Anyone here been Swing DJing 10+ Years

Tips and techniques of the trade

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Dj G
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Anyone here been Swing DJing 10+ Years

#1 Post by Dj G » Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:09 am

Have'nt been on these boards in a while (it's working here, congrats!):

Who has 10+ years Dj'in Swing on your scene?

I started a SwingDj Hall of Fame last year to honor the warhorses of the scene. It is presented at The Grand National Dance Championships in Atlanta (now that they have Lindy too!).

The award is a 24kt plated and engraved working Shure SH-55 (worth over $500. each) and is named for the DJ Kenny Wetzel.

In NYC, the longest running swing Dj is John Mamone (19 years @ NYSDS). I had nominated him to the list last year. John Festa (originally a Smooth Swinger) has 12 years and is nominated as well.

The Yahoo Group, allswing_dj, votes upon the nominated. (Jesse, Rayned & Nathan are members, and you can be too! at least to vote upon this issue) AllSwing_Dj encompass ALL swing styles.

This SwingDJ group (here) is a great service to our Lindy focus, thank you to Jesse Miner for putting it together with class. I'll stop in more often.

Greg
Yeah, that's Dj G over there; under the CD Bins, digging contently in the 45 rpm box :)

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Mr Awesomer
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#2 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:48 am

I don't believe there are any Lindy Hop DJs who have been DJing over 10 years considering there basicly was no Lindy Hop scene of any substance in '93.
Reuben Brown
Southern California

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#3 Post by Dj G » Wed Jan 28, 2004 11:37 am

GuruReuben wrote:I don't believe there are any Lindy Hop DJs who have been DJing over 10 years considering there basicly was no Lindy Hop scene of any substance in '93.
Actually Rueben, the New York Swing Dance Society is 19 years old this year.
Yeah, that's Dj G over there; under the CD Bins, digging contently in the 45 rpm box :)

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#4 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed Jan 28, 2004 11:54 am

Indeed, which is why I had a couple "qualifiers" in my comment. There is a group much like that here in LA that's been around for ages as well, but a couple clubs don't constitue a "scene." I suppose there could be a DJ or two involved with these clubs that have been DJing Lindy Hop music all these years... but I still highly doubt it.

This all reminds me of why PBDA's past claim to "rediscovering" Lindy Hop was so funny. These clubs really never stoped doing Lindy Hop... but that's a whole nother story.
Reuben Brown
Southern California

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#5 Post by julius » Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:50 pm

That brings up an interesting question: does "www.swingdjs.com" represent only Lindy Hop, or other swing dances too? So far it's been virtually 100% lindy hop. I assume the west coast DJs are on the other list mentioned above.

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#6 Post by mousethief » Wed Jan 28, 2004 2:02 pm

They're at AllSwingDJs.

Personally, I would like to keep this all lindy. Nothing like having to sort to get feedback on artists to put me off the boards.

Kalman
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#7 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed Jan 28, 2004 2:44 pm

julius wrote:That brings up an interesting question: does "www.swingdjs.com" represent only Lindy Hop, or other swing dances too? So far it's been virtually 100% lindy hop. I assume the west coast DJs are on the other list mentioned above.
When George created the Yahoo Group it's intent was to be a place for Lindy Hop DJs.
Reuben Brown
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#8 Post by Nate Dogg » Wed Jan 28, 2004 3:24 pm

I have often wondered what the official position of the owners of this Board are regarding who is and is not considered a swing DJ.

When you visit the AllSwingDJ YahooGroup, you get this description,

"This is not a Lindy,West Coast Swing, Shag or Bop specific group... if your music "swings", you've found a home. "

That makes it clear to me that everybody is welcome. For the most, the vast majority of DJs on AllSwingDJ list are of the WCS variety, but it is also clear that I am welcome to be in the group. Nobody has ever told me to get out, even though my content is almost always oriented towards DJing for the lindy hop crowd.

But, after reading some of the posts in this thread, I dug around to see if a similar statement exists on this board in FAQ and I could not find it. The FAQ is mostly technical questions and the like.

So, my question to all three of the moderators and the group at large is this. Are non-Lindy DJs allowed to be members of this forum?

I realize that George's original intent for the YahooGroup was for this to be a place for lindy hop DJs. But, that was years ago, how do we feel about the issue today?

Nathan

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#9 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed Jan 28, 2004 3:40 pm

Nate Dogg wrote: When you visit the AllSwingDJ YahooGroup, you get this description,

"This is not a Lindy,West Coast Swing, Shag or Bop specific group... if your music "swings", you've found a home.

So, my question to all three of the moderators and the group at large is this. Are non-Lindy DJs allowed to be members of this forum?
This forum is for DJs who are interested in music that actually DOES swing. hahaha.
Reuben Brown
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Music that "swings"

#10 Post by Dj G » Thu Jan 29, 2004 7:33 am

I fully understand that this group is Lindy Hop based (noted or not) but lindy hop is a dance style not a music style.

When a dancer comes up and asks for a Savoy or Hollywood style sound, it's still swing, no?

:?:
Yeah, that's Dj G over there; under the CD Bins, digging contently in the 45 rpm box :)

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#11 Post by Dj G » Thu Jan 29, 2004 11:15 am

Rueben,
It would be great if you had a lead to that group (the ages old one), thanks.

also,

what is the PBDA? never heard of that.

Thank You,
G

GuruReuben wrote:There is a group much like that here in LA that's been around for ages as well, I suppose there could be a DJ or two involved with these clubs that have been DJing Lindy Hop music all these years... but I still highly doubt it.

This all reminds me of why PBDA's past claim to "rediscovering" Lindy Hop was so funny. These clubs really never stoped doing Lindy Hop... but that's a whole nother story.
Yeah, that's Dj G over there; under the CD Bins, digging contently in the 45 rpm box :)

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#12 Post by mousethief » Thu Jan 29, 2004 12:24 pm

Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association

You know, the group that featured Gallagher the Gansta Lindy Rapper on Can't Top The Lindy Hop.

Kalman
"The cause of reform is hurt, not helped, when an activist makes an idiotic suggestion."

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#13 Post by mousethief » Thu Jan 29, 2004 12:26 pm

Maybe they can lay claim to old school hip hop too.

In their defense, I do believe the Stevens sisters are members, which may be the basis of their claim. Regardless, it's just so much crack smokin'.

Kalman
"The cause of reform is hurt, not helped, when an activist makes an idiotic suggestion."

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#14 Post by falty411 » Thu Jan 29, 2004 1:02 pm

mousethief wrote:Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association

You know, the group that featured Gallagher the Gansta Lindy Rapper on Can't Top The Lindy Hop.

Kalman
Actually that was the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers from NYC, not PBDA
-mikey faltesek

"Dancing is the union of the body with the rhythm and the sound of the music." Al Minns in 1984

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#15 Post by mousethief » Thu Jan 29, 2004 1:22 pm

That makes it even even funnier.

Kalman
"The cause of reform is hurt, not helped, when an activist makes an idiotic suggestion."

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