First Friday at Big City Swing 6/3/2011

Thanks to friends of ours who stepped up to babysit, my wife and I BOTH got to go out dancing on Friday! At the same time! Crazy. I also spun the early set (at the First Friday dance at Big City Swing). Going in, I knew it was going to be hot & crowded (it is Big Sweaty Swing, after all), and so I was anticipating riding the tempo wave up and down a bit faster than I might otherwise. I've noticed (through very unsystematic observation) that hot nights often tend to be more conducive to both fast & slow tunes, and that's how it seemed to work out. An extremely lively beginner lesson (Bigs, what did you feed those folks?!?) led into a fairly high-energy early part of the evening. When our friends from Madison showed up, that added another burst of energy--it seemed like they were on the floor dancing their faces off non-stop all night.

Here's what I played (plus the BPM sparkline and frequency distribution):

1. Rosetta - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Nice Work If You Can Get It - 3:08 - 170 (Off their new album)
2. Love Me or Leave Me - Banu Gibson - Let Yourself Go - 3:07 - 165
3. Shine On Harvest Moon - Pete Fountain - Dixieland's Kings - 2:50 - 160
4. In the Mood - Glenn Miller - Best of the Lost Recordings & The Secret Broadcasts - 3:15 - 180 (Pandering to the newbies)
5. I Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 3:09 - 160
6. Rose Room - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Ain't No School Like the Old School - 3:09 - 150
7. Lumby - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - 1941-Transcription Performance - 2:43 - 180 (for Puppy)
8. Baby, What's The Matter With You? - Roy Eldridge Quintet - Little Jazz Giant - 3:20 - 140
9. Spoon Calls Hootie - Jimmy Witherspoon - Jimmy Witherspoon - 2:45 - 140
10. Dark Eyes - Fats Waller - Happy Birthday Fats Vol. 1 - 3:22 - 160
11. Back Bay Shuffle - Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Savoy - 1939-40 - 4:14 - 185 (For Jon)
12. Six-appeal - Charlie Christian - Six-appeal - 3:20 - 145
13. Easy Does It - Paul Tillotson the Love Trio - Lindy Hop Blues - 2:57 - 130
14. Exactly Like You - Carmen McRae - 135 - 2:11 - 135
15. Sing On (Odessa Sing On) - Gaucho - Pearl - 5:07 - 135
16. If You'se a Viper - John Sinclair - No Money Down - 3:55 - 150
17. All Night Long - The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn - Permanent Magic - 2:48 - 170
18. Sister Kate - Earl Hines & His Orchestra - Roots Of Jazz Scat Vocals - 3:05 - 99 (Trying to impress DJ Thor with this one)
19. Solid As A Rock - Count Basie - Count Basie Et Son Orchestre 1950-1951 - 3:03 - 135
20. Joshua Fit the Battle - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 3:57 - 180 (Holy Moly does this track drive. Seemed like the room felt it too.)
21. Big Apple Contest - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Swingmatism - 2:57 - 210 (I'd got it into my head that I wanted a Big Apple. We made it through the first half, through London Bridge, before people's memories petered out and it turned into more of a jam.)
22. Tain't What You Do - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:07 - 155 (Right into a shim-sham, to incorporate more dancers into the spectacle)
23. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150 (and then try to get everyone in the room dancing)
24. Knock Me a Kiss - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 3:25 - 120
25. St. James Infirmary - Hot Lips Page - CO38291 HARMONY-Ha1069 - 4:34 - 95
26. Savoy Blues - Kenny Ball And His Jazzmen - Trad Jazz Masters - 3:53 - 135 (For the black bottomers)
27. Shake That Thing - Willie Mabon - The Comeback - 3:33 - 120
28. Rock Me All Night Long - The Fabulous Treniers - The Hoss Allen Sessions - 2:41 - 155
29. Shortin' Bread - Fats Waller - The Unique Mr. Waller - 2:41 - 190 >(For Dan, who suggested a good note to end on)