Music Monopoly

Everything about the swinging music we love to DJ

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Nate Dogg
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Re: Music Monopoly

#31 Post by Nate Dogg » Tue Sep 02, 2003 2:21 pm

falty411 wrote:Does it bother anyone else that 2 djs, with very similar musical preferences are responsible for music at the following (in my opinion) major events:

Harlem Jazz Dance Festival
Summer Hummer
Swing Out New Hampshire
New York Lindy Hop Open
San Francisco Lindy Exchange
Boogie By The Bay
American Lindy Hop Championships
US Open Swing Dance Championships
Swing Out Hawaii
New Year's Eve Extravaganza
North Atlantic dance Championships
Hot LX
Boston Tea Party
Beantown
Virginia State Open
Frankie Manning's birthday

Good for them for getting the business, but isn't it bad for us as dancers? I would like to know your opinions.
You must be referring to a prior Frankie Maning Birthday(s) that was led by Jesse and Greg. This year's birthday was on a boat and the DJs were Bill Borgida, Manu, and me, with Bill and Manu being the head DJs. Tomo was also supposed to be there, but she had visa issues.

I don't think anybody is set up for 90th birthday cruise. (www.frankiecruise.com)

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Platypus
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#32 Post by Platypus » Tue Sep 02, 2003 3:14 pm

Yes, we have asked 3 DJs to headline our first exchange in Houston. Our local DJs have had very little national exposure, so our names are not (yet) draws. I am thrilled that Greg, Dave, and Ron are willing to come help us out for our inaugural whirl into the national exchange scene. Otherwise the advertisements would be something like "Kristina WHO? Yvonne WHO? The exchange of the unknown DJs, brought to you by Houston, TX."

Our goal is to feature not only our special guests, but a cross-section of Texas DJs. In addition to our locals, we have regular SwingDJs posters who will be featured, including Kalman, Lawrence, and Nathan.

Are our guest DJs the "head DJs"? Nope. Locals, like me, get that honor (or burden). If it goes well, we will take the credit. If it doesn't, we will flee the country.

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falty411
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#33 Post by falty411 » Tue Sep 02, 2003 7:24 pm

Platypus wrote: Otherwise the advertisements would be something like "Kristina WHO? Yvonne WHO? The exchange of the unknown DJs, brought to you by Houston, TX."
Actually myself and several others I know were planning on going to HOTLX until we saw the DJ lineup. I guess advertisements work both ways.
-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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Greg Avakian
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#34 Post by Greg Avakian » Tue Sep 02, 2003 7:39 pm

falty411 wrote:its nice to see two of the three drop in and completely avoid the question altogether.

Do either of you have an opinion you would like to share?
Not really. There's not much to think about. I don't think that this is a problem because most DJs have a big collection of music and they play what they "need" to to keep the floor busy. It's the DJs with limited ability to play outside their genre who worry me.

falty411 wrote:
GuruReuben wrote:On a side note, you list a number of Westie events, which I find hillarious.
you mean ALHC and SFLX?
hehehe
Note to self:
Remember to can Mike Faltesek, Reuben, Andy, Peter, Justin, Jenn and others for ALHC -they might be westie DJs...

Just teasing...

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CafeSavoy
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#35 Post by CafeSavoy » Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:40 pm

falty411 wrote:its nice to see two of the three drop in and completely avoid the question altogether.

Do either of you have an opinion you would like to share? Reuben you too.
I'm all for speculative discussion but in a case where it's a discussion of facts, I like to first examine the facts.

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SirScratchAlot
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#36 Post by SirScratchAlot » Wed Sep 03, 2003 5:32 am

I think the facts are that different event promoters want different types of music and dance representing their events. They hire the people they feel can best represent their vision.

Events will inturn have different aspects of the dance to focus on to make them sell themselves.
\\\"Jazz Musicians have dance in them, and Jazz dancers have music in them, or Jazz doesn''''t happen.\\\" Sidney Bechet

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mousethief
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#37 Post by mousethief » Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:59 am

Lawrence wrote: Moreover, as much as you might not like me or Austin, we made a conscious decision to not fly them in to Austin this year and to not treat them any more special than the other DJs we select. As much as I do respect them, I considered it unfair to treat them that much more special than the other DJs of equal caliber: and there ARE other DJs of equal caliber coming to Austin already.
*sniff*

meesa no get no calls, ani. and meesa ran jumjum blues room las' year.

kal kal man

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Greg Avakian
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#38 Post by Greg Avakian » Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:27 am

mousethief wrote: *sniff*

meesa no get no calls, ani. and meesa ran jumjum blues room las' year.

kal kal man
Dude, it's better for your career to be a matyr. If you like, I can send you my pamlet "How to make the event director feel really bad for not inviting you back". It's only $19.95 and not available in stores.

mousethief
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#39 Post by mousethief » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:08 am

hey, i've been been in austin more than some locals. not having to dj is fine with me - just means more mex marts at trudy's.

hell, last year i was invited about 48 hours before the event.

being a martyr sucks ass. damn country is full of 'em. if i really wanted to play austin - really, really badly - i'd have beaten down their door. as it is, not getting to dj actually helps to develop my ear & find new pieces, not scramble for the next selection.

kalman

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falty411
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#40 Post by falty411 » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:12 am

Greg Avakian wrote: Not really. There's not much to think about. I don't think that this is a problem because most DJs have a big collection of music and they play what they "need" to to keep the floor busy. It's the DJs with limited ability to play outside their genre who worry me
There is an ability to play out of your desired range, and then there is actually doing it. I think almost every DJ has the ability to do so. But from my experience, they do not do so.

