Fizz 5/21/2012

Fun times at Fizz last night. It was pretty empty until right about 9:35 p.m., when all of a sudden a huge mob of people showed up, keeping the dance floor basically full for the rest of the night. My set wasn't the biggest stretch, most interesting, inspiring, flowing, acutely attuned to the floor 2 hours I've ever played. I pretty much alternated between new music by newer bands and old music by old big bands, with not much in between. But it kept people dancing. I limited myself to just two tracks off Gordon Webster's new album, even though I'm pretty sure that few would have complained if I'd played the whole thing start to finish. (It's fantastic. Go Buy It Now.) Here's my BPM sparkline, BPM histogram, and track listing:

1. Call The Police - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Ol' New Orleans Home - 4:43 - 200
2. Boot-Ta-La-Za - Slim Gaillard - 1938-46 - 3:25 - 214
3. Four Or Five Times - Engelbert Wrobel, Chris Hopkins, Dan Barrett - Harlem 2000 - 7:44 - 140
4. The Beaver Bump - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 3:35 - 150
5. Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program - 2:41 - 130
6. Soft Winds - 4Beat6 - The band that plays the music of Benny Goodman - 2:46 - 165
7. Free Eats - Count Basie And His Orchestra - 1946-1947 - 2:56 - 155
8. Sweet Georgia Brown - Benny Goodman - Very Best of Benny Goodman - 3:07 - 175
9. Le Jazz Hot - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:44 - 140
10. You’ve Got To See Mama Ev’ry Night - Kay Starr - The Best of The Standard Transcriptions - 1:57 - 127
11. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145
12. Everybody Eats When They Come To My House - Cab Calloway - Are You Hep To The Jive? - 2:46 - 155
13. Strictly Jive - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy (Disc 3) - 3:19 - 170
14. Peckin' - Duke Ellington - The Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 - 3:09 - 160
15. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie - Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Master Takes And Singles - 3:04 - 150
16. Jive At Five - Count Basie - Swinging The Blues: 1930-1939 - 2:46 - 172
17. Lumby - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - Essential, Vol. 2 - 2:31 - 195
18. Night Train - Gordon Webster - Live In Rochester - 3:59 - 140
19. Knock Me a Kiss - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 3:25 - 120
20. Cole Slaw - Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan And His Tympani Five, Volume 1 - 2:44 - 135
21. Shake That Thing - Kid Ory - The Ultimate Jazz Archive 9: Kid Ory, Vol. 1 - 3:31 - 148
22. South - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 3:17 - 180
23. The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town - Lionel Hampton - All Star Sessions, Volume 2: Hot Mallets - 2:46 - 135
24. Dark Eyes - Fats Waller - Happy Birthday Fats Vol. 1 - 3:22 - 160
25. You Can Have My Husband - Tuba Skinny - Six Feet Down - 3:48 - 140
26. Lazy Lazy River - Leigh Barker & The New Sheiks - The Sales Tax - 5:09 - 120
27. Satchel Mouth Baby - Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' - 3:19 - 130
28. Somebody Loves Me - Stuff Smith - Cat On A Hot Fiddle - 3:42 - 150
29. I Like Pie - Gordon Webster - Live In Rochester - 5:37 - 160
30. Stompin' At The Savoy - George Gee - Swingin' Away - 4:00 - 170
31. For Dancers Only - Duke Ellington - Recollections Of The Big Band Era - 3:04 - 145
32. Flying Home - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 2: Flying Home - 3:10 - 195

Fizz 4/30/2012

I'm way behind posting setlists, so I'll be short and sweet. This set from two weeks ago was entirely off my iPod, because my laptop was out of commission due to spilled tea--call it death by Darjeeling. For a large part of this set, I was trading 3's with my friend John (thanks John!). That made it way easier to spin from an iPod, since I didn't have to set up a bunch of songs in a row. I'll post the usual BPM sparkline and histogram, even though the sparkline won't make much sense because my tracks weren't all consecutive.

• Joshua - Ben Webster - Big Ben 3: 52nd Street - 3:03 - 170
• Pousse-Café - Al Casey - Jumpin' With Al - 3:51 - 165
• Blue Minor - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy - 2:50 - 180
• Reefer Man - Don Redman - Doin' the New Low Down - 3:33 - 220
• I found a million dollar baby - Benny Goodman - COLUMBIA 36136 - 2:57 - 200
• Parc On Summit - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 3:11 - 180
• Hey Sweet Potato - Buddy Johnson - The Best of Buddy's - 2:43 - 130
• Shipyard Ramble - Erskine Hawkins - Riff Time (The Essence Of Swing) - 3:31 - 190
• A Viper's Moan - Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Call Of The Freaks - 3:30 - 140
• Twenty-Four Robbers - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:11 - 140
• Small Fry - Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio - Barrelhouse - 3:39 - 95
• You’ve Been A Good Ole Wagon - Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights - Black Coffee - 2:45 - 115
• All the Cats Join in - Catherine Russell - Inside This Heart of Mine - 3:38 - 115
• All I Know - The Countdown Quartet - Sadlack's Stomp - 2:56 - 125
• Jump Session - Slim Gaillard - 1938-1939 - 2:35 - 160
• Yacht Club Swing - Echoes of Swing - Harlem Joys - 3:19 - 160
• How Come You Do Me? - Eddie Condon - We Called It Music - 2:51 - 110
• Knock Me a Kiss - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 3:25 - 120
• My Blue Heaven - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Songs of New Orleans - 5:21 - 150
• Milenberg Joys - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 3:45 - 190
• Shake That Thing - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 4:25 - 125
• Whatcha Gonna Do When There Ain't No Swing? - Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' - 3:26 - 120
• Let Me Off Uptown - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz - 3:24 - 130
• Southern sunset - Swing Parade South - Hommage a Sidney Bechet - 3:32 - 105
• We've Got The Blues - The Spirits Of Rhythm - Spirits of Rhythm 1932-1941 - 3:16 - 110
• 'Tain't What You Do - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:07 - 155
• Minor Swing - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Give Me Your Telephone Number - 3:41 - 195
• Mr. Rhythm - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 4:08 - 130
• Chant Of The Groove - Fats Waller - Fats Waller 1941 - 3:05 - 185
• Undecided - Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Savoy - 1939-40 - 3:06 - 210
• Fat and Greasy - Fats Waller - Ain't Misbehavin - 3:09 - 160
• The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town - Lionel Hampton - All Star Sessions, Volume 2 - 2:46 - 135
• Junk Man - Midnight Serenaders - Hot Lovin' - 4:39 - 110

Fizz setlist 2/13/2012

Fun night at Fizz last night--a full, energetic crowd, good buddies in the DJ booth, and a Little Sumpin' from Lagunitas Brewery, mix 'em together and it puts me in a good mood. As you'll see below, I was also in a mood to say "Why the Hell not?" and hit play on tunes that might normally be more borderline for me. My friends Bob & Anna were tag-teaming for the second half of the evening, but unfortunately I couldn't stick around for very long.

