SwingDJs

Anyone ever done this?

I'm very much considering going to a few select clubs as a swing/jazz DJ for listeners, as opposed to dancers. By clubs, I mean bistros, cafes, small but upscale clubs that either have no space for a band or traditionally hire bad ones.

So, I am looking to see if this has been done or if it is doomed to failure. I don't want to do it as a professional, just in a professional capacity.

Kalman

Nope... I want to throttle the dancers who don't support the few local singers/musicians that will play stuff we like.

Tina

mousethief wrote:I'm seriously thinking of hammering down the doors to some lounges and *clubs* around here, because the local blue-hair bands are god-awful.

Anyone ever done this?

Kalman

YEAH what he said! uh, What did you say?? Throw me a friggin bone here.

I must not be down with the latest slang or something, because I have no idea what this thread is about.

is blue-hair a kind of swing music?
is hammering down a door a DJ skill?

All right - Kalman on drugs not good.

I put this here because DJ Skillz was about the closest fit on the board. I am considering approaching local clubs, bistros, what-have-you as a professional DJ specializing in wide-ranging, swinging jazz.

I know a few people have done some other DJ scenes but I wasn't sure if anyone had gone this route. It might be doomed to failure but I think it's worth a shot and might actually drum up new dancers.

Why I put this in Skillz...

It doesn't directly involve choices of Swing nor *different* music;
It doesn't involve Tech, Boards or whatnot;
It does involve presentation, skill, haggling, taking requests.

Kalman

I haven't done it per se, but it sounds cool. I have had a chance to get some gigs DJing listening music for local swing/jazz bands that play outside of the swing scene, though I have never really taken up any of the offers.

What I'm wondering is whether or not you have been approached, or if you are thinking of approaching these venues. If you are going to approach them, I would think up some good replies to their objections. I would think the biggest objection would be, "Why would we hire a DJ when we can just buy a few CDs and put them on shuffle."

Objections are my stock and trade - I'm in sales (the second dirty science). I have not done it yet - I wanted to test the waters a bit.

There are some local bands that I could trade on, playing music around their sets, as you mentioned above. My main concern is to begin building up a following of drinkers, dancers and the like who would come to the events (and spend money).

Kalman

I would imagine that the music at most bistros, cafes, and so forth is designed to be background music so that people can be social. At most coffeehouses/restaurants that I've been to with a live DJ, the music serves as ambience instead of being the focus, as at a bar/club. In that sense, you'd find it hard to go up against a CD changer on shuffle, as Jeremy said. But who knows, you might find a coffeehouse owner who loves jazz and wants someone with a bigger collection than him to play for people...probably for free, but hey why not.

I was at a vegan restaurant in LA and they were playing, like, Benny Goodman, Ella, all sorts of monster swing. I love it when that stuff happens randomly.

Thanks, Julius.

I really want to try my hand at a few, select clubs but felt I might have to create a whole new industry by looking at jazz friendly eateries.

Who knows?

Kalman

julius wrote:I was at a vegan restaurant in LA and they were playing, like, Benny Goodman, Ella, all sorts of monster swing. I love it when that stuff happens randomly.

Sunday night at Charlies, where we often go after swing dancing, plays big band music; I think the waitress loves the music; she does a good job at catering to a large group of lindy-hoppers also.

and Kalman - go for it! My one experience with a jazz club in Dallas was at Sambuca - it was in Deep Elum, not sure if it's still around, but if they have live music still maybe you could DJ for the dinner crowd before the band goes on.

Sambucas would be very nice.

Kalman

djstarr wrote:
and Kalman - go for it! My one experience with a jazz club in Dallas was at Sambuca - it was in Deep Elum, not sure if it's still around, but if they have live music still maybe you could DJ for the dinner crowd before the band goes on.

It kind of helps when they seem to be going for a 20's theme. I love it too, every time I go, when I'm paying attention, they play a new song that I hadn't heard yet and that I like, and I think all they do is put in compilation cds or something. Though the food isn't great, I go there for the music.

Harrison

i've been trying to get into this for a while.
coffee houses seem to be the place to go.

Well, in restuarants, they prolly just go to Pottery Barn and buy a compliation, and play it over and over and call that background music. The music is not toe-tapping because people want you to have an enjoyable meal, but on the other hand, not to put them to sleep. To the jazz-ignorant, you have to pick something not necessary mainstream, but no show offs of 12mins instrumental solos either.

Locally, there are people from Tango Djed at coffee houses and hope to have a crowd that would be interested. While the place have no room to dance, people enjoyed the atmosphere it created.

Personally, I haven't tried it, so you don't have to listen to me at all.