SwingDJs

I apologize if this has been covered already.

What do you play for the newbies who show up in class?

Most of the time I'm the DJ that starts the evening, especially when our drop-in classes are still in session. A couple of the instructors have asked me to put some songs together so the newbies can practice.

Now my inclination is to play something slow to medium tempo since, for the time being, the folks who attend our classes are older (think 50+). But I would love suggestions from all tempo ranges and all styles. Again, these are complete beginners... nothing too fancy.

Eventually I'd love to have suggestions of songs to play for intermediate/advanced dancers.

Thanks all.
Tina

i think vocals are very important for new dancers.

Beginner classes do really well on "neo-swing" sounding stuff, vocals or not. People in general have been so conditioned to cardiac-rhythm-altering bass that even if there are vocals and the vocalist is singing on the beat (like Ella's Mack the Knife, where the words in phrases like, "Oh, the shark bites, with its teeth dear," occur on the beat), beginners have trouble detecting the beat. Stuff with pronounced bass makes it an easier transition, even though it may not musically be the "best" music. I've used Elvis' Be Bop A Lula (which probably falls more under the "rock and roll" category, but it swings and it's the right tempo for teaching utter newbies who actually think "left foot-right foot-left-foot-right-foot" how to triple step and the beat is blatantly obvious). I've also used Preservation Hall's "I wish I could shimmy like my sister Kate" because a) it's got a tuba in it and that's hard to miss, and b) it was recorded fairly recently and so the sound is way clearer for the confuddled beginner. And yes, I've also used some BBVD (Old Macdonald, usually) because a) let's face it, it's a hook and b) because it has a more regular tempo (doesn't swing as much), beginners have a better time at hearing the beat.

I'll disclaim myself at this point, saying that this is all in the context of teaching beginners.

I try to play something with a definite beat, a lot of energy and a strong vocal - in that order. I can do without a vocal, I think it greatly depends on the nature of the class.

For ECS and beginning classes, I use select NeoSwing or Jump Blues. I'm a big fan of Big Joe Turner and Roomful of Blues, but I try to match what the crowd will best react to.

For lindy, I remove the vocal entirely. I want them focused on the pattern and the feel of the music. I prefer Lionel Hampton's "Flying Home." It's very clean and very easy to ingest.

For Charleston, no vocals. High energy. Jen and I just taught our BEST_CLASS_EVER in Charleston to Duke Heitger's "Savoy Blues."

(I can't do 20's Charleston, but once I can, I'm going to use "The Charleston" by Brother Bones)

For more advanced stuff, I try to choreograph around the song I'll be using in class. Sometimes, I'll pick two very similar songs. I use one to teach the class and then ask the dancers to use the pattern to the other song, which means less routine and more reacting to the music. I hate to have a memorized routine to a song coming out of class; I want to expose them to similar patterns to different songs to get them using the material socially.

Phew!

Kalman

I haven't taught for 4 years but I used to use medium tempo Indigo Swing, stuff like Regular Joe tempo. I found it important for new dancers to easily be able to pick up the base and hence it needed to be clearer in songs for beginners

Lindy or ECS? For Lindy newbies, I like Mr 5 x 5 and Rip Van Winkle on Lily Wilde's Insect Ball (two of my favorite songs to dance to when I was learning lindy).

Others are Goody Goody - Ella Fitzgerald; Massachussetts and Christopher Columbus - Maxine Sullivan/Tribute to Andy Razaf, and of course Shiny Stockings - either the slower instrumental (Ken Burns Collection) or the one with Ella singing.

I've just started teaching a little in the last couple months, I generally select stuff that fits well with what I'm trying to emphaisize in class.

For example if I'm trying to teach students to not dance on top of the beat, then I play something a little more layed back like some Rhythm and Blues. If I'm teaching Charleston, then I pull out some Basie or something that swings hard. If I'm trying to empahize triple steps, then kind of a slow boogie rhythm.

In general I don't try to pick a particular style, artist, etc. I change things up from class to class so students don't start to anticipate the music. I stick with stuff with more subtle breaks and no long/weird solos. I try to pick the tempos up a little when students are getting a good handle on things.

I'll second Brenda's recommendations of Mister Five by Five and Rip Van Winkle. I'll add a few random songs that go over well with beginners:

Apollo Jump - Lucky Millinder
Lean Baby - Billy May
Flying Home, No. 2 - Lionel Hampton (the slower version)
Bli Blip - Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Whispering Grass - Swing Session/Stompy Jones
Late Night Swing - Casey MacGill
Shake Rattle and Roll - Sam Cooke
Bannana Split for My Baby - Louis Prima
Organ Grinder's Swing - Buster Smith
Atomic Cocktail - Slim Gaillard
Are You All Reet - Cab Calloway

Thanks all for the suggestions. Will definitely fly these by the instructors.

Tina

I consider the most important thing for the DJ (or the band) who comes on right after the lesson to be to figure out the tempo that the teacher last used in class and play a song of that tempo; that's why you carry a stop watch in your DJ bag, right?

If I have to "DJ" during a class, I will literally use the tempo that the teacher is counting at. Teachers love me for that reason and they don't have any idea why I am always so "on" with what they are doing.

First song: same tempo -so they are comfortable and really get to practice.
Second song: 10-20 BPM faster -so they are stretched just a little.
Third song: same tempo again -so they reinforce their accomplishment.

I can't tell you how many times I watched an ECS lesson where the teacher was working around 170-180BPM and then the band or DJ came on around 220BPM and half the guys just gave up. Or a Lindy lesson where the teacher went through every detail of a swing out at 120-130BPM and the first song would be something really fun at 180BPM.

Toon Town Dave wrote: For example if I'm trying to teach students to not dance on top of the beat, then I play something a little more layed back like some Rhythm and Blues. If I'm teaching Charleston, then I pull out some Basie or something that swings hard. If I'm trying to empahize triple steps, then kind of a slow boogie rhythm.

Sorry to be anal, but wow this sounds weird to me. Late Basie or 50s-60s piano trios would be my choice for laying back of the beat and hot jazz would be my choice for Charleston (on top of the beat).

For 30's Charleston, I would be more apt to use Basie. Something like "One O' Clock Jump." He didn't say New Testament that I noticed.

Kalman

Greg Avakian wrote:I consider the most important thing for the DJ (or the band) who comes on right after the lesson to be to figure out the tempo that the teacher last used in class and play a song of that tempo; that's why you carry a stop watch in your DJ bag, right?

Ditto, I always match my post lesson sets to the teacher. Beginner music is a very variable term.

I don't carry a stop watch though. Maybe I should.

Ah, I was thinking Charleston the dance, not "lindy charleston". That makes more sense.

Greg Avakian wrote:I consider the most important thing for the DJ (or the band) who comes on right after the lesson to be to figure out the tempo that the teacher last used in class and play a song of that tempo; that's why you carry a stop watch in your DJ bag, right?

Dude, I don't carry a real watch for real life.

But thanks for the advice and suggestions. You know I love you.

Tina

gatorgal wrote:
Dude, I don't carry a real watch for real life.

Neither do I. But since when is 'real' life more important than DJing?