Here's the BPM sparkline and histogram, and here's what I played:

1. Apex Blues - Jim Cullum Jazz Band - Chasin' the Blues - 4:22 - 95 
2. No Regrets - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 2:52 - 130 
3. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - Marty Grosz - Rhythm Is Our Business - 5:04 - 155 
4. Rosetta - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Nice Work If You Can Get It - 3:08 - 170 
5. Nappin' John - Roy Eldridge & His Gramercy Five - Little Jazz Giant - 3:04 - 190 
6. Swing Brother Swing - Miss Sophie Lee - Tallulah Moon - 3:55 - 165 
7. Stay Cool - Count Basie - Blues By Basie-One O'Clock Jump - 3:12 - 155 (Now commencing the "brassy big band" portion of the evening)
8. Rumble - Sy Oliver - Yes Indeed - 3:55 - 130 
9. Jersey Bounce - Bernard Berkhout - Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra - 3:27 - 135 
10. The Wild Mab Of The Fish Pond - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - 1941-Transcription Performance - 2:20 - 155 
11. Flat Foot Floogee - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra - The Fabulous Benny Goodman - 3:22 - 160 
12. Wham! (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam) - Jimmie Lunceford - Lunceford Special - 2:51 - 175 
13. I Can’t Dance (I Got Ants In My Pants) - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy - 3:00 - 205  (There was a time in Fizz's history where I could NOT have played this--the floor would have completely cleared. Boy have things changed.)
14. Honeysuckle Rose - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats - 2:56 - 170 
15. All Of Me - Frank Sinatra - Swing And Dance With Frank Sinatra - 2:39 - 130 
16. Who Walks In When I Walk Out? - Louis Armstrong - The Wonderful Duets - 2:21 - 135 
17. Papa De-Da-Da - The Wolverines Jazz Band Of Bern - Wolverines Of Bern At 35 - 3:32 - 115  (Working through some Dixie now.)
18. Tight Like This - Tuba Skinny - Tubaskinny - 4:28 - 125 
19. Bucket Got a Hole In It - Kid Ory - In the Forties - 2:30 - 144 
20. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150 
21. Jambalaya Strut - Dr. Michael White - Dancing In The Sky - 3:46 - 165  (This one was meant as a shout-out to DJ Thor.)
22. Stealin' Apples - Glenn Miller - Best of the Lost Recordings & The Secret Broadcasts - 3:16 - 210 
23. Jump Session - Slim Gaillard - 1938-1939 - 2:35 - 160 
24. Skin 'Em Back - Skeets Tolbert - Skeets Tolbert 1931-1940 - 2:43 - 150 
25. Shout, Sister, Shout! - Sister Rosetta Tharpe - The Gospel of the Blues - 2:41 - 145  (I knew I wanted to try out #27, so I worked up to it with some other gospel-sounding tunes.)
26. Sermonette - Gordon Webster - Happy When I'm With You - 3:40 - 115
27. He Calls That Religion - The Sojourners - Things About Comin' My Way - 4:00 - 120
28. Tight Like This - Milano Jazz Gang - To Satchmo with Respect - 3:01 - 110  (Yes, I played this tune twice--see #18. But they are two very different versions. )
29. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me - Sidney Bechet - The Fabulous Sidney Bechet - 5:43 - 145 
30. Short Dressed Gal - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - New Orleans Preservation, Vol. 1 - 2:38 - 160 
31. High Shelf Booze - Eilen Jewell - Letters from Sinners & - 3:38 - 125 
32. Baby Can Dance - Carsie Blanton - Buoy - 2:56 - 180  (This last one was a going-away jam.)

Fizz setlist 1/16/2012

Fizz last night got off to a slow start. The first few folks in the door asked if the heat could be turned on (my answer: no, because body warmth would be more than enough once things got going). The early arrivals ended up dancing in sweaters for a bit, because it was around 9:40 by the time the place felt like it was in full swing and adequately warm. Thankfully, once things got going, they didn't stop--lots of very energetic dancers kept the floor crowded and the room warm. In response, I played a set that was a bit faster than normal, though I also had the chance to dip into blues tunes for a bit. I also played "My Baby Can Dance" by Carsie Blanton (singer-songwriter-dancer), since it's been going viral on Facebook, and it produced squeals and shrieks of delight. Literally.

Here's the usual BPM sparkline and histogram. And here's the tunes:

1. Nice Work if You Can Get It - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Nice Work If You Can Get It - 3:19 - 170 
2. Swingin' On Nothin' - Midnight Serenaders - Hot Lovin' - 3:50 - 200 
3. Slow and Easy - Jim Cullum Jazz Band - Chasin' the Blues - 4:03 - 190 
4. Piano Boogie - Kansas City All-Stars - KC After Dark - 2:32 - 170 
5. Rosetta - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Nice Work If You Can Get It - 3:08 - 170 
6. Dipsy Doodle - Larry Clinton & His Orchestra - G.I. Jukebox, Original Hits from the Swing Era, 1938-1946 - 3:03 - 175 
7. Nona - Erskine Hawkins, His Orchestra - Vintage Dance Orchestras No. 277 - EP: Tuxedo Junction - 2:44 - 145 
8. Bearcat Shuffle - Andy Kirk & His Clouds of Joy - 1930-1941 - 3:02 - 150 
9. Honeysuckle Rose - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats (Remaster) - 2:56 - 170 
10. Spreadin' Rhythm Around - Fats Waller - Fats Waller: 1935-1936 - 2:44 - 180 
11. In The Groove (At The Grove) - Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Savoy - 1939-40 - 2:35 - 195 
12. Love Me or Leave Me - Banu Gibson - Let Yourself Go - 3:07 - 165 
13. Georgia Grind - Lillian Boutté - Music Is My Life - 3:32 - 145 
14. He Ain’t Got Rhythm - Bernard Berkhout - Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra - 4:44 - 165 
15. Four Or Five Times - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:08 - 140 
16. Shake That Thing - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 4:25 - 125 
17. Someday You'll Want Me To Want You - Catherine Russell - Cat - 3:13 - 145 
18. My Blue Heaven - The Cangelosi Cards - Clinton Street Recordings, I - 4:11 - 145 
19. Some of These Days - Billie & DeDe Pierce - Gulf Coast Blues - 2:38 - 150 
20. Heebie Jeebies - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - The Hurricane Sessions - 1:55 - 180 
21. Hop, Skip And Jump - Engelbert Wröbel's Swing Society - Sophisticated Swing - 3:47 - 175 
22. When You're Smiling - Mona's Hot Four - Live at Mona's - 3:33 - 195 
23. Mr. Rhythm - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 4:08 - 130 
24. Dear Old Southland - Sidney Bechet - Classic Sides 1931-1937 (CD A) - 3:03 - 140 
25. The Harlem Stride - Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Savoy - 1939-40 - 3:29 - 200
26. I Like Pie, I Like Cake - The Four Clefs - BLUEBIRD 8884 - 2:48 - 155 
27. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 5:16 - 150 
28. Put A Lid On It - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ The Times - 3:13 - 170 
29. When I Grow Too Old To Dream - Cats & The Fiddle - We Cats Will Swing For You - 2:47 - 200 
30. Careless Love - Tuba Skinny - Tubaskinny - 4:25 - 135 
31. Money Blues - Lavern Baker - LaVern Sings Bessie Smith - 2:53 - 103 
32. My Daddy Rocks Me - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman et son orchestre: 1945 Vol.2 - 2:48 - 100 
33. Billie's Blues - Billie Holiday - Blue Billie - 2:40 - 120 
34. Baby Can Dance - Carsie Blanton - Buoy - 2:56 - 180 
35. Shine On Harvest Moon - Pete Fountain - Dixieland's Kings - 2:50 - 160 
36. Blue Lou - Chick Webb - Jazz After Hours - 3:12 - 180 
37. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145 
38. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150

Fizz setlist 11/28/2011

Here you go, plus the BPM histogram* and sparkline**:

