SwingDJs

So, if you were given the challenge of introducing something to lindy hop that had no prior knowledge of the dance and the music, what ten songs would you pick to intoduce them to lindy as it is today? Here's my quick list:

* Django Reinhardt - Honeysuckle Rose (Quintette du Hot Club de France: 25 Classics 1934-1940)
* Barney Kessel - Moten Swing (To Swing or Not to Swing)
* Ella Fitzgerald - Lullaby of Birdland (The Best of Ella DECCA)
* Chick Webb's - Lindyhopper's Delight (Strictly Jive)
* Gene Harris - Blues in Baxter's Pad (A Little Piece of Heaven)
* Wynonie Harris - Lovin' Machine (Bloodshot Eyes: The Best of Wynonie Harris)
* Count Basie - Splanky (Montreaux '77)
* Duke Ellington - Things Ain't What They Used to Be (Duke Ellington at the Alhambra)
* George Shearing with Ernestine Anderson - As Long As I Live (Dexterity)
* Jeannie And Jimmy Cheatham And The Sweet Baby Blues Band - Raunchy Rita (Luv In The Afternoon)

By no means is this intended to be a definitive list, but rather it's intended to be more of a sampler of musical ideas ...

I'm looking forward to other points of view

Here's 16 songs

1. Shiny Stockings performed by Basie, Count Orchestra
2. Swingin' at Newport performed by Basie, Count Orchestra
3. Jersey Bounce performed by Benny Goodman
4. 'Tain't What You Do performed by Jimmie Lunceford
5. Begin the Beguine performed by Artie Shaw
6. Hamp's Boogie Woogie performed by Hampton, Lionel & His Septet
7. Let's Get Together performed by Ellington, Duke & His Orchestra
8. Tuxedo Junction performed by Hawkins, Erskine & His Orchestra
9. Segue in C performed by Duke Ellington / Count Basie
10. Posin' performed by Jimmie Lunceford - 2:57
11. In the Mood performed by Glenn Miller
12. Tippin' In performed by Hawkins, Erskine & His Orchestra
13. Flying Home performed by Hampton, Lionel & His Septet
14. Take the "A" Train performed by Ellington, Duke & His Orchestra
15. One O'Clock Jump performed by Basie, Count Orchestra
16. Corner Pocket performed by Basie, Count Orchestra

Or you could just make it easy and tell them to buy this album:

Yes, but if they didn't like lower-fidelity classic swing, you would turn them completely off by giving them Frankies Favorites.

I've made some "Intro to swing" CDs for people, maybe I'll remember to post the playlists here when I get home. But I think they contain 4-5 or so songs each of 4 different styles of swing music. I'm hoping that at least some of the songs or styles will appeal to them.

Right on, Nando.

Kalman

Assuming I were dealing only with the newbie(s) and not DJing for a mostly experienced dance floor, I'd sit them down to listen to clips of the Swing Kids renditions of classics, then play originals to show them how awesome the swing era was and why it got reincarnated to begin with. Then I'd find some high-energy slow tunes (probably off Frankie's CD and a few other mixes) and start teaching. Definitely high-energy ones only, though. I will edit this post later for a list of what'd come after the Swing Kids ones.

I don't know about ya'll but most non-dancer-type-people I know tend to think of swing dancing as dancing to swing music. Not rock & roll, not jive, not Gene Harris. Maybe sometimes they think you mean country music (especially in Texas, where you also have Texas Country - Jesus).

I've never been in a conversation with someone and had them go "Wow, swing dancing. That sounds so cool! I always wanted to try that. Do you play The Three Sounds at your dances?" Not once. It's more like "You mean like the song with the bugle boy in it? You know, goes like this *hums - badly*?"

Kalman

mousethief wrote:I don't know about ya'll but most non-dancer-type-people I know tend to think of swing dancing as dancing to swing music. Not rock & roll, not jive, not Gene Harris. Maybe sometimes they think you mean country music (especially in Texas, where you also have Texas Country - Jesus).

I've never been in a conversation with someone and had them go "Wow, swing dancing. That sounds so cool! I always wanted to try that. Do you play The Three Sounds at your dances?" Not once. It's more like "You mean like the song with the bugle boy in it? You know, goes like this *hums - badly*?"

Kalman

Don't you mean to say they think of Glen Miller.

Ron wrote:Yes, but if they didn't like lower-fidelity classic swing, you would turn them completely off by giving them Frankies Favorites.

I thought that most of that CD was Hi-Fi. I don't own it, so I could be remembering wrong.

CafeSavoy wrote:

mousethief wrote:I don't know about ya'll but most non-dancer-type-people I know tend to think of swing dancing as dancing to swing music. Not rock & roll, not jive, not Gene Harris. Maybe sometimes they think you mean country music (especially in Texas, where you also have Texas Country - Jesus).

I've never been in a conversation with someone and had them go "Wow, swing dancing. That sounds so cool! I always wanted to try that. Do you play The Three Sounds at your dances?" Not once. It's more like "You mean like the song with the bugle boy in it? You know, goes like this *hums - badly*?"

Kalman

Don't you mean to say they think of Glen Miller.