I would be just as worried if the 2 djs were reuben and peter. It doesnt matter who, what style or whatever. Just the fact that a small percentage of people have been responsible for an unproportionally large percentage of music.
-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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#41 Post by Shorty Dave » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:38 am

falty411 wrote:Just the fact that a small percentage of people have been responsible for an unproportionally large percentage of music.
There you go using those words again - "responsible for" - yet you never answered my question. So I'll try asking it again:

First of all, I'm curious by what you mean "responsible for". Do you mean they pick the competition music? Or they pick all the DJs for the event? Or what? For example, HOT LX, Greg is one of many DJs there; he's not a cooridinator or anything, or even the "head DJ" or something like that. Nicole, Janice, (and I to some extent) chose the DJs for HJDF. Jesse did competition music at HJDF. But you were "responsible for" some of the social dancing music. When I look at the list of events you mentioned, I definitely don't think that those events where dominated by one or two specific DJs or that one or two specific DJs were "responsible for" that event's music.

Nate Dogg
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#42 Post by Nate Dogg » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:40 am

mousethief wrote:hey, i've been been in austin more than some locals. not having to dj is fine with me - just means more mex marts at trudy's.

hell, last year i was invited about 48 hours before the event.

being a martyr sucks ass. damn country is full of 'em. if i really wanted to play austin - really, really badly - i'd have beaten down their door. as it is, not getting to dj actually helps to develop my ear & find new pieces, not scramble for the next selection.

kalman
I sent Kalman a PM with more details. But, I thought I should post this to the list. The Music Committee is Lawrence, me, Josh Ellinger, and Chris Lowe. Last year's Committee was Matt and Jeramie, a different crew all together.

A final DJ list is not ready, we have been focused on band related things. We will get someting together in the not too distant future.

People are still registering, we have an incredible pool of DJs coming to ALX4.

If you are coming and you want to DJ, the best venue to let us know is via PM to Lawrence. You can also contact me if you wish.

Take the martyr stuff offline. It is sort of funny, but we don't want to end up hurting people's feelings. I don't think we want the type of Exchange where each DJ gets an hour and nothing more. There will end up being judgement calls of some sort. This is not the forum to discuss such things.

Nathan

mousethief
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#43 Post by mousethief » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:41 am

ah, whatever. we all get work, we all get (un)paid. it's neither a good nor bad thing; it's just a thing. it's something we can change if we decide to do so. i see no reason to, however.

(must... contain... forum... training)

me? i really despise the fact that duke ellington and count basie have such dominance in the in swing genre. [/sarcasm]

kalman

mousethief
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#44 Post by mousethief » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:46 am

Nate Dogg wrote:
mousethief wrote:hey, i've been been in austin more than some locals. not having to dj is fine with me - just means more mex marts at trudy's.

hell, last year i was invited about 48 hours before the event.

being a martyr sucks ass. damn country is full of 'em. if i really wanted to play austin - really, really badly - i'd have beaten down their door. as it is, not getting to dj actually helps to develop my ear & find new pieces, not scramble for the next selection.

kalman
I sent Kalman a PM with more details. But, I thought I should post this to the list. The Music Committee is Lawrence, me, Josh Ellinger, and Chris Lowe. Last year's Committee was Matt and Jeramie, a different crew all together.

A final DJ list is not ready, we have been focused on band related things. We will get someting together in the not too distant future.

People are still registering, we have an incredible pool of DJs coming to ALX4.

If you are coming and you want to DJ, the best venue to let us know is via PM to Lawrence. You can also contact me if you wish.

Take the martyr stuff offline. It is sort of funny, but we don't want to end up hurting people's feelings. I don't think we want the type of Exchange where each DJ gets an hour and nothing more. There will end up being judgement calls of some sort. This is not the forum to discuss such things.

Nathan
ah sure it is. it's a dj forum. besides, i don't even have a heart, much less real feelings.

you're to be commended for giving a dj a chance to build the crowd. one hour slots suck. i was poking fun and if that came off bad, well, i'm still poking fun.

personally, i would rather see your local talent, because that's what exchanges are supposed to be about - showing off your local scene. if that means that everybody with 15 cds can't dj, i think that's a very good thing. nothing kills a good set like turning it over every 30-60 minutes.

kalman

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mark0tz
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#45 Post by mark0tz » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:51 am

falty411 wrote:There is an ability to play out of your desired range, and then there is actually doing it. I think almost every DJ has the ability to do so. But from my experience, they do not do so.
And in my experience, several do. I've been a regular [dancer and guest DJ] at k2 for a couple of years now where Rayned is the primary DJ. I've been to several events where Jesse has been spinning. I've also had the pleasure of listening to Greg DJ handful of times.

I think the reason I like these DJ's so much is because they play the whole gamut. Their collection of classic swing era music and knowledge of the artists that played them is impressive to say the least. Most of my experience has been with Rayned since I'm local to him. These DJ's should be commended for playing outside of their "desired range," whatever that really means.

They do this where other, more narrow-minded DJ's, do not. And they mix it up brilliantly. Their ability to read the floor and play to the floor is excellent and certainly the reason why they get asked to DJ at so many events.
Mike Marcotte

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