1. Parc On Summit - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 3:11 - 180
2. Zonky - Crytzer's Blue Rhythm Band - Chasin' the Blues - 3:49 - 215
3. Route 66 - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 4:24 - 150
4. Piano Boogie - Kansas City All-Stars - KC After Dark - 2:32 - 170
5. House Hop - Bernard Berkhout - Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra - 3:45 - 205
6. When You're Smiling - Benny Goodman - Small Group Recordings - 2:37 - 156
7. What's Your Name? - Echoes of Swing - You've Got To Be Modernistic - 3:18 - 155
8. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Master Takes And Singles - 2:58 - 140
9. For Dancers Only - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:41 - 150
10. My Blue Heaven - The Cangelosi Cards - Clinton Street Recordings, I - 4:11 - 145
11. Baby, What's The Matter With You? - Roy Eldridge Quintet - Little Jazz Giant - 3:20 - 140
12. I Like Pie, I Like Cake - The Four Clefs - BLUEBIRD 8884 - 2:48 - 155
13. When You Wore a Tulip - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Jazz Roots Elixir - 3:30 - 160
14. I Can't Believe You're in Love With Me - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Give Me Your Telephone Number - 3:52 - 167
15. Viper Mad - Sidney Bechet - Sweet And Lowdown - 3:06 - 172
16. Fortunate Love - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 2:54 - 130
17. Blue Drag - Earl Hines - Swingin' Down - 2:59 - 140
18. Yacht Club Swing - Fats Waller - Yacht Club Swing 1938 - 3:51 - 162
19. Madame Dynamite - Eddie Condon - Let's Swing It - 2:55 - 185
20. Solid As A Rock - Count Basie - Count Basie Et Son Orchestre 1950-1951 - 3:03 - 135
21. She Keeps It Up All The Time - Duke Heitger - Duke Heitger's "Krazy Kapers" - 3:11 - 110
22. Exactly Like You - Cecile Mclorin Salvant and the Jean-Francois Bonnel Paris Quintet - Cecile - 5:10 - 125
23. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145
24. Blues In Disguise - Mezz Mezzrow & his Orch. - Makin' Friends, 1928-37 - 3:16 - 150
25. Dipsy Doodle - Larry Clinton & His Orchestra - G.I. Jukebox - 3:03 - 175
26. When You're Smiling - Mona's Hot Four - Live at Mona's - 3:33 - 195
27. Jersey Bounce - Bernard Berkhout - Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra- 3:27 - 135
28. Bassology - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:49 - 155
29. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 5:16 - 150
30. Black Coffee - Harlem Hot Shots - Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings Of Louis Prima And Wingy Manone (1924-1937) - 3:00 - 200
31. Let's Get Drunk And Truck - The Harlem Hamfats - Let's Get Drunk And Truck - 3:06 - 175
32. Moan You Moaners - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 4:46 - 130
33. Froggy Bottom - Kansas City All-Stars - KC After Dark - 4:04 - 100
34. Put A Lid On It - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ The Times - 3:13 - 170 (This last song was for the Swing I graduation dance.)

* The histogram is clumpy around 130-170 because it was grad night, so there were many beginners plus a bunch of folks who seemed comfortable lindy hopping around that tempo range.

** Wow it looks like I became increasingly volatile with tempos as the night progressed.

Fizz 10/10/2011

I had the early set last night at Fizz, back in the saddle after nearly 2 months. It was a fun evening, not terribly packed, but the dance floor seemed comfortably full for most of the evening. (The bar area was quite crowded because the Bears were playing.) My friend John had the late set, and around 10:45 we started trading songs back and forth. More on that below.

Once again, I'm going to publish my setlist on Spotify, even though only about half the songs are available. Let me know if it works for you. The usual bpm sparkline and freq. distribution exclude the first five songs since I played them to an empty room. Here's the complete run-down:

1. Page Mr. Trumpet - Pete Johnson - NSC111 NATIONAL- - 2:52 - 165 (As usual, there was hardly anyone there when I started. Folks trickled in.)
2. Swing, Brother, Swing - Willie "The Lion" Smith - Willie "The Lion" Smith And His Cubs - 2:51 - 230
3. Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes - The Harlem Hamfats - Harlem Hamfats Vol. 2 1936-1937 - 2:42 - 160
4. I Got Rhythm - Django Reinhardt - The Swing Sessions Volume 1 - 2:16 - 280
5. Sweet Sue - Svend Asmussen - Musical Miracle Vol. 1: 1935-40 - 2:55 - 185
6. "Murder" He Says - Four Vagabonds - Four Vagabonds Vol. 3 (1943) - 2:31 - 150 (Folks are dancing by this point.)
7. Gettin' In The Groove - Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans - Al Cooper's Savoy Sultan: 1938-1941 - 2:58 - 140
8. Swing Low - Adrian Rollini - 1934-1938 - 3:05 - 175
9. Summit Ridge Drive - Buddy DeFranco - Plays Artie Shaw - 4:35 - 145
10. He Ain't Got Rhythm - Jimmie Lunceford - Life Is Fine - 2:45 - 174
11. The Right Idea - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - Swing Street Strut - 3:13 - 185
12. Rosetta - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 4:34 - 165
13. Savoy Blues - The Wolverines Jazz Band Of Bern - Wolverines Of Bern At 35 - 3:56 - 140
14. Comes Love - Duke Heitger - Duke Heitger's "Krazy Kapers" - 4:34 - 150
15. All Of Me - Twin Cities Hot Club - Twin Cities Hot Club - 4:10 - 165
16. Look-A There - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:17 - 180
17. Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti) - Jimmie Lunceford - Jukebox Hits 1935-1947 - 2:45 - 155
18. Afternoon Of A Moax - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - Swing Street Strut - 3:24 - 130
19. Shout 'Em, Aunt Tillie - Duke Ellington - That Lindy Hop - 3:03 - 150 (This one didn't really take. Not right for the crowd.)
20. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho - Sidney Bechet - Sidney Bechet: 1949 - 3:20 - 175 (So play a sure-fire winner to recover and climb the energy.)
21. Scram! - Echoes of Swing - Harlem Joys - 3:20 - 195
22. As Long As I Live - Catherine Russell - Inside This Heart of Mine - 3:33 - 120
23. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Barbara Morrison - Live at the 9:20 Special - 4:16 - 140 (Since she was just in town, singing at WCLX)
24. It Takes Two To Tango - Lester Young - Lester Young : 1951-1952 - 3:14 - 100 (Because I'm no longer allowed to play this one at home.)
25. Sing On (Odessa Sing On) - Gaucho - Pearl - 5:07 - 135
26. Ballin' The Jack - Kid Ory - This Kid's The Greatest! - 3:15 - 145
27. It's You're Last Chance To Dance - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - The Hurricane Sessions - 4:30 - 180
28. Yam Brown - Bob Hunt's Duke Ellington Orchestra - What A Life! - 2:43 - 225 (This one really didn't take. Too 20's charleston, too different I guess.)
29. I Like Pie, I Like Cake - The Four Clefs - BLUEBIRD 8884 - 2:48 - 155 (Again recover with a familiar floor-filler.)
30. Let's Get Drunk And Truck - The Harlem Hamfats - Let's Get Drunk And Truck - 3:06 - 175 (Because nobody was there to dance to the first Hamfats song I played.)
31. I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats - 4:28 - 162 (This one was John's pick.)
32. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145 (I counter with another trumpet feature.)
33. Wham! (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam) - Jimmie Lunceford - Lunceford Special - 2:51 - 175 (John's pick: "One good Skye & Frida routine deserves another.")
34. Swingtime in the Rockies - Bernard Berkhout's Swing Orchestra - nieuw album_41 - 3:15 - 220 (I wanted to peak here.)
35. Lucky Number - Artie Shaw - Greatest Big Band Classics - 2:42 - 190 (John's pick.)
36. Ain't Misbehavin' - Sidney Bechet - Perdido Street Blues - 2:52 - 145 (Birthday jam for Bob "DJ Thor" B, who is a big Bechet fan.)
37. Exactly Like You - Cecile Mclorin Salvant and the Jean-Francois Bonnel Paris Quintet - Cecile - 5:10 - 125 (I got a complaint and a request for something "smoother" so I played this.)
38. Mr. Rhythm - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 4:08 - 130 (John's pick.)
39. Broken Hearted Blues - Tuba Skinny - Garbage Man - 3:45 - 120 (from Meschiya Lake to Erika Lewis.)