Yeah, but they usually can't name the artist or the song.

Kalman

Ron wrote:Yes, but if they didn't like lower-fidelity classic swing, you would turn them completely off by giving them Frankies Favorites.

I've made some "Intro to swing" CDs for people, maybe I'll remember to post the playlists here when I get home. But I think they contain 4-5 or so songs each of 4 different styles of swing music. I'm hoping that at least some of the songs or styles will appeal to them.

You know, you really do have an obsession with this "Fidelity" issue. I don't think many people really care all that much. The "intro to swing" crowd I typically see care only about songs to dance to, not the fidelity unless it sucks arse.

I agree with you on mixing the styles for these people, because maybe they'll zero in on something that gets them movin'.

In other words, pick danceable music with some energy... I believe you'll automatically be covered on the Fidelity front.

Here's three recent compilations I mixed for relative newcomers to swing music and swing dancing. You'll see that there is a mix of swing dance music styles, including songs from Frankie's Favorites & Swing Kids. There's new and old, fast and slow, hi and lo fi, and selections from four groupings of swing music styles: classic/big band, modern jazz/modern jazz vocals, 50's R&B/50's R&R, and modern pop swing.

Essentials of Swing for (edited)
DJ Ron Bloom, 9-07-03

1. Easy Does It - Big 18 (127)
2. Stompin' at the Savoy - Maxine Sullivan (150)
3. Fine Brown Frame - Nellie Lutcher (130)
4. It Ain't the Meat - The Swallows (145)
5. Blue Suit Boogie - Indigo Swing (173)
6. Shout And Feel It - Swing Kids Soundtrack (225)
7. C Jam Blues - Lincoln Ctr Jazz Orch (145)
8. Shiny Stockings - Ella Fitzgerald_Basie (125)
9. Two O'Clock Jump - Harry James (158)
10. Blues for Stephanie - George Gee (142)
11. Are You Hep To The Jive - Calloway (158)
12. Flat Foot Floogie - Slim Gaillard (176)
13. Diga Diga Doo - Artie Shaw (208)
14. Wade in the Water - Eva Cassidy (114)
15. Jersey Bounce - Ella Fitzgerald (132)
16. In a Mellow Tone - Armstong Ellington (144)
17. I Diddle - Dinah Washington (140)
18. Every Day I Have the Blues - Joe Williams (124)
19. Mack the Knife - Ella_Duke (168)
20. Begin the Beguine - Artie Shaw (141)
21. Take the A Train - Duke Ellington (170)
22. It Don't Mean a Thing - Armstrong Ellington (193)

Intro to Swing for (edited)
DJ Ron Bloom, 3-16-03

1. Let Me Off Uptown - O'day Krupa (155)
2. At the Woodchopper's Ball - Woody Herman (180)
3. Tuxedo Junction - Glen Gray (139)
4. Mildred, Won't You Behave_ - B Elliott (200)
5. Jumpin' At The Woodside - Benny Goodman (250)

6. Never Make Your Move Too Soon - E Anderson (119)
7. Moten Swing - Oscar Peterson (139)
8. You're an Old Smoothie - Ella (130)
9. Stormy Monday - Barbara Morrison (139)
10. Mistreated but Undefeated Blues - Ray Brown (154)

11. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't - Louis Jordan (116)
12. Keep On Churnin' - Wynonie Harris (145)
13. Love Don't Love Nobody - Roy Brown (154)
14. Safronia B - Calvin Boze (168)
15. Rockin' Robin - Bobby Day (175)

16. Today's The Day - Indigo Swing (125)
17. Thirteen Men - Chazz Cats (155)
18. Meet Me in Uptown - Mighty BK (145)
19. Oo Poppa Do - Lavay Smith (165)
20. Rhythm - Casey Macgill (195)


Intro to Swing for (edited)
Compiled by DJ Ron Bloom, 23 Dec. 2003

1. Don't Be That Way - Benny Goodman (158-162)
2. Undecided - Ella Fitzgerald Chick Webb (198)
3. The Calloway Boogie - Cab Calloway (170)
4. Oh Lady Be Good - Bill Elliott Orchestra (198)
5. Life Goes To A Party & Woodside - Swing Kids (215)

6. Happy-Go-Lucky-Local - Oscar Peterson (105-110)
7. They Can't Take That Away - Sarah Vaughan (128)(rjbedit)
8. Too Young for the Blues - Ella (140)
9. Killer Joe _ Surrey - Eddie Thompson Trio (132) (6m9s)
10. Wild Women Don't Have the Blues - Dennis Rowland (138)

11. Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens - Louis Jordan (150)
12. As Long As I'm Moving - Ruth Brown (175)
13. Milk and Water - Amos Milburn (127)
14. Lavender Coffin - Lionel Hampton (139)
15. Rip It Up - Little Richard (197)

16. Laying In the Alley - Big Joe and the Dynaflows (125)
17. I Feel That Old Age Coming On - Swing Session (153)
18. Baby Drives Me Wild - Mighty BK (175)
19. How do You Jive and Juke - Jellyroll (170)
20. That's What I Like About the North - Badabing Badaboom