SwingDJs

Occasionally I've heard a waltz DJed at a swing event. Some I've liked, some not so much. But I think that every so often it can be nice to throw one in. Problem is, I have none in my collection. What are your favorite tunes to spin for waltzing?

Some of my standards for waltz, listed from easiest to dance to to most difficult to dance to...

Wall Around Your Heart - Maura O'Connell
The Simple Waltz - Junior Mance Trio
Angel - Sarah McLachlan
Kiss from a Rose - Seal
Song of Redemption - Andy Statman Quartet
Jitterbug Waltz - Junior Mance Trio

I use the Jitterbug Waltz only in settings where there are very experienced and creative dancers who can waltz. It is far too difficult for the average dancer.

Conversly, "Wall Around Your Heart" has one of the clearest rhythms of any waltz I have heard and is good for even the most inexperienced "waltzer" - an unfortunate and common situation among Lindy Hoppers.

- John

I don't know how to move this discussion to the "other music" section but I think that's probably where it belongs.

The short answer to your question, Jake, is JAZZ WALTZES so they don't disrupt the swing feeling of the event, and NOT the Tennessee Waltz under ANY circumstances (gag!).

I am a collector of non-sappy, jazz/blues waltzes and have a reasonably large playlist which I will happily upload to a table, when/if we get that feature installed on the board. We like the fast (Viennese tempo) ones, but if your dancers don't have good partner connection and aren't used to fast waltzing, better stick with the slower selections. There are quite a number out there, but hardly ever more than one to a CD, and many require fading because they are really long. You probably have Miles Davis' "All Blue"? 138 bpm, 11+ min. One of our local bands did a shorter arrangement of that for us which they play (when we hire them.)

Downeastdancer wrote:...many require fading because they are really long.

What a terrible thought!! Ugh!! Please Abbie, not while I am in Waltz heaven with a lovely lady.

Peter Davis has a nice Waltz on his first album. Track #9, late blooming Waltz.

JG

Ice Cream by Sarah Mclaughlin is also really good and easy to dance to. Have you ever really loved a Woman - Bryan Adams.
Sweet Baby James - James Taylor

I never play these, but someone I teach with does teach waltz and uses these songs frequently. As for length, most of these songs are 2-3min.

Here in Connecticut we very often end Swing dances with a Waltz.

"Rainbow Connection", either Kermit the Frog's or Kenny Loggins' version, is a nice way to end a night.

A local favorite is "The Lover's Waltz" by Jay Ungar & Molly Mason. (Peter Davis and some of the other LHH guys play with them.)

If I get too many obnoxious requests to play waltzes, I like to throw in Dave Frishberg's "Useless Waltz"...

szarka wrote:Here in Connecticut we very often end Swing dances with a Waltz.

"Rainbow Connection", either Kermit the Frog's or Kenny Loggins' version, is a nice way to end a night.

A local favorite is "The Lover's Waltz" by Jay Ungar & Molly Mason. (Peter Davis and some of the other LHH guys play with them.)

If I get too many obnoxious requests to play waltzes, I like to throw in Dave Frishberg's "Useless Waltz"...

I end my nights with "After the Dance" by Dion. I've mentioned this before... i play it because it's so cheezy, and I like leaving things on a fun note. Of course, everyone has taken to polka on that song, courtesy of the evilness of my wife

No waltz for me, it took me long enough to get decent at Lindy Hop

i made a mix once of random music and it included the following waltzes:


tango:
louis armstrong, kiss of fire
waltz:
anita o'day, the rock 'n' roll waltz
bill henderson, gravy waltz
bobby hackett, jitterbug waltz
carrie smith, my resistance is low
dave davies, when i fall in love
dinah washington, jitterbug waltz
dizzy gillespie & marylou williams, jitterbug waltz
ernestine anderson, all blues
jay unger & molly mason, lover's waltz
peter davies, the late blooming waltz
sarah vaughn, gravy waltz
sarah vaughn, i feel pretty


the bobby hackett is a good version, the peter davis is beautiful,
and the sarah vaughn is soulful.

Yeah, I love "Gravy Waltz" and "The Jitterbug Waltz". Another good, though long, version of the latter is Roland Kirk's. Folks seem to have fun with it when I play it, but not everyone is brave enough to attempt it so I don't usually play it last unless I go into overtime. I want everyone to be able to have a nice dance with their sweetie at the end of the night.

BTW, I recently discovered that Tito Puente has a version of "Jitterbug Waltz".

Except, it's not longer a Waltz; it's a Mambo, I guess.

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

waltz:
ice cream - sarah mcglaughlin
kiss of a rose - seal
have you ever really loved a woman - brian adams

there's a great waltz on Squirrel Nut Zippers' "Christmas Caravan."

Jazz waltzes suck. It's awful to see people not figuring out it's a waltz and trying to lindy to it. A valz iz a valz, and that's that.

sorry for lapsing into yiddish

Ya, I don't really much like Jazz waltzes either. A piano player for the band who was playing one at a regular swing night leaned over to me at the DJ booth and said, "Mike... hrmm, it doesn't look like they get that this is a waltz... " We both frowned.

However, Ella's, "I'll Always Be In Love" with you is a nice, more obvious jazz waltz should be in the market for those.

Anita O'Day has a version of "Boogie Blues" in 3/4.

It's kind of freaky to listen to since we're so used to the 4/4 version.