Fizz setlist 8/15/2011

Last night was my first time DJing at Fizz, and only my second time attending, since de baby. So, lots of unfamiliar faces mixed in with those of some friends I hadn't seen in a while. It was a fun night, not too crowded but certainly energetic, and I felt good about how my set came out. I thought it was a good balance between familiar & fresh. Here's what I played (plus the usual BPM sparkline and freq. distribution):

1. Jam Session - Benny Goodman - The Birth Of Swing - 2:56 - 215 (The first few were to an empty room.)
2. Business in F - Gene Kardos & his Orchestra - VICTOR 22899 - 2:59 - 230
3. Ain't She Sweet - Pearl Bailey - 16 Most requested Songs - 2:59 - 170 (One couple on the floor, practicing their moves.)
4. 8, 9 And 10 - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:43 - 175
5. Jazz O' Jazz - Adrian Rollini - 1934-1938 - 3:04 - 170
6. Dig That Crazy Chick - Sam Butera & The Witnesses - Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 5: Wild Cool & Swingin - 2:27 - 165 (Still one couple, and I thought they might like this one.)
7. Hit That Jive, Jack - Four Vagabonds - Four Vagabonds Vol. 3 (1943) - 2:26 - 190
8. I've Found A Brand New Baby - Nat King Cole - The Magic of Nat King Cole - 2:39 - 140
9. That's Right! - Eddie Cole & The Three Peppers - That's Right! - 2:24 - 140 (More people come in and put their shoes on.)
10. Sad Sap Sucker Am I - Fats Waller - The Unique Mr. Waller - 3:06 - 140
11. Four or Five Times - Joe Williams - For Dancers Only! (A Lindy Hop Compilation) - 4:48 - 135
12. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150
13. Cabaret - Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong - 3:59 - 155
14. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:54 - 165
15. Swingin' at the Sugar Bowl - Bob Crosby and His Orchestra - South Rampart Street Parade - 3:05 - 185
16. For Dancers Only - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Swingmatism - 2:34 - 160 (Moving into hi-fi big band territory.)
17. Alright, Okay, You Win - John Dokes - John Dokes Sings, George Gee Swings - 2:56 - 140
18. Splanky - George Gee - Swingin' Live! - 3:18 - 130
19. Duke's Place - Ella Fitzgerald - Something To Live For (Disc 2) - 4:13 - 140 (And out, into a New Orleans sound.)
20. Perdido Street Blues - Louis Armstrong - The Complete Decca Studio Master Takes 1940-1949 - 3:08 - 145
21. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 5:16 - 150
22. Short Dressed Gal - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - New Orleans Preservation, Vol. 1 - 2:38 - 160
23. Bring It On Down - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 2:34 - 175
24. Black Coffee - The Careless Lovers - Black Coffee - Single - 2:39 - 195
25. Ballin' The Jack - Kid Ory - This Kid's The Greatest! - 3:15 - 145
26. Georgia Grind - Lillian Boutté - Music Is My Life - 3:32 - 145 (From New Orleans to blues/boogie.)
27. Home To Mississippi - Otis Spann - Otis Spann: Best Of The Vanguard Years - 3:29 - 130
28. Good Rockin' Tonight - Jack McDuff & Jimmy Witherspoon - The Blues Is Now - 2:17 - 140
29. As Long As I'm Moving - Ruth Brown - The Essentials: Ruth Brown - 2:43 - 165
30. Killin' Jive - Cats & The Fiddle - We Cats Will Swing For You - 2:50 - 180 (And then back to more jazz.)
31. Bassology - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:49 - 155 (I love this track.)
32. Who Walks In When I Walk Out? - Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald - The Wonderful Duets - 2:21 - 135
33. Shiny Stockings - Count Basie - April In Paris - 5:17 - 120 (The composer of this tune, Frank Foster, just passed away last month.)
34. Little Jazz - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 3:06 - 140
35. Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea - Django Reinhardt - The Swing Sessions Volume 1 - 2:58 - 185
36. Jump Session - Slim Gaillard - 1938-1939 - 2:35 - 160
37. Hey, Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:21 - 140 (Birthday jam.)
38. Gimme A Pigfoot - Lavern Baker - Precious Memories / LaVern Sings Bessie Smith - 3:09 - 120 (Going away jam. Adeoye we'll miss you!)

Fizz setlist 2/14/2011

I had a very, very subtle theme running through my set last night. See if you can pick it out. It may be so obscure (and such a unique idea!) that nobody will be able to spot it. If you can't figure it out after puzzling for an hour or so, feel free to leave a comment and maybe I'll give you a hint.

The night got off to a slow start, and it was never very crowded. I took the chance to play a wide range of stuff (on the secret, most original theme, you'll recall), some of which was pretty far outside my box--mostly towards the groovy end. Regular readers will see what I mean. (WTDianaKrall James?!?!) Here's the setlist (BPM sparkline and freq. dist.):

1. Happy Valentine's Day - Outkast - The Love Below - 5:23 - 100 (This was before anyone had arrived, I promise.)
2. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me - Jeff Healey - Adventures In Jazzland - 5:03 - 120
3. I Can't Give You Anything But Love - The Mills Brothers - Chronological Vol. 2 - 2:51 - 145
4. The Right Somebody To Love - Willie Bryant And His Orchestra - 1935-1936 - 3:14 - 195
5. Somebody Loves Me - Stuff Smith - Cat On A Hot Fiddle - 3:42 - 150
6. Hep Cat's Love Song - Cab Calloway - Are You Hep To The Jive? - 3:03 - 160
7. Easy Does It ['40] - Count Basie - America's #1 Band - 3:29 - 145
8. I Love The Life I Live - Royal Crown Revue - Mugzy's Move - 3:37 - 115 (This one provoked shock, it was so out of character for me.)
9. Cement Mixer - Don Byas - Jazz In Paris: Bebop - 2:54 - 135
10. Baby, What's The Matter With You? - Roy Eldridge Quintet - Little Jazz Giant - 3:20 - 140
11. It's De-Lovely - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Give Me Your Telephone Number - 4:04 - 150
12. Love Me or Leave Me - Banu Gibson - Let Yourself Go - 3:07 - 165
13. My Baby Just Cares For Me - Katharine Whalen - Jazz Squad - 2:48 - 130
14. Bye Bye Baby, Bye Bye - Barbara Morrison - Johnny Otis Presents Barbara Morrison - 3:16 - 135
15. Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop - Big Joe Turner - Things That I Used To Do - 4:01 - 125
16. Don't Get Around Much Any More - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 4:14 - 145
17. Savoy Blues - The Wolverines Jazz Band Of Bern - Wolverines Of Bern At 35 - 3:56 - 140
18. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 5:16 - 150
19. Fibre de verre - Paris Combo - Attraction - 3:39 - 135
20. All Of Me - Twin Cities Hot Club - Twin Cities Hot Club - 4:10 - 165
21. You Can Have My Husband - Tuba Skinny - Six Feet Down - 3:48 - 140
22. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me - Sidney Bechet - The Fabulous Sidney Bechet - 5:43 - 145 (Evidently this is a "James song.")
23. Put A Lid On It - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ The Times - 3:13 - 170
24. L.O.V.E. - Bria Skonberg - Fresh - 2:34 - 150
25. The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra - The Very Good Years - 3:23 - 130
26. Alright, Okay, You Win - John Dokes - John Dokes Sings, George Gee Swings - 2:56 - 140
27. Are You All Reet? - Chu Berry - Classic Chu Berry Columbia And Victor Sessions - 3:09 - 155
28. Loveless Love - Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy - 4:30 - 145
29. Chant Of The Groove - Fats Waller - Fats Waller 1941 - 3:05 - 185
30. Sing On (Odessa Sing On) - Gaucho - Pearl - 5:07 - 135 (Featuring Tamar Korn of the Cangelosi Cards on vocals. Bob, here's a link to emusic.)
31. Getting Myself Ready For You - Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys - Ready For You - 2:59 - 160
32. Hit That Jive Jack - The Four Charms - Flatland Boogie - 3:13 - 195
33. When You're Smiling - The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn - Forty Days and Forty Nights - 3:51 - 215
34. Let's Fall In Love - Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes - 4:19 - 125

Fizz setlist 1/3/2011

One piece of advice I give to newbie DJs is that they should be patient when introducing new music, because dancers (at least at local dances) are more conservative than one would expect when it comes to familiar music. They seem to like hearing a lot of familiar tunes, much moreso than your average DJ. So for the first Fizz of the new year, I knew I would be breaking my own rule when I resolved to play nothing but music I'd never before played at Fizz.

