Modern-Swing! Any recommendations?

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mirobro · #1 Post by **mirobro** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:54 am

Hi everybody!!

There`s a certain upswing for swing-music noticeable these days in vienna and so I`ve the opportunity to entertain the crowd with swing at the "pulse" this saturday.

I think people are very in to modern-swing like BBVD, RCR, Squirrel Nut Zippers, ... and so I`ve decided to focus on it!!

Allthough I`m listening to swing-music for years, my knowledge is limited and so it would be very nice if you could give me some recommendations regarding to modern-swing-bands with the same or similar style ...

Thanks in advance!!!

Greetings from Vienna, dan

Lars · #2 Post by **Lars** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:00 am

mirobro wrote: I think people are very in to modern-swing like BBVD, RCR, Squirrel Nut Zippers, ... and so I`ve decided to focus on it.

The "modern swing" groups you list are unfortunately, virtually undanceable. While they have their own charm and energy live (I'll admit to seeing two of them, one many times.) you would be better off with groups like George Gee, Mora's Modern Rhythmists, Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra, even Indigo Swing or Colin James & his little Big Band would be better choices.

p.s. don't forget to put Brian Setzer in the first category.
p.s.s. I've been asked if I have anything by "Brian Seltzer"

mirobro · #3 Post by **mirobro** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:37 am

Hi Lars!

Thanks for the suggestions!! I will listen to it!

The "modern swing" groups you list are unfortunately, virtually undanceable

... I´m not exactly sure if Jim Carry/The Mask would share your opinion on that

To be serious: For sure I would like to see the crowd haul their cadavers to the dancefloors. In a first step it`s important to create a basic mood and I think for that purpose RCR & Co is more than proper ... I mean: they rock as hell!!!

What do you think? All the best, dan

all the best, dan

Eyeball · #4 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:44 am

mirobro wrote:Hi everybody!!

There`s a certain upswing for swing-music noticeable these days in vienna and so I`ve the opportunity to entertain the crowd with swing at the "pulse" this saturday.

Really? Was there no scene before?

Does "The Pulse" have a web site?

mirobro wrote:
I think people are very in to modern-swing like BBVD, RCR, Squirrel Nut Zippers, ... and so I`ve decided to focus on it!!

What makes you think people are into those neo-swing bands? They are very passe.

Why not focus on real Swing? Otherwise, you put your 'scene' 10 YEARS behind the current times.

LARS says they are undanceable bands, but I saw many people dancing to them back in the olden days of the 90s. OTOH, I still would not recommend any of them.

Eyeball · #5 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:49 am

mirobro wrote:
To be serious: For sure I would like to see the crowd haul their cadavers to the dancefloors. In a first step it`s important to create a basic mood and I think for that purpose RCR & Co is more than proper ... I mean: they rock as hell!!!

What "basic mood" are you trying to create?

"They rock as hell"?

How about a band that "SWINGS" like hell, instread?

mirobro · #6 Post by **mirobro** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:44 am

@ Eyeball

You might be right, but it would have been more helpfull to combine criticism with some good recommendations ...

As I mentioned above: knowledge is limited

See you, dan

Toon Town Dave · #7 Post by **Toon Town Dave** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:19 am

Hi Dan, don't mind John (Eyeball), that's just the way he is.

The neo-swing stuff is a little past it's expiry date, at least in North America. Ballroom dancers play it still but they are more interested in a beat that beats you over the head than rhythm that makes you want to move.

If your audience is not keen on swing music (big band, jazz), I'd suggest looking for jump blues/rhythm and blues music. The last Hey Mister Jesse podcast covered some popular jump blues tunes.

Wynonie Harris, Tiny Bradshaw, etc, usually go over well. For "modern" groups that play that style of music, Colin James (and the Little Big Band) is a good example. Roomfull of Blues is pretty good although IMO, they have been drifting more toward rock music so go for their earlier CDs.

Jake · #8 Post by **Jake** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:31 am

Lavey Smith is the hot.

Racetrack · #9 Post by **Racetrack** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:42 am

Jake wrote:Lavey Smith is the hot.

Some years back Lavay Smith played a gig in Madison and posed with my son and I for a photo - her in low cut gown, so the photo shows my son, me, Lavay ... and the eighth and ninth wonders of the world!

Mr Awesomer · #10 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:59 am

I thought parts of Europe being 10 years behind the times was just a bad stereotype. Apparently not.

Racetrack · #11 Post by **Racetrack** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:01 am

Hang ...

