Western Swing

Everything about the swinging music we love to DJ

Moderators: Mr Awesomer, JesseMiner, CafeSavoy

Locked
Message
Author
russell
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:39 pm
Location: Canberra, Australia

Western Swing

#1 Post by russell » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:20 pm

Couldn't find a discussion of this before but happy to be redirected:

What are your thoughts about dancing to western swing or as a music style to DJ at swing events? I know I don't like to lindy hop to it but would like some way of describing the reasons why.

[this prompted by experience over the last weekend. There is a major folk festival held here in my home town of Canberra Australia which runs over 5 days and having around 50,000 people in attendance over that time. It has a strong dance component so we go along and do displays and teach a workshop. Always attracts a lot of interest as we don't quite fit in with the normal "folk" definition. The festival artistic director always think that us and western swing are a good fit so schedules us as support dancers for a western swing dance. The band is question had "swing" songs in its setlist - including C Jam Blues and Jumpin at the Woodside - but with a western swing style.
ps on a sidenote there was a great band the Duhks from Winnipeg at the festival - my favourite for the weekend.]

Toon Town Dave
Posts: 661
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 2:52 pm
Location: Saskatoon, Canada

#2 Post by Toon Town Dave » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:01 pm

I actually dig western swing music even though I usually despise country music. I've never played it at a dance because it just never really fit in for a Lindy Hop/swing dance crowd. The music works better for dancing 1wo-step. I'd probably play it if I knew there were a bunch of country dancers in the audience.

Alex Pangman has a few western swing-ish tunes on one of her CD's, Terra Hazleton also has that sound on some tracks on her CD as well as the Hogtown Syncopators CD.

Campus Five
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon May 31, 2004 12:57 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

#3 Post by Campus Five » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:55 pm

Check out the Lucky Stars - http://www.theluckystars.com/
I think they are the best Western Swing band anywhere - because they really swing.
"I don''t dig that two beat jive the New Orleans cats play.
My boys and I have four heavy beats to the bar and no cheating!
--Count Basie
www.campusfive.com
www.myspace.com/campusfive
www.swingguitar.blogspot.com

Locked