Going in, I was aware that the challenge would be not allowing myself to rely on any old standbys or guaranteed floor-fillers. I tried to mitigate the unfamiliarity by finding some songs that were different renditions of familiar tunes, and some songs that were quite familiar but that I had never played (e.g. Indigo Swing). Here are the results, plus the usual BPM sparkline and frequency distribution:

1. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me - New Orleans Moonshiners - New Orleans Moonshiners - 5:21 - 215
2. Clementine - Marty Grosz And His Hot Combination - Hooray For Bix! - 4:03 - 164
3. You Can Have My Husband - Tuba Skinny - Six Feet Down - 3:48 - 140
4. Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho - Kid Ory - In the Forties - 2:58 - 155 (This tune has a vocal verse in it, making it sound much more like the old spiritual that it is than the more common Sidney Bechet version. I followed it up with another vocal with a spiritual feel.)
5. Something Got A Hold On Me - Carrie Smith - Gospel time - 3:09 - 137
6. I Want A Big Butter and Egg Man - Louis Armstrong - Satchmo Plays King Oliver - 3:41 - 155
7. Keep The Rhythm Going - Mills Blue Rhythm Band - Mills Blue Rhythm Band: 1933-1936 - 2:51 - 170
8. Walkin' And Swingin - Andy Kirk & His Clouds of Joy - Kansas City: Swing, Blues, Jive & Boogie - 2:56 - 180 (This was a dud.)
9. Let This Be A Warning To You, Baby - Bunny Berigan - Gangbusters - 3:06 - 135
10. Fascinating Rhythm - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman et son orchestre: 1945 Vol.2 - 3:00 - 140 (This tune is really unusual because the melody consists of a 7-count phrase, repeated twice. The first time through it starts on 1, the second time it starts on 8. Not a tune for folks who are still working on finding the top of a phrase.)
11. Let Me Off Uptown - Delta Rhythm Boys - The Best Of 1940-50 - 2:54 - 160 (This was an even bigger dud. Time to switch gears...)
12. (Today's The Day) I'm Glad I'm Not Dead - Indigo Swing - All Aboard! - 4:03 - 120 (Memories of 2000 and my college swing club.)
13. One Monkey Don't Stop No Show - Big Maybelle - The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957 - 2:50 - 125
14. Honeysuckle Rose - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 3:59 - 150
15. I Cried For You - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 3:51 - 160
16. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - Bill Coleman - Bill Coleman In Paris 1936-1938 - 3:17 - 175
17. Alright, Okay, You Win - John Dokes With The George Gee Swing Orchestra - John Dokes Sings, George Gee Swings - 2:56 - 140 (New version of a very familiar tune. The next two, I tried to stick to the hi-fi brassy big band sound.)
18. But She's My Buddy's Chick - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 2:48 - 130
19. Two for the Blues - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 3:18 - 110
20. It's You're Last Chance To Dance - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - The Hurricane Sessions - 4:30 - 180
21. Sugar Foot Stomp - Randy Sandke - We Love You, Louis! - 3:04 - 194
22. Last Night On The Backporch - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Ol' New Orleans Home - 4:10 - 150
23. Savoy Blues - The Wolverines Jazz Band Of Bern - Wolverines Of Bern At 35 - 3:56 - 140 (Another alternate version of a familiar tune.)
24. Trouble In Mind - Davina & The Vagabonds - Songs From Thomas Ave. - 4:04 - 113 (This went over really well. Go Davina.)
25. It Takes Two To Tango - Lester Young - Lester Young : 1951-1952 - 3:14 - 100 (The one tune that I'd played before at Fizz.)
26. Dolemite - Erskine Hawkins - Bluebird-10812A - 3:33 - 130
27. Shout'Em, Aunt Tillie - Duke Ellington - That Lindy Hop - 3:03 - 150
28. A-Well-A-Take-Um-A-Joe - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 3:05 - 175
29. Roll 'Em - Andy Kirk & His Clouds of Joy - 22 Original Big Band Recordings - 2:55 - 210
30. Come And Get It - Fats Waller - Fats Waller 1941 - 2:42 - 190 (I should have skipped this.)
31. Holiday In Harlem - Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald: 1937-1938 - 3:11 - 165
32. Milkman's Matinee - Mora's Modern Swingtet - 20th Century Closet - 3:40 - 130
33. A Woman's Intuition - Stompy Jones - Stompy Jones - 3:17 - 140 (By request.)
34. Heebie Jeebies - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - The Hurricane Sessions - 1:55 - 180 (This is an unusual track because it is solo banjo and vocal. Probably most folks were waiting for the band to kick in the whole time.)
35. When I Get Low - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 5:27 - 105 (I thought this would work better than it did. I think my lead-in didn't set things up right.)
36. Bring It On Down - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 2:34 - 175 (Birthday jam. Happy Birthday Audra!)

Fizz setlist 12/13/2010

It was moderately crowded at Fizz last night--a decent turnout, considering the weather. I had a lot of music picked out that I was excited to play, and so was feeling pretty impatient because nobody showed up 'til about 9:30. Even then, there were only a few folks in the room, so I kept the music on the relaxed side. (I tend to dislike it when brash, punchy big band music gets played to an almost empty room--it just doesn't fit the vibe.)

Here's the BPM sparkline, which looks funny due to the fast stuff I played right at the start of the night, to an empty room. Same with the frequency distribution, from which you may note that I kept things quicker than usual. Here's what I played:

1. Swing, Brother, Swing - Willie "The Lion" Smith & His Cubs - Willie "The Lion" Smith And His Cubs - 2:51 - 230
2. Yam Brown - Bob Hunt's Duke Ellington Orchestra - What A Life! - 2:43 - 225
3. Number Two (none) - The Hot Club Of San Francisco - Yerba Buena Bounce - 3:42 - 180
4. Yankee Doodle Never Went to Town - Chu Berry - Classic Chu Berry Columbia and Victor Sessions - 2:46 - 160 (A few people were just coming in at this point.)
5. Comes Love - Duke Heitger - Duke Heitger's "Krazy Kapers" - 4:34 - 150
6. Swinga-Dilla Street - Echoes of Swing - Harlem Reflections - 4:24 - 155
7. That's What I Like - Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends - Kansas City's First Lady Of The Blues - 2:47 - 150 (There was a group showing each other 6-count moves in the corner, so I figured they would like some boogie.)
8. Choo Choo Ch' Boogie - Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five - Jukebox Hits Volume 1 1942-1947 - 2:45 - 165
9. On The Sunny Side of the Street - Benny Goodman - The Yale University Archives, Volume 3 - 3:11 - 135
10. All Of Me - Gordon Webster - Happy When I'm With You - 4:07 - 150
11. Baby, What's The Matter With You? - Roy Eldridge Quintet - Little Jazz Giant - 3:20 - 140
12. Stuffy - Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five - Jammin' the Blues - 3:46 - 150
13. Love Me or Leave Me - Banu Gibson - Let Yourself Go - 3:07 - 165 (This one was for Mary, and served as a transition from small-combo jazz to jankier stuff.)
14. 8, 9 And 10 - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:43 - 175
15. When You Wore a Tulip - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Jazz Roots Elixir - 3:30 - 160
16. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150 (And this one was for Jason.)
17. Milenberg Joys - Gordon Webster - Live in Philadelphia - 3:45 - 185 (Holy House-rocking, Batman! This track is AMAZING. More on Gordon Webster soon. I was dancing during this song, and so didn't have time to adjust course: I should have pushed the tempo & energy higher on the next song, rather than let it fall.)
18. Billie's Blues - Tuba Skinny - Tubaskinny - 3:19 - 135 (Now transitioning from jank to big band.)
19. The Back Room Romp - Duke Ellington - The Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 - 2:49 - 150
20. Vine Street Rumble - Ernie Krivda - The Band That Swings - 3:10 - 160
21. King Porter Stomp - Kansas City All-Stars - KC After Dark - 4:38 - 170
22. Ain't Misbehavin' - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats - 4:01 - 170 (This track is high-energy. I wanted to go up one more notch, but didn't want to push it immediately. Instead, I gave it a breather with the next song, which has a more relaxed feel even though it's not that much slower...)
23. I Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 3:09 - 160 (..then after that I kicked it up. This illustrates a pet theory of mine about how to climb tempos. I feel like it works, though I only have impressionistic evidence.)
24. Undecided - Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Savoy - 1939-40 - 3:06 - 210
25. Shiny Stockings - Count Basie - April In Paris - 5:17 - 120
26. They Raided The Joint - Roy Eldridge Sextet - Little Jazz Giant - 3:18 - 145
27. Accentuate The Positive - Bill Henderson - Complete VeeJay Recordings - Vol. 2 - 3:19 - 120 (Not Lou Rawls.)
28. St. Louis Blues - Benny Goodman - Very Best of Benny Goodman - 3:24 - 135
29. Ya Gotta See Baby Tonight - Louis Prima - Louis Prima et son orchestre : 1945 - 2:24 - 145
30. Blue Drag - Earl Hines - Swingin' Down - 2:59 - 140
31. Dark Eyes - Fats Waller - Happy Birthday Fats Vol. 1 - 3:22 - 160 (Will I ever tire of this tune? I think not. But to brighten the mood after the last two--both of which were "dark" sounding--how about a shim-sham?)
32. Tain't What You Do - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:06 - 160
33. Dipsy Doodle - Larry Clinton & His Orchestra - G.I. Jukebox, Original Hits from the Swing Era, 1938-1946 - 3:03 - 175 (After Dipsey Doodle, we had a "holiday burlesque" performance from Rachel & John. They called it "How Santa Got his Groove Back." Not to spoil the secret, but it ends on a rather Jewish note. Had I been quicker-witted, I would have followed up immediately with #36.)
34. Bring It On Down - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 2:34 - 175
35. Madame Dynamite - Eddie Condon - Let's Swing It - 2:55 - 185
36. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon - Slim Gaillard - Ice Cream on Toast - 2:10 - 180
37. Don’t Be That Way - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy - 2:35 - 205