If you must go with a "non-traditional/rock or hip-hop oriented sound", check out Outkast's new Idlewild album (you can download it or any cuts you like on it from iTunes). Outkast has largely succeeded at what most of the neo-swing bands from the 1990's tried to accomplish - but failed to accomplish.

Also check out Jesse Miner's "Hey Mr. Jesse" show featuring contemporary swing bands. All the stuff he suggests there is solid swing.

mirobro · #12 Post by **mirobro** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:19 am

GuruReuben wrote:I thought parts of Europe being 10 years behind the times was just a bad stereotype. Apparently not.

You`re absolutely right, guruReuben. Wish, we were that progressive

... a bodybuilder as a governor (by the way, he`s austrian too, but you can keep him)
... no need for signing kyoto-protocol

I think it`s time to close the thread voluntary!!

Thanks to the guys who helped me!! dan

Eyeball · #13 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:20 am

mirobro wrote:@ Eyeball

You might be right, but it would have been more helpfull to combine criticism with some good recommendations ...

As I mentioned above: knowledge is limited

See you, dan

Hello dan-

The reason I didnt recommend anything to you yet is b/c someone else already has and also b/c you asked for recommendations with a similar sound to the neo bands you mentioned...and I dont have anything to recommend that sounds like them.

I also wanted to know why it was that you thought that your people there were into the modern swing bands you mentioned.

And I wanted to see you venue web site to see if it gave any information about the people and their tatstes.

I rarely hesitate to recommend things I think are good, but it is easier to do so if I at least have some minor conception of what may be popular there....in a galaxy far, faraway.....

I can just recommended things out of a hat, but you wil find those all over this forum. Look under the Tommy Dorsey and Charlie Barnet threads where maybe I mentioned a dozen bands and other people mentioned even more.

So....anyway...why do you think your people want to hear the band you mentioned and does your venue have web site we can look at...or do you have a swing dance society there and do they have a web site?

Glad to help if I can.

Eyeball · #14 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:21 am

Dang....the second time in a few hours where my post was being written while dan was posting.

Come on, dan...don't give up yet.

Haydn · #15 Post by **Haydn** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:45 am

mirobro wrote:Hi everybody!!

There`s a certain upswing for swing-music noticeable these days in vienna and so I`ve the opportunity to entertain the crowd with swing at the "pulse" this saturday.

I think people are very in to modern-swing like BBVD, RCR, Squirrel Nut Zippers, ... and so I`ve decided to focus on it!!

Allthough I`m listening to swing-music for years, my knowledge is limited and so it would be very nice if you could give me some recommendations regarding to modern-swing-bands with the same or similar style ...

Thanks in advance!!!

Greetings from Vienna, dan

Hi Dan,

It's good to know there is a burgeoning swing scene in Vienna. I have relatives in Austria, and as far as I knew there wasn't any swing dancing there (the nearest being Munich). So it's good to hear of the interest.

Most people on this board have a preference for 1930s/40s swing and don't really like modern swing bands like Royal Crown Revue.

You asked for recommendations for modern swing bands with a similar style to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue and Squirrel Nut Zippers. I would describe a lot of this music as Louis Jordan style 'jump blues'.

Some suggestions

Do you know Indigo Swing? Their album 'Indigo Swing' as listed on allmusic here http://tinyurl.co.uk/bdtl has quite a lot of music in this style.

The http://allmusic.com/ site is very useful. It lets you listen to 30 second samples of tracks on a lot of CDs. For hard to get CDs like the Indigo Swing ones, it links to sellers who have stock. Click on the 'See all 5 sellers' link to bring up this information. Most of the sellers are in the USA, but many will ship to Europe.

Have you thought about Louis Jordan himself? Do you know tracks like Choo Choo Ch Boogie and Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens?

Check out this CD, which has a good selection of his hits -

The Best of Louis Jordan [MCA]
http://tinyurl.co.uk/f7ob

The allmusic site lists 'Similar Artists' on each artist's home page. These will give you idea of other artists to investigate.

For example -

Louis Jordan
http://tinyurl.co.uk/0oax

Royal Crown Revue
http://tinyurl.co.uk/4nnt

Also, check out the October edition of Hey Mr Jesse, where the '8-count swing' section is on jump blues songs -
http://www.yehoodi.com/mrjesse/

SwingDJs

Modern-Swing! Any recommendations?

Modern-Swing! Any recommendations?

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Re: Modern-Swing! Any recommendations?

Re: Modern-Swing! Any recommendations?