SwingDJs

What are your favorite contemporary vintage bands for Swing dancing?

It would be great if you could indicate some good bands and their musical style, even better if they are on eMusic (but not necessary). I would like to expand my collection of contemporary (from 1980 to present) vintage (1920's - 1950's) recordings. I am very familiar with bands based in the Los Angeles and I know a few names outside L.A. too.

Thank you,
Lorenzo

Here you are a some of my L.A. favorites in no particular order
-
Jonathan Stout's Campus 5 (1930-1940's small group Swing)
The Lucky Stars (1940's - 1950's Western Swing)
The Bonebrake Syncopators (small group Swing, Western Swing)
The Reynolds Brothers Rhythm Rascals (1920's - 1930's washboard music, Hot Jazz)
Carl Sonny Leyland Trio (Boogie, Jazz, Blues)
The Swingsations (small group Swing, 1930's Jazz)
Hot Club Quartette (Gypsy Jazz)
The Gonzalo Bergara Quartet (Gypsy Jazz)


Some out of town bands in my collection (genre classification may not be too accurate)
-
Hot Club of Cowtown (1940's Western Swing)
Boilermaker Jazz Band (Hot Jazz)
Titan Hot Seven (Dixieland)
Ray Collins' Hot Club (Rhythm and Blues)

Two I like a lot from the SF Bay Area:

The Hot Club of San Francisco (Gypsy jazz)

Clint Baker and the Cafe Borrone All-Stars (New Orleans jazz)

The latter has not recorded, but they plays fairly regularly at one of our weekly dances.

Two bands from Stockholm, Sweden with overlapping personnel:

Harlem Jazz Camels (Ellington small group 30's swing, now probably defunct)
Kustbandet(20/30's hot jazz & swing, still active)

Kustbandet's best record, On Revival Day, can be downloaded for $9.98 from JazzByMail

I'm currently nuts about the Midnight Serenaders (from Portland, I think). Small group, male/female vocal, uke, etc etc. I've been meaning to chase down some of the band's musicians who also did/do old timey stuff.

I've experimented with some Janet Klein, but I find her a bit annoying in large doses. Small group or girl + uke recreating 20s (and other period)'s novelty vocal stuff. She's American, but I'm not sure from where.

I saw the Ozcats a few weeks ago (Bob Cosby 'tribute' band*) here in Sydney. They're mostly Sydney blokes. I quite like their CD, but they were better live (aren't they all?)

The Red Hot Rhythmakers from Melbourne are very popular with dancers atm. Solid recreationists into early Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, King Oliver, etc etc etc. They have a smaller group called the Sweet Lowdowns who are also popular (and which I actually prefer). Their CDs are great.

There are a few other Sydney bands getting about the place (including the Buddy Bolden Revival Orchestra and Benny's Boys (specialising in Benny Goodman small groups's stuff)) which I haven't gotten to see yet - the Manly Jazz Festival next weekend will fix me up and I'll report back on anyone interesting.



*Don't you love that phrase? "Like a Kiss tribute band, only jankier."

dogpossum wrote: I've experimented with some Janet Klein, but I find her a bit annoying in large doses. Small group or girl + uke recreating 20s (and other period)'s novelty vocal stuff. She's American, but I'm not sure from where.

She is from Los Angeles. I don't own any of her recordings, but I have been to several of her live performances. The personnel of her bands (John Reynolds, Corey Gemme, ...) overlaps with some the bands I mentioned above. The instrumental numbers at her shows are always a lot of fun to dance to.

Duke Heitger (great trumpeter, best known with Squirrel Nut Zippers) has a CD or two with a medium sized combo that is excellent. The one I own is Rhythm Is Our Business.

In the Twin Cities we have the Southside Aces.

Jim Cullum Jazz Band (feat. on radio Riverwalk program)

John Sheridan

Kermit Ruffins

Oh, that's a toughie. A couple of my Minnesota favorites can be heard live but don't really have DJing-ready recordings. Sorry.

But here's the Southside Aces link:
http://www.southsideaces.com/

flyingcamel wrote:Duke Heitger (great trumpeter, best known with Squirrel Nut Zippers) has a CD or two with a medium sized combo that is excellent. The one I own is Rhythm Is Our Business.
Jim Cullum Jazz Band (feat. on radio Riverwalk program)
Kermit Ruffins

Definite "yes" on those three. Good picks.

flyingcamel wrote:Duke Heitger (great trumpeter, best known with Squirrel Nut Zippers) has a CD or two with a medium sized combo that is excellent. The one I own is Rhythm Is Our Business.

I agree completely.

One problem I often have with contemporary vintage bands are the vocalists - they are often not up to par with the rest of the band (yes, I am probably over-sensitive...)

Which is why I like Solomon Douglas's latest CD so much - all instrumentals!

That or they're just not quite the sound I'm looking for, or they just darned sing more times per 10 songs than I'm used to in my old recordings!! (It's not like I'm great at finding tracks w/ vocals w/ the sound I'm looking for in my old stuff that I want to play, either. It's a perpetual challenge for me.)

To be fair, there is also a number of vintage recordings whose vocals I don't enjoy very much.

BTW, I have two additions the list of bands I gave in my first post:
Mora's Modern Rhythmists, now Dean Mora's Orchestra (Pre Swing Era dance music)
Dave Stuckey and the Rhythm Gang (Western Swing)

If had to quick pick two CDs I'd recommend from the bands I listed, I would choose
- That Da Da Strain by The Bonebrake Syncopators
- Railroad Boogie by the Carl Sonny Leyland Trio

I have assumed that many of you have already some familiarity with the material of Jonathan Stout and Dean Mora.

The Hep Chaps

I stumbled across this band a few days ago. Evidently, they're a modern band from London, and despite the name, their recording of "Tickle Toe" is fantastic.

Glenn Crytzer and his Blue Rhythm Band! (Seattle's finest)

Thunderbunny wrote:The Hep Chaps

I stumbled across this band a few days ago. Evidently, they're a modern band from London, and despite the name, their recording of "Tickle Toe" is fantastic.

I was going to mention The Hep Chaps, but you beat me to it . They play regularly in London in vintage style, with great harmonies, and they're really good. Check them out here ...

http://www.hepchaps.co.uk/