Fizz 11/08/2010

With the crowd last night at Fizz, a monkey with an iPhone probably could have kept the floor full. People seemed very eager to move. On nights like this, it can be hard to tell whether you're actually doing an amazing job and are the Best DJ Evar or are just a lame DJ whose music everyone puts up with because they have no choice. On the basis of very ephemeral impressions, I'm gonna go ahead and categorize last night in the former category. I felt like I flowed in and out of different feels well, I covered a variety of styles, and rode the wave over a big tempo range, and people came up to the booth to ask about the tunes I was playing. Pusto +1.

Here's what I played, along with the BPM sparkline and frequency distribution:

1. Slap That Bass - Adrian Rollini - 1937-1938 - 2:48 - 195
2. Blues my naughty sweetie gives to me - Gene Krupa - E0VB5554 RCA-20-4026 - 2:21 - 250
3. Fuzzy Wuzzy - Three Peppers - 64820 DECCA-2239A - 2:45 - 205 (The room was literally empty for the first few tracks, so I just played stuff I'd like to hear but knew I'd never work in to my set.)
4. Gettin' Some Fun Out Of Life - New Orleans Jazz Vipers - Hope You're Comin' Back - 5:30 - 120 (For Dan.)
5. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150 (Chris Aubin and I have been going crazy on the New Orleans music lately, but last night I'd decided that I wanted to try to avoid going down that route for more than a tune or two. My hunch was bolstered because this tune didn't get a great response. Despite the title, the next tune has more of a groovy-smooth feel than janky NOLA sound.)
6. Good Morning New Orleans - Kermit Ruffins - Livin' A Tremé Life - 3:34 - 120
7. Cool Kind Of Poppa - Mildred Anderson - Person To Person - 2:57 - 140 (Stuck with the groovy feel, now moving into more classic big band.)
8. Empty Glass - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:07 - 140
9. No Regrets - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 2:52 - 130
10. He Ain't Got Rhythm - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 2:49 - 155
11. Christopher Columbus - Duke Ellington - Recollections Of The Big Band Era - 3:03 - 165
12. South - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 3:17 - 182
13. Comes Love - Duke Heitger - Duke Heitger's "Krazy Kapers" - 4:34 - 150
14. Baby Won't You Please Come Home? - Crytzer's Blue Rhythm Band - Chasin' the Blues - 3:38 - 125
15. St. Louis Blues - Benny Goodman - Don't Be That Way - 3:49 - 130
16. All Right, Okay, You Win - Count Basie - Count Basie at Newport - 2:45 - 145
17. Bizet Has His Day - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Ain't No School Like the Old School - 3:43 - 155
18. Honeysuckle Rose - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats - 2:56 - 170
19. Harlem Shout - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:02 - 195
20. Sweet Georgia Brown - Django Reinhardt - Swing From Paris - 3:07 - 210
21. Big Fat Mama - Four Vagabonds - Four Vagabonds Vol. 1 (1941-1951) - 2:05 - 150
22. I Don't Care Who Knows - Catherine Russell - Sentimental Streak - 3:18 - 125 (Vikram this was the song you asked about. Moving into a bit of a rock&roll feel for the next three songs.)
23. Move Me Baby - Jimmy Witherspoon & The Lamplighters - Retro High School Party - 2:33 - 135
24. Buzz Buzz Buzz - The Mighty Blue Kings - Meet Me In Uptown - 3:07 - 140
25. Billie's Blues - Janiva Magness - My Bad Luck Soul - 3:14 - 110
26. Stuffy - Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five - Jammin' the Blues - 3:46 - 150
27. My Blue Heaven - Delta Rhythm Boys - The Best Of 1940-50 - 2:32 - 165
28. Jump Session - Slim Gaillard - 1938-1939 - 2:35 - 160
29. Madame Dynamite - Eddie Condon - Let's Swing It - 2:55 - 185
30. The Jive is Jumpin' - The Four Clefs - BLUEBIRD 8297 - 2:26 - 200
31. Cement Mixer - Don Byas - Jazz In Paris: Bebop - 2:54 - 135
32. I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - New Orleans Preservation, Vol. 1 - 4:26 - 125
33. I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle - Lavern Baker - LaVern Sings Bessie Smith - 4:05 - 90
34. Sugar Blues - Clarence Williams - Boogie Woogie Blues - 3:40 - 135 (I hadn't pulled this track out in ages--it seemed to get a good response.)

Fizz 10/11/2010

Here's my set list from last night (plus bpm sparkline and frequency distribution, both of which are kind of unusual for me):

