SwingDJs

Actually, I think there's at least a few of us that have done college or community radio - at least me, Jesse Miner and SLO Jesse.. anybody else?

I actually have never gotten the chance to do any swing DJing on the radio (I'm not counting the work I've done on Yehoodi Radio over the years as it's quite different than working live on the radio). Most of my radio work (1991-99) was in the genres of ska, rocksteady and reggae, and I dabbled in punk and alternative music way back when I started (1989-91).

Radio experience is great, and I recommend it to everyone on here. It helped me develop many skills that I have carried over into my swing DJing. I would definitely love to do some swing-related radio DJing in the future.

Jesse

I actually just made some inquiries into radio this morning. How strange!

Kalman

College radio, senior year, comedy/music show.

Yeah, I'm waiting to find out today whether I got a show.

Kitkat and I were just talking about this -- I'm also waiting. Hopefully I find out within the next couple of weeks if I will have a show. Small station.

For the last two semesters, I did a swing-jazz-funk-hiphop show on WRCT (http://www.wrct.org), Carnegie Mellon's college radio station.

Radio DJing teaches you to think about your sets well in advance, but still be able to change them up to respond to requests. It also forces you to be organized and have your next few tracks ready to queue. You have to be apt with the transitions as well, although you would probably do them differently than when DJing a dance. And you also learn to handle the microphone well.

Too busy this semester to keep it up, but it was well worth the effort.

I was Station Manager at my college radio Station, WSJU, for two years and had a successful alternative rock show.

Following college, I worked at WNEW-FM for about 2 years. I did some producing and board oping. Some of the best Rock and Roll DJs worked there. A few of them are in Cleveland's Rock Hall.

I got to learn a ton about classic Rock at NEW, and even though I wasn't on-air, I learned a ton about being on-air from some of the best in the business.

If you think the Swing crowd can be picky, you should try the Classic Rock crowd!

Reagarding radio work, that is all I do. I'm a volunteer at a community run station in Cleveland (FM 91.5).

My volunteer DJng is not related to dance though. I run the gammit from Kenton, Ellington, Basie, etc. A very broad spectrum.

My show is a feature show. I may take an artist and feature a career worth of music in 2 hours. Or maybe a specific era for the music. Also musical themes (Valentine's Day for example - all love related music). Or I'm in the process of creating a 4 hour montage of history of jazz guitarists. Gives me a lot of flexibility.

Now going on 6+ years, it keeps me out of trouble at least one night a week.

What day/time are you on? I'm out that way occasionally, love to check it out some time.

-FF

funkyfreak wrote:What day/time are you on? I'm out that way occasionally, love to check it out some time.

-FF

Hi funkyfreak,

The station is 24/7 big band, swing and lighter jazz. My show is Friday evenings from 9-11pm.

Thanks for asking,

Jerry

I'm going to be getting 30 minute air time on a Swing show in a Week and a half (Wednesday the 25th of Frb, 88.3 FM 10:00-12:00pm) on a Melbourne community radio. It’s a lead up to a Savoy Ballroom house band night that we are putting on, on March 12th, witch is the 78th anniversary of its opening night.
Brian

Yup... I'm still doing a swing show on KCBX Public radio here in SLO. I definitely don't have "radio voice", but who on Public radio ever does?

I rather enjoy it, though sometimes the extra committment is a bother

Me, now! I got to sub for a friend on 91.7 here.

It was fun--I didn't have to worry about putting 3 over 220 bpm in a row if I didn't want to, I could play slow 78 bpm Bechet-style blues as often as I liked, and I could talk between tracks.

It was a neat chance to incorporate that "history lesson" idea Harrison was talking about. Plus, I promoted swing events in town to whoever was within our tiny broadcast radius.

kitkat wrote:Me, now! I got to sub for a friend ...

CONGRATS!!! Wish I could have heard it.

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