A set full of beginner-friendly tunes from this month's dance at First Free Church 8/29/2009

When I walked in to First Free last night, there were about 20 or 25 people taking the beginner lesson (a lot of them college kids, I think). They were all pretty enthusiastic about learning 6-count swing, and stuck around the ENTIRE night to dance. Almost everyone there was a beginner with 6-count, so I tried to cater to these guys with the music I chose. What follows is my best impression of a set for brand-spanking new dancers. You'll note 1) higher-than-normal tempos, 2) lots of music I don't play at Fizz, and 3) almost all tracks with vocals (all but 4 of 42).

Here's the BPM frequency distribution and spark line.

1. More - Bobby Darin - Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 5: Wild Cool & Swingin - 2:25 - 150
2. Honey Pie - Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing! - 4:10 - 150
3. Hep Cat's Love Song - Cab Calloway - Are You Hep To The Jive? - 3:03 - 160
4. In The Mood - Glenn Miller - Ken Burns Jazz - 3:36 - 167
5. See You Later Alligator - Bill Haley And The Comets - Bill Haley And The Comets - 2:07 - 170 (I tend to think of early rock-and-roll as easy for 6-count swing, but I've noticed lately that it doesn't seem to work that well...maybe kids these days don't identify with the music as much, so they're not as interested in dancing to it?)
   
6. My Baby's Sweet - Stompy Jones - The Swing Session - 3:08 - 155
7. Ain't Misbehavin' - Kermit Ruffins - Putumayo Presents: Kermit Ruffins - 4:36 - 140
8. Route 66 - Linda Hopkins - Wild Women Blues - 3:05 - 160
9. Big Hair Mama - Indigo Swing - Red Light! - 3:16 - 120
10. He Ain't Got Rhythm - Jennie Löbel & Swing Kings - Hep Cat's Best Of Modern Swing - 2:52 - 178
11. Put A Lid On It - Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot - 2:39 - 198
12. Jump Jive An' Wail - The Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Dirty Boogie - 2:53 - 200 (This produced audible squeals of delight.)
    
13. I Get A Kick Out Of You - Frank Sinatra - The Very Good Years - 3:14 - 175
14. Old Mother Hubbard - Ella Fitzgerald - Swingin' Ella - 2:44 - 145
15. Mood Hollywood - Don Neely's Royal Society Jazz Orchestra - Radio Rhythm - 3:31 - 170 (This instrumental seemed to go over well.)
16. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Give Me Your Telephone Number - 3:28 - 196
17. It's You Who Taught It To Me - Fats Waller - The Unique Mr. Waller - 2:42 - 160
18. Gotta Be This Or That - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman '45 & '47 - 3:10 - 140
19. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby - Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan And His Tympani Five - 2:45 - 135
20. The Darktown Strutters' Ball - Alberta Hunter - Amtrak Blues - 5:23 - 150 (Mary's suggestion.)
21. Hello, Dolly! - Bobby Darin - Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 5: Wild Cool & Swingin - 3:14 - 165
22. Just You, Just Me - Katharine Whalen - Jazz Squad - 3:22 - 180
23. Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing - Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing! - 3:11 - 195
24. Man from Mars - Artie Shaw - Artie Shaw, King Of The Clarinet - 3:37 - 215 (One for the DJ, to dance with his wife.)
25. Let Me Give You All My Love - Stompy Jones - The Swing Session - 2:29 - 160
26. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145
27. We Cats Will Swing For You - Cats & The Fiddle - We Cats Will Swing For You - 2:42 - 175
28. Touch And Go - Wynona Carr - Jump Jack Jump! - 2:14 - 165
    
29. You Can Stay But That Jive's Got To Go - Dusty Brooks - Dusty Brooks - Swing Time Jive - 2:38 - 155
30. I Like Pie, I Like Cake - Jackie Washington - Midnight Choo Choo - 1:33 - 230
31. French Poodle - Sam Butera & The Witnesses - Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 5: Wild Cool & Swingin - 2:27 - 120 (By request...but unfortunately the young lady who requested it was powdering her nose while it played.)
32. Sweet As Can Be - Ray Charles - Ray Charles - Swing Time Jive - 2:23 - 160
33. Brown Derby Jump - Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Zoot Suit Riot - 2:58 - 204
34. Take My Love With You - Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves - Take My Love With You (Single) - 3:37 - 138
35. TV Is The Thing This Year - Dianne Reeves - Good Night, And Good Luck - 1:43 - 160
36. Too Darn Hot - Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife: The Complete Ella In Berlin (Live) - 3:16 - 160
37. Hit That Jive, Jack - Diana Krall - Bal Mix from Mary Timmons - 4:18 - 210
38. Flat Foot Floogee - Ray Bryant - Swing Dance Special - 2:42 - 160
39. Potato Chips - Slim Gaillard - Laughing In Rhythm: The Best Of The Verve Years - 3:05 - 145
40. The Flat Foot Floogie - Slim Gaillard - 1938-46 - 2:50 - 175 (Sometimes I'm a space cadet. I just played the instrumental version of this as #38.)
41. Life Begins When You're In Love - Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Master Takes And Singles - 3:02 - 180
42. Sing Me a Swing Song (And Let Me Dance) - Benny Goodman - The Birth of Swing - 2:23 - 177