1. Lucky Devil - Bria Skonberg - Fresh - 3:45 - 60
2. Christopher Columbus - The Flat Cats - Big Show Tonight - 3:29 - 170
3. The Devil With the Devil - The Red Stick Ramblers - Right Key, Wrong Keyhole - 3:25 - 195
4. Hey Sweet Potato - Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra - The Best of Buddy's - 2:43 - 130
5. Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer - Four Vagabonds - Four Vagabonds Vol. 1 - 2:52 - 135
6. Growling Dog - Harlem Hamfats - Let's Get Drunk And Truck - 2:40 - 120
7. Sweet Substitute - Meschiya Lake And The Little Big Horns - Lucky Devil - 3:23 - 110
8. Jumpin' At The Woodside - Alix Combelle - 1935-40 - 2:56 - 210
9. I'se Muggin' - Django Reinhardt - Django Reinhardt 1: Swing Guitars - 3:07 - 170
10. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It - Papa Bues Viking Jazzband - Live In Copenhagen - 3:36 - 135
11. It's You Who Taught It To Me - Fats Waller - The Unique Mr. Waller - 2:42 - 160
12. I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me - Sidney Bechet - Jazz in Paris: Sydney Bechet et Claude Luter - 2:40 - 145
13. When I Take My Sugar to Tea - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Jump for Joy - 4:00 - 165
14. Miss Brown To You - Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Miss Smith To You! - 2:58 - 130
15. Good Evenin' Good Lookin' - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 3:10 - 150
16. Everything Is Jumpin' - Artie Shaw - The Very Best Of Artie Shaw - 5:09 - 165
17. South - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 3:17 - 180
18. The Darktown Strutters' Ball - Alberta Hunter - Amtrak Blues - 5:23 - 150
19. Home To Mississippi - Otis Spann - Otis Spann: Best Of The Vanguard Years - 3:30 - 130
20. Call The Police - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Ol' New Orleans Home - 4:43 - 200
21. Jeep Jockey Jump - Glenn Miller - Inspirational Swing! - 2:13 - 200
22. As Long As I Live - Catherine Russell - Inside This Heart of Mine - 3:33 - 120
23. Jump Session - Slim Gaillard - 1938-1939 - 2:35 - 160
24. Let Me Off Uptown - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz - 3:24 - 130
25. Gettin' In The Groove - Panama Francis & his Savoy Sultans - Gettin' in the Groove - 3:06 - 130
26. I Want a Tall Skinny Pappa - Sister Rosetta Tharpe - The Gospel of the Blues - 2:52 - 140
27. Smack Dab In The Middle - The Deep River Boys - London Harmony - 2:59 - 130
28. T'aint What You Do - Sy Oliver - Yes Indeed - 3:02 - 165
29. Ain't Misbehavin' - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats - 4:01 - 170
30. All Right, Okay, You Win - Count Basie - Count Basie at Newport - 2:45 - 145
31. Wade In The Water - Tommy Dorsey Orchestra - The Era Of Tommy Dorsey - 3:24 - 135
32. Knock Me a Kiss - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 3:25 - 118
33. My Sweet Hunk O' Trash - Louis Armstrong - The Complete Decca Studio Master Takes 1940-1949 - 3:20 - 95
34. My Blue Heaven - The Cangelosi Cards - Clinton Street Recordings, I - 4:11 - 145
35. Bring It On Down - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 2:34 - 175
36. Put A Lid On It - Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot - 2:39 - 198
37. Some of These Days - Billie & DeDe Pierce - Gulf Coast Blues - 2:38 - 150
38. Shake That Thing - Vince Giordano's Nighthawks - The Aviator Music From The Motion Picture - 3:00 - 225
39. I'm Alone Because I Love You - Meschiya Lake And The Little Big Horns - Lucky Devil - 3:42 - 125

Fizz 9/13/2010

I had the early set at Fizz last night. I felt like I was kind of all over the place, but in the end I was reasonably happy with this set. I played a couple of streaks--several songs in a row by the same artist, but with a variety of feels. I ended up playing 4 (!) Ellington tracks, which is unusual for me. My friend John (affectionately known as DJ Puppy) was in the booth with me, watching over my shoulder and suggesting tracks. Some of the picks below are his.

Here's the BPM sparkline and frequency distribution (a long-tailed distribution for once! nice and symmetric too), and here's the run-down:

1. I Don't Care Who Knows - Catherine Russell - Sentimental Streak - 3:18 - 125
2. Pick-a-Rib - The Bob Wilber & Dany Doritz Quintet - Memories of you : Lionel and Benny - 3:03 - 155
3. Stuffy - Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five - Jammin' the Blues - 3:46 - 150
4. Savoy Blues - Duke Heitger - Duke Heitger's "Krazy Kapers" - 4:11 - 100
5. Did I Remember - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 3:03 - 140
6. My Blue Heaven - Django Reinhardt - Django In Rome, 1949 /1950 (Disc B) - 3:32 - 185 (For all the bal dancers)
7. Empty Glass - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:07 - 140
8. The Back Room Romp - Duke Ellington - The Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 - 2:49 - 150
9. Ain't Misbehavin' - Kermit Ruffins - Putumayo Presents: Kermit Ruffins - 4:36 - 140
10. If You're A Viper - Helen Humes - Deed I Do - 3:41 - 100 (For Dan)
11. Little Jazz - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 3:06 - 140
12. Hey, Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:21 - 140
13. Betcha Nickel - Ella Fitzgerald - My Heart Belongs to Daddy - 2:51 - 160
14. Mood Hollywood - Don Neely's Royal Society Jazz Orchestra - Radio Rhythm - 3:31 - 170
15. Blue Lou - Benny Goodman - B.G. In Hi-Fi - 2:51 - 195
16. Ballin' The Jack - Kid Ory - This Kid's The Greatest! - 3:15 - 145
17. My Blue Heaven - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Songs of New Orleans - 5:21 - 148 (Played this tune twice--whoops! Different feels though.)
18. Bli-Blip - Duke Ellington - The Blanton-Webster Band - 3:09 - 150
19. Harlem Air Shaft - Duke Ellington - Piano In the Background - 4:03 - 170 (I was on the fence about going one more with Ellington--it would have been Main Stem, which is a kick-ass track but a challenge for most dancers. Opted for Glenn Miller instead. Sigh.)
20. Jeep Jockey Jump - Glenn Miller - Inspirational Swing! - 2:13 - 200
21. Apollo Jump - Lucky Millinder - Classic Big Band Jazz - 3:26 - 145
22. Hey Sweet Potato - Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra - The Best of Buddy's - 2:43 - 130
23. Wailing Interval - Duke Ellington - The Private Collection: Volume Six, Dance Dates, California, - 3:39 - 160 (Puppy's suggestion.)
24. Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong) - Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings - 2:50 - 172
25. Behave Yourself - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - Small Group Recordings Vol. 3/2 (CD 06) - 3:00 - 135
26. Vibraphone Blues - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 3:23 - 85
27. Georgia Grind - Louis Armstrong - Satchmo: A Musical Autobiography Disc 1 - 3:19 - 115 (Another Puppy pick.)
28. Do Your Duty - Tuba Skinny - Tuba Skinny - 3:46 - 120 (For Bob B.)
29. Bring It On Down - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 2:34 - 175
30. Forty Days & Forty Nights - The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn - Forty Days and Forty Nights - 2:51 - 215
31. Short Dressed Gal - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - New Orleans Preservation, Vol. 1 - 2:38 - 160 (More Preservation Hall, I know. These guys are so good though.)
32. Goodnight Moon - Shivaree - I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump - 4:03 - 115 (This one was for a birthday jam, by request. I usually wouldn't play this, because it's both too long for a birthday jam and also it's not swing music, not even remotely. The birthday dude's friends pleaded with me to play it, and since there weren't any other birthdays that I knew of, I conceded.)
33. Fibre de verre - Paris Combo - Attraction - 3:39 - 135 (Trying to follow up the feel of the last track, but bring it back towards jazz.)
34. Soul Swinga Nova - Paul Tillotson the Love Trio - Lindy Hop Blues - 2:54 - 135 (Evidently I should be burned at the stake for playing this tune. Everybody's a critic.)
35. Fiddle Dee Dee - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 1: Hot Mallets - 2:39 - 195 (For Thea.)

Fizz setlist 8-16-2010

Last Monday I stepped in to DJ the late set at Fizz after a super-last-minute cancellation. I only had my iPod with me, and I had to be up fairly early the following day, so I volunteered with the understanding that I'd DJ for an hour, then set a playlist and go home, retrieving my iPod later. As the early DJ, my friend Chris, finished his set, I frantically set up an on-the-go playlist for after I left, then saved it and cleared the on-the-go playlist so that I could spin live. I hung around for about an hour, fiddling with my iPod. (I had the usual difficulties with on-the-go playlists. More details to follow.)

As I was getting ready to set a playlist and take off, I decided that the list I'd already put together would be a disaster, so I ended up picking entirely different tracks to play after I'd taken off. I felt like the crowd was going in a different direction than I'd anticipated, so I tried to pick some songs that would match the mood. Not sure if it made any difference--I was pretty much just taking shots in the dark. Here's all of the tracks I played, both before and after I left, along with BPM sparkline and frequency distribution.

