blues - beyond the definitions?

[mark0tz]

Another quote from a DC DJ I heard a few months ago, where he said when he played a real blues song in DC, people look up at him like he grew a second head. I thought the quote was funny that's why I remeber it. I think it was Matt Smiley, but I could be wrong.

Nod. Some people will certainly give that look, leave the floor, or go sit down and sulk, but some other people will race to find a partner and get on the floor. And some venues indeed never play blues music... Anyways, I guess we can get back to the original question. I'm still looking forward to going to Chicago and hearing you DJ Roy

[Ron]

Jesse,
Its interesting that you list only very slow songs as good example blues dancing songs. In fact, of the Cheatham songs I like to play for blues dancing, Sweet Baby Blues at 46 BPM would not generally be one of them, just because I think its too sloooww. But its a kick ass song, I'd agree. But for blues dancing, I like Cheatham's "Cherry Red" (72 BPM) better. It has some great lyrics and sexy breaks.

Some songs above 100 BPM can be good blues dancings songs, too, in my opinion, if they have the right feel and make me want to go into closed position. Like "That Night" (130 BPM) by Swing Session. Its has such a moody texture, for parts of it, and it definitely conjures up a vision of a small, intimate bar. I want to get into closed position to do something interesting to "..the rhythm club in Nanchez!"

[JesseMiner]

Ron,

My list was comprised of extreme examples to illustrate my point. Of course there are plenty of great songs for blues dancing that are faster than the ones I listed. I think you and I have fairly similiar tastes in that department ("Cherry Red" is a sweet tune).

Some other great blues dancing tunes as the tempo increases:

Somebody Changed The Lock On My Door - James Brown (Messin' With The Blues) (79 bpm)
Blooz...First Thaingh Dis Moanin' - Wycliffe Gordon (Slidin' Home) (83 bpm)
King Alcohol - Buster Smith (Legendary Buster Smith) (87 bpm)
Evil Man Blues - Joe Williams (Presenting...) (90 bpm)
Trombone Butter - Dinah Washington (Sings Bessie Smith) (100 bpm)

I also agree that some even faster songs like "That Night" by Swing Session would be fun for blues dancing as well, but those are more the exception than the rule.

Some other fun songs in the grey area between blues dancing and swing dancing would be "C.C. Rider" by The Cheathams (115 bpm) or "Happy Go Lucky Local" by LCJO (111 bpm). I've seen some great great blues dancing to both as well as some sweet slower swing dancing.

Jesse

[Roy]

Since we're posting favorite Blues tunes here are my favorites to blues dance too:

Fine and Mellow-Ella Fitzgerald-Blueella
Amtrack Blues-Alberta Huner-Amtrack Blues
T-Bone blues-T-Bone Walker-The very best of T-Bone Walker
Cryin' Mercy-Charles Brown-Driftin the Blues
When I get to thinking-Big Bill Broozny
Down home Blues-Gene Harris-The best of the Concorde years
Hothouse blues-yoko noge-yoko meets john

These are not songs I would necessarily think are good songs to dJ, Charles Brown and Big Bill Broozny is stretching a little bit what Lindy Hoppers normaly think blues is and hence a careful evaluation of the crowd would be needed. Also Hothours Blues is 9 minutes long, so I would almost never play it.

[Lawrence]

I suggest clarifying what YOU mean by "Lindy Blues Exchange" so that people will know what to expect in advance: St. Louis bluesmen, Midwest Blues, lots of Slow dancing, Modern Blues, Classic Blues, Non-delta-part-electric-but-not-so-funky-and-Westie Blues, playing all 2, 253 recorded versions of "St. Louis Blues" back to back.... The interpretations are endless, which apparently is what led to the dissatisfaction by some who expected something different.

I know that my interpretation (as a complete outsider who did not investigate it) of the St. Louis Blues Exchange was that it was going to focus on slow dancing. I then considered the type of guys who would be attracted to such an event, then considered the type of girls who would remain and not be scared away by those type of guys, and opted to not go.... (There were other reasons such as timing, distance, job-related factors, etc. as well, so I'm partly embellishing.... PARTLY.)

I have always resisted the inclination to use "Blues Dancing" to refer exclusively to "Slow Dancing," often used for ANY sort of slow dancing, whether it be Blues or not. That's why I have suggested repeatedly using "Slow Blues Dancing," because otherwise it implies that dancing to Blues songs over 100 BPM is not dancing to Blues. (To those who do not think that clarifying definitions is important, here is a case in point where an vague term causes confusion).

I'm somewhat unclear on what this "Funk Blues" stuff is, but if it is what comes to my mind, then it definitely should be limited to novelty-song status.

[smunky]

I suggest clarifying what YOU mean by "Lindy Blues Exchange" so that people will know what to expect in advance:

the term "lindy exchange" is equally or more open ended, and just as open to differing interpretation and disappointment.

I know that my interpretation (as a complete outsider who did not investigate it) of the St. Louis Blues Exchange was that it was going to focus on slow dancing. I then considered the type of guys who would be attracted to such an event, then considered the type of girls who would remain and not be scared away by those type of guys, and opted to not go.... (There were other reasons such as timing, distance, job-related factors, etc. as well, so I'm partly embellishing.... PARTLY.)

i would say on this front your fears were totally unfounded.

...on second thought, maybe you are right...ron DID show up

[Roy]

I'm somewhat unclear on what this "Funk Blues" stuff is, but if it is what comes to my mind, then it definitely should be limited to novelty-song status.

If you have Gene Harris, best of the concorde years, the funk songs on that are examples, or if you have the compilation CD, grooving the Blues, there is some funk blues on there as well.

[Lawrence]

i would say on this front your fears were totally unfounded.

Yes, that's the impression I had already gotten from this Board and elsewhere: thus the problem with "Blues Dancing" as a term and thus the importance of clarifying what you mean by a "Blues Exchange"

...on second thought, maybe you are right...ron DID show up

LOL. Poor Ron....

[Lawrence]

If you have Gene Harris, best of the concorde years, the funk songs on that are examples, or if you have the compilation CD, grooving the Blues, there is some funk blues on there as well.

?!?!?! I was thinking some of Buddy Guy or Eddie Clearwater "funk" stuff: sort of Rock-Blues. With all due respect, the Gene Harris non-swing funk-blues stuff would similarly make me question the "Blues" being played.

("Make it so funky they can smell it!" -Buddy Guy)

[falty411]

Im guessing the music at this exchange wont be along the lines of Black and Tan Fantasy and the dancing won't be along the lines of the shake blues dancing done in the spirit moves?

[smunky]

Im guessing the music at this exchange wont be along the lines of Black and Tan Fantasy and the dancing won't be along the lines of the shake blues dancing done in the spirit moves?

we have a separate room for that...

[KevinSchaper]

Im guessing the music at this exchange wont be along the lines of Black and Tan Fantasy and the dancing won't be along the lines of the shake blues dancing done in the spirit moves?

I thought "Male Shake Blues" was After Hours with Al Minns in the diaper, and Black and Tan was the "Rent Party" stuff?

[falty411]

Im guessing the music at this exchange wont be along the lines of Black and Tan Fantasy and the dancing won't be along the lines of the shake blues dancing done in the spirit moves?

I thought "Male Shake Blues" was After Hours with Al Minns in the diaper, and Black and Tan was the "Rent Party" stuff?

Just talking about two different things:

one being blues music i love

the other being blues dancing I love. Total coincidence they use Black and Tan in the Rent Party section

[KevinSchaper]

one being blues music i love

the other being blues dancing I love. Total coincidence they use Black and Tan in the Rent Party section

oohh, gotcha..

I think it's a shame that some of the old blues that's sooo good doesn't get any love because there are so few people who dig both blues dancing and old music. (at least in the northwest)

[falty411]

oohh, gotcha..

I think it's a shame that some of the old blues that's sooo good doesn't get any love because there are so few people who dig both blues dancing and old music. (at least in the northwest)

Well I am one of the few that do!

I am starting to try and learn more about the older blues dancing, I am REALLY interested in it. Its so loose, wild, sexy, carefree, yet precise and beautiful. Exactly like lindy hop in thhose ways, only in the other tempo direction and bluestastic.