Setlist from Swing Noir at the Galaxie 10/18/2008

Lippy and Nicolle hosted a Roaring 20's-speakeasy-interactive-murder-mystery-swing dance last night at the Galaxie, billed as "Swing Noir: a night of dancing, death, and deception." A great, very well dressed crowd showed up to participate. The idea was to do the interactive murder mystery night, all while keeping the dance floor full--plus there was a performance and a solo Charleston contest.

I had a bit of a challenge as a deejay, because the night was supposed to have a strong 1920's/early 1930's atmosphere. Rather than playing a typical set, which might range from 1930's big band to 1970's piano trios, I wanted to stick with music that fit the theme. It was a delicate line to walk--keeping the music interesting while staying within the stylistic constraint. Admittedly, I ended up interpreting it pretty loosely--more that I just avoided musical styles that would have sounded very out of character. So no Gene Harris, no Glen Miller or other big name big bands (too associated with WWII era big band), no Oscar Peterson trio. I relied heavily on modern groups like Mora's Modern Rhythmists, who play in an early big band/1930's style. And in some cases I used later recordings of songs that are associated with early jazz--for instance, Dinah Washington's (1950's) interpretations of Bessie Smith's (1920's) hits. Here's my set:

(Starting off a few minutes before 10 p.m., as the Charleston lesson was ending.)

1. Charleston - Ken Gordon And Band - Charlestons "Yes Sir That's My Baby" - 3:02
2. Big John's Special - Don Neely's Royal Society Jazz Orchestra - Radio Rhythm - 3:18
3. Dancin' With A Debutante - Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Mr. Rhythmist Goes To Town - 2:24
4. Them There Eyes - Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen - Trad Jazz Masters: Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen - 2:57
5. Now Or Never - Katharine Whalen - Jazz Squad - 2:13 (This track did not fit the sound I was going for, but it definitely got a lot of people up and dancing.)
   
6. The Dipsey Doodle - Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Call Of The Freaks - 2:58
7. Hello, Dolly! - Louis Armstrong - Ken Burns Jazz - 2:24
8. I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate - Muggsy Spanier - Vintage Jazz Volume 8 - 2:54
9. Putting On The Ritz - The Pasadena Roof Orchestra - Pasadena - 25th Anniversary Album - 3:12 (This track bombed.)
   
10. All Of Me/The Peanut Vendor - Dick Hyman Group Feat. Howard Alden - Sweet And Lowdown - 1:43
11. It's De-Lovely - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Give Me Your Telephone Number - 4:04
12. Keepin' Out A Mishif Now - Carling Family - 20th Jubilee - 3:32 (I haven't played this one in a while, and had forgotten how much I like it. It went over well.)
    
13. Mood Hollywood - Don Neely's Royal Society Jazz Orchestra - Radio Rhythm - 3:31 (Just discovered this solid lindy hop tune.)
    
14. Shine - Dick Hyman Group Feat. Howard Alden - Sweet And Lowdown - 1:47
15. Five Feet Two, Eyes Of Blue - Creole Jazz Band - Jazz Del Bueno Para Bailar - 2:57
16. Savoy Blues - Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen - Trad Jazz Masters: Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen - 3:53
17. Everybody Loves My Baby - Sippie Wallace - Sippie - 3:11
18. Georgia Cake Walk - Eddie Condon - We Called It Music - 3:06
19. Rockin' In Rhythm - Duke Ellington - Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick and Vocalion Recordings of Duke Ellington, 1926-1931 - 3:02
20. Easy To Love - Billie Holiday - First Issue: Great American Song Book - 3:03
21. Le Jazz Hot - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:44
22. That's A Plenty - Ella Fitzgerald And Bing Crosby - Bing Crosby With Ella Fitzgerald & Peggy Lee Featuring Fred Astaire - 2:23 (This is an interesting vocal version of That's a Plenty. It starts out at a moderate tempo, then gets really peppy at the end.)
    
23. Chicago Stomp - Jimmy Blythe - Boogie Woogie Blues - 2:44
    
24. Jazz Me Blues - Pete Fountain - Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? - 4:42
25. Callin' Your Bluff - Mills Blue Rhythm Band - Mills Blue Rhythm Band: 1933-1936 - 3:00
26. Tutti Frutti - Slim Gaillard - 1938-46 - 2:38
27. Hey! Stop Kissin' My Sister - Fats Waller - The Unique Mr. Waller - 2:50
28. I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats (Remaster) - 4:28
29. Trombone Butter - Dinah Washington - Dinah Washington Sings Bessie Smith - 3:34
30. Southern sunset - Swing Parade South - Hommage a Sidney Bechet - 3:32
31. Let's Misbehave - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - You Do Something To Me - 2:52
32. Dippermouth blues - Muggsy Spanier - Weary Blues - 2:29
33. I've Found A New Baby - Chicago Rhythm Kings - Mezz Mezzrow: Makin' Friends, 1928-37, Jazz Archives #72 (158042) - 3:11
    (Performance by Jenna's troupe of ladies, dressed rather nicely. Right after the performance, the lights went out, gunshots were fired, and Lippy was murdered. Gasp!)
    
34. All That Jazz - Banu Gibson - Vintage Banu - 2:55 (Yes, I was trying to be corny.)
    
35. Give My Regards To Broadway - Pete Fountain - Dixieland's Kings - 2:37
    (At this point, Lippy took over for a while--now that he was dead, he could devote his attention to deejaying. Around 12:30, we had a solo charleston contest. 36 and 37 were used for the contest.)
    
36. Tiger Rag - The Firehouse Five Plus Two - The Firehouse Five Plus Two Story - 3:04
37. Ahma Fonda Rhonda - Firecracker Jazz Band - Firecracker Jazz Band Explodes - 4:14
    (I get the sense that the crowd is ready for something more relaxing. I like this next one because it's just so lazy.)
    
38. Careless Love - Harry Connick, Jr. - Oh, My Nola - 4:13
39. A Man That Don't Want Me - Sippie Wallace - Sippie - 2:43
40. How Come You Do Me? - Eddie Condon - We Called It Music - 2:51
41. Squeeze Me - Della Reese - Song Book, Vol. 3 - 2:37
    (Lippy, still dead, announces that people should cast their ballots as to who his murderer is.)
    
42. Sugar Blues - Clarence Williams - Boogie Woogie Blues - 3:40
    (The culprit is announced.)
    
43. Shake That Thing (Album Version) - Vince Giordano's Nighthawks - The Aviator Music From The Motion Picture - 3:00
44. Cheek to Cheek - Fred Astaire - Irving Berlin - A Hundred Years - 3:20 (I put this on by accident, and was surprised by how many people danced to it.)
    
45. The Mooche - Sidney Bechet - Blues In The Air - 3:09
    (Lippy takes over and finishes out the night.)