1. For Dancers Only - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Swingmatism - 2:34 - 159
2. St. Louis Blues - Earl Hines - Earl Hines/Jimmy Rushing: Blues & Things - 4:38 - 150
3. One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer - Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues - The Best of Jimmy Witherspoon - 3:00 - 120
4. Shake That Thing - Wynonie Harris - Risque Blues - It Ain't the Meat - 2:17 - 135
5. Solid As A Rock - Count Basie - Count Basie Et Son Orchestre 1950-1951 - 3:03 - 135
6. Posin' - Jimmie Lunceford - Jukebox Hits 1935-1947 - 3:01 - 190
7. Life Is So Peculiar with Louis Jordan - Louis Armstrong - The Wonderful Duets - 3:24 - 115
8. On the Sunny Side of the Street - Dizzy Gillespie - The Champ - 3:09 - 137
9. Take My Love With You - Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves - (Am I Just) Fooling Myself? - 3:37 - 138 (This was the first song of a soul/blues interlude that seemed to go over pretty well.)
10. You Can Have My Husband - Koko Taylor - The Earthshaker - 2:47 - 130
11. The Deacon's Moan - Wycliffe Gordon - The Gospel Truth - 6:42 - 90
12. Every Day I Have the Blues / Goin' to Chicago Blues - The Four Tops - Lost and Found: Four Tops "Breaking Through" (1963-1964) - 3:50 - 138
13. Four Or Five Times - Kid Ory - This Kid's The Greatest! - 3:14 - 142 (Back to jazz.)
14. Lavender Coffin - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 4: Midnight Sun - 2:47 - 135
15. Bring It On Down - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 2:34 - 175
16. Come On Over To My House - Jay McShann - Jumpin' The Blues - 2:52 - 145 (I finished setting up a playlist and then left during this song.)
17. Shiny Stockings - Count Basie - April In Paris - 5:17 - 120
18. It Takes Two To Tango - Lester Young - Lester Young : 1951-1952 - 3:14 - 100
19. I Don't Care Who Knows - Catherine Russell - Sentimental Streak - 3:18 - 125
20. Centerpiece - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 5:06 - 111
21. Honeysuckle Rose - Katherine Davis - Dream Shoes - 3:14 - 145
22. All Of Me - Twin Cities Hot Club - Twin Cities Hot Club - 4:10 - 165
23. Hello, Dolly! - Louis Armstrong - Ken Burns Jazz - 2:24 - 155
24. Ballin' The Jack - Eddie Condon - We Called It Music - 2:18 - 180
25. Billie's Blues - Billie Holiday - Blue Billie - 2:40 - 120
26. My Blue Heaven - The Cangelosi Cards - Clinton Street Recordings, I - 4:11 - 145
27. Just A Gigolo, I Ain't Got Nobody - Louis Prima - Retro High School Party - 4:43 - 125
28. Hey Spo-Dee-O-Dee - Wild Bill Moore - Retro High School Party - 2:44 - 160
29. Move Me Baby - Jimmy Witherspoon & The Lamplighters - Retro High School Party - 2:33 - 135
30. If You a Viper - Erin McKeown - Sing You Sinners - 4:19 - 90
31. When You're Smiling - The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn - Forty Days and Forty Nights - 3:51 - 215

Fizz 7/5/2010 featuring the Cangelosi Cards

Last night was a treat at Fizz: Tessa (the organizer) booked the Cangelosi Cards, an amazing and very unique band from New York City. The band is pretty well known on the lindy hop circuit by now, and they have a recent album out--I guess you'd call it an EP, since it's 8 tracks--that you can pick up at their website. Also check out reviews of the album from Eve Polich and Michael Steinman.

The band was great. In particular, the vocalist, Tamar Korn, was a wonder. Her style is utterly personal, expressive, and captivating. Together with the old-time jazz tunes that the band serves up, she creates music that is charming and joyful. And very danceable, as evidenced by the packed house, in spite of the hot, humid weather. At one point I could feel the floor of Fizz bouncing up and down from all the shuffling and swinging. Yikes. Also, most everyone there was a big sweaty mess by the end of one set. Personally I changed shirts twice over the course of the evening. Again, yikes. With a different band, I think many people would have decided to stay home cuddled up with their air conditioners. But when you heard the Cards, you can't help but want to move, and to smile, and decide screw it, I'm gonna dance.

I was on call to DJ beforehand and during set breaks. I haven't done a lot of band-break sets, so my theories about what works are pretty tentative. Last night, I was trying to play tunes that fit in stylistically with the Cards sound, while providing some more moderate tempos and also shorter songs. Here's what I played, along with the usual BPM sparkline and frequency distribution: The first five tunes were done before anyone showed up, so really the dancing started with the sixth tune.

1. How'm I Doin', Hey-Hey - The Mills Brothers - The Mills Brothers: Chronological Vol. 2 - 2:16 - 215
2. Billie's Blues - Billie Holiday - Blue Billie - 2:40 - 120
3. Papa De-Da-Da - The Wolverines Jazz Band Of Bern - Wolverines Of Bern At 35 - 3:32 - 115
4. Jubilee Stomp - David Ostwald's Gully Low Jazz Band - Blues In Our Heart - 3:21 - 275
5. Panama - David Ostwald's Gully Low Jazz Band - Blues In Our Heart - 3:52 - 240 (People showed up en mass at the end of this song.)
6. Little Jazz - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 3:06 - 140
7. Strictly Jive - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy - 3:19 - 170
8. Life Begins When You're In Love - Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Master Takes And Singles - 3:02 - 180
9. Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today - Benny Goodman - B.G. In Hi-Fi - 3:05 - 155
10. Charleston Alley - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - 1941-Transcription Performance - 2:46 - 155
11. Yes Indeed - Sy Oliver - Yes Indeed - 3:13 - 128
12. Honeysuckle Rose - Twin Cities Hot Club - Twin Cities Hot Club - 4:47 - 140
13. Miss Brown To You - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 3:15 - 145
14. Good Queen Bess - Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra - Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra - Passion Flower 1940-46 - 2:59 - 160
15. Daphne - Django Reinhardt - Django Reinhardt 3: Minor Swing - 3:03 - 210
16. Someday You'll Want Me To Want You - Catherine Russell - Cat - 3:13 - 145 (This was the last song before the band started, around 10 p.m. The next 7 songs were played between the first and second sets.)
17. Dark Eyes - Fats Waller - Happy Birthday Fats Vol. 1 - 3:22 - 160
18. Bucket Got a Hole In It - Kid Ory - In the Forties - 2:30 - 144
19. Artillerie Lourde - Twin Cities Hot Club - Twin Cities Hot Club - 5:28 - 140 (This was a poor choice--the song has this very distinctive riff in it, fun for musical dancers but a challenge for 6-count swing, and the riff gets old after a short while. Also, it's too long.)
20. All I Know - The Countdown Quartet - Sadlack's Stomp - 2:56 - 125
21. Hey, Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:21 - 140
22. For Dancers Only - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Swingmatism - 2:34 - 159
23. Let The Good Times Roll - Helen Humes - Let The Good Times Roll - 3:02 - 155 (Last song before the second set. The band's next set was mostly up-tempo. Even the last song, a blues tune, was pretty peppy. After the second set, I started with some slower tunes to let things relax.)
24. Careless Love - The Storyville Jassband - Storyville Jubilee - 3:29 - 100
25. Gimme A Pigfoot - Lavern Baker - LaVern Sings Bessie Smith - 3:09 - 120
26. Six Appeal - Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five - Crazy Rhythm - 3:29 - 135
27. Too Darn Hot - Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife: The Complete Ella In Berlin - 3:16 - 160
28. Jive At Five - Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings - 2:51 - 175
29. Don't Cha Go Way Mad - Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald 1936-1950 - 3:20 - 125
30. Smack Dab In The Middle - The Deep River Boys - London Harmony - 2:59 - 130
31. Krum Elbow Blues - Mora's Modern Swingtet - 20th Century Closet - 2:45 - 155
32. The Flat Foot Floogie - Slim Gaillard - 1938-46 - 2:50 - 175
33. Exactly Like You - Carmen McRae - - 2:11 - 135 (Last song before the third set. Afterwards, there was time for just a couple more tunes.)
34. Home To Mississippi - Otis Spann - Otis Spann: Best Of The Vanguard Years - 3:30 - 130
35. Muddy Water - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 2:29 - 123
36. Buzz Buzz Buzz - The Mighty Blue Kings - Meet Me In Uptown - 3:07 - 140
37. Chant Of The Groove - Fats Waller - Fats Waller 1941 - 3:05 - 185
38. Sermonette - Gordon Webster - Happy When I'm With You - 3:40 - 115 (I liked this as a set-closer.)