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Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or other?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 1:23 pm
by Eyeball
Does the local Lindy Hop scene in your area use real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?

Or does your local LH scene use non-Swing and non-Jazz to keep itself going?

I'd like to know how much real Swing is being used nation-wide.

ps - How much real Swing does your scene seem to use, percentage wise, vs other music?

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 1:55 pm
by lipi
Eyeball wrote:Does the local Lindy Hop scene in your area use real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?

Or does your local LH scene use non-Swing and non-Jazz to keep itself going?

I'd like to know how much real Swing is being used nation-wide.
in the sf bay area: both, with an emphasis (i think) on the earlier stuff.

where does new testament basie fit in your scheme?

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:04 pm
by Eyeball
lipi wrote:
Eyeball wrote:Does the local Lindy Hop scene in your area use real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?

Or does your local LH scene use non-Swing and non-Jazz to keep itself going?

I'd like to know how much real Swing is being used nation-wide.
in the sf bay area: both, with an emphasis (i think) on the earlier stuff.

where does new testament basie fit in your scheme?
Thx!

In my view NT Basie now falls into the non-Swing category, mostly for its abuse by non-Swing music scenes or venues (and those leaning such) than for its post-Swing Era qualities. (no slam on Basie.) But that's another topic. :)

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:34 pm
by fredo
Eyeball wrote: In my view NT Basie now falls into the non-Swing category, mostly for its abuse by non-Swing music scenes or venues (and those leaning such) than for its post-Swing Era qualities. (no slam on Basie.) But that's another topic. :)

yeah, this deserves it's own discussion, especially considering that I think many old-timers (Frankie, Sugar, Dawn, etc) would be disappointed to find out that much of what they teach and dance to now is considered non-swing by some. haha

personally, I think NT Basie is swing music, just of a different ilk.


As for Seattle and swing music, I'd say things are pretty swingin' up here. Most dances have music from the 30s and 40s, with certain DJs throwing in more 20s and 50s than others. There is also plenty of recordings from the 80s to the present (trad jazz and swing) being played as well.

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:00 pm
by Eyeball
fredo wrote:
Eyeball wrote: In my view NT Basie now falls into the non-Swing category, mostly for its abuse by non-Swing music scenes or venues (and those leaning such) than for its post-Swing Era qualities. (no slam on Basie.) But that's another topic. :)

yeah, this deserves it's own discussion, especially considering that I think many old-timers (Frankie, Sugar, Dawn, etc) would be disappointed to find out that much of what they teach and dance to now is considered non-swing by some. haha

personally, I think NT Basie is swing music, just of a different ilk.

Perhaps others are willing to share, but you'd have to start that conversation somewhere else on this forum.

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:35 pm
by fredo
touche.

I'd guess the majority on this forum would find NT Basie to be swing music, but I'm sure a thread will start if people disagree.

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:45 pm
by Haydn
Eyeball wrote:Does the local Lindy Hop scene in your area use real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?
Yes. I'd say a little over half the music played in London is pre-1950.

Eyeball wrote:I'd like to know how much real Swing is being used nation-wide.
Oops, I mentioned somewhere outside the USA - sorry :oops:

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:40 pm
by Eyeball
Haydn wrote:
Eyeball wrote:Does the local Lindy Hop scene in your area use real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?
Yes. I'd say a little over half the music played in London is pre-1950.

Eyeball wrote:I'd like to know how much real Swing is being used nation-wide.
Oops, I mentioned somewhere outside the USA - sorry :oops:
That's OKeh. It's good trivia. :P

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:05 pm
by Mr Awesomer
Eyeball wrote:Does the local Lindy Hop scene in your area use real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?
Every scene uses it... but you forgot to ask how much.

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:43 pm
by dogpossum
This isn't an international thread? Best to've specified that.

I live in Sydney. This 'scene' uses
real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?
for a range of purposes and in a range of formats (recordings, charts, etc etc) - DJing, dance performances, band charts, etc etc etc. I'd say almost every one of us would define swing in a different way, and would place a different value on it.

Personally, I DJ 'swinging jazz from the 30s, 40s and later' and I also play a bit of '20s jazz' (some of which is heading towards swingingness, some... not so much). I 'use' it for practicing dance at home, for my own listening pleasure and in my academic research. I also use it to start bun fights on the internet, convince friends of the awesomeness of 90s indy pop, and to help me sort laundry.

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:32 pm
by Eyeball
Mr Awesomer wrote:
Eyeball wrote:Does the local Lindy Hop scene in your area use real Swing music from the 30s and 40s and maybe some Jazz from the 20s?
Every scene uses it... but you forgot to ask how much.
You're right.

Question amended.....somehow.

Can you fix it?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:38 pm
by Eyeball
dogpossum wrote:This isn't an international thread? Best to've specified that.
I did. In my post, it says "nation wide". Sorry it wasn't more specific.

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:43 pm
by fredo
What's the point of this topic anyway, Eyeball?

Of course people dance to "real Swing and jazz music". Sure there will be different styles and influences from scene to scene, but that's to be expected.

Are you waiting for someone to defend their scene for not dancing to "real Swing and jazz"?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:43 pm
by Eyeball
dogpossum wrote:
Personally, I DJ 'swinging jazz from the 30s, 40s and later' and I also play a bit of '20s jazz' (some of which is heading towards swingingness, some... not so much).
Well, see, there ya go. It's the age old tyro confusion between Swing music and music that swings. You've got to understand the difference before we can continue...but this is a topic for another thread...unless there is one extant on forum.

"Perhaps others are willing to share, but you'd have to start that conversation somewhere else on this forum."

Re: Your local Lindy Hop scene - Uses real Swing music or ot

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:53 pm
by trev
Eyeball wrote:How much real Swing does your scene seem to use, percentage wise, vs other music?
73.8% real Swing :wink: