DJs who went and battled. I've heard that Shiny Stockings was played about 15 different times. Any truth to that?
"Shiny Stockings" being played 15 times seems a little exaggerated... but if you were to add up the versions of "Shiny Stockings" and "Satin Doll" that were played, I'm sure it would have been at least 15.

Don't forget about "Perdido" and "Sent for you Yesterday".........

I don't think it was a big problem - it just started to get funny - especially Shiny Stockings.

Rayned - I really liked the version of "Sent for you Yesterday" that you played Sunday in the park -- it had a male vocal group -- who was that?

Brenda

Mr Awesomer · #13 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:52 pm

djstarr wrote: What did you play for the 3 song jam Sunday night upstairs? That really kicked!

I kicked it off with "some heat" being Lunceford's "White Heat," then I went to Basie's "Panassie Stomp" to Hine's "XYZ." I actually played a forth song, Charlie Barnet's version of "Drop Me Off In Harlem." All but "Panassie Stomp" were easily in the 300bpm+ range.

#14 Post by **JesseMiner** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:54 pm

Here's my set list from the DJ Battle:

1. Shiny Stockings - Ella Fitzgerald/Count Basie (The Concert Years) (125/3:35)
2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Gene Harris (The Concord Years) (122/3:16)
3. Alright, Okay, You Win - Joe Williams (A Swingin' Night At Birdland) (139/2:39)
4. C-Jam Blues - Duke Ellington (Blues In Orbit) (164/4:53)
5. Now Has Jazz - Louis Armstrong (LHJ Jumpin' Vol. 5) (168/4:00)

Funny to see mentions of hearing "Shiny Stockings" too much. I specifically picked it because I'd yet to hear it during the weekend, and it's such a great song. I must have missed out on a big chunk of DJing when it was overplayed.

As for why I picked what I did: I was the last of the 8 DJs, and it just felt like the right mix of tunes at the time. I tried to pick songs by some of my all-time favorite swinging artists who are also well-loved by the dancers: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, Louis Armstrong and Gene Harris. From there, I just slowly built up the energy through my selections, trying to create a bit of flow in the short time alotted.

Jesse

falty411 · #15 Post by **falty411** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 1:11 pm

it would of been nice if more of the DJs viewed the battle as a tribute to the artists from Harlem that brought us some of the best, hardest swinging music ever recorded.

It was definitly a good mix of music between all the DJs though and pleased everyone. The battle seemed more like the Djing at an exchange.