Setlist from First Friday at Big City Swing

Last night we had two floors going at Big City. I kicked things off upstairs, and by "kicked things off" I mean "played music and danced with my wife until more people showed up." It took a while for people to trickle in from downstairs (which was packed). Though it never got very crowded upstairs, it was good dancing and nice company. Jason took over for me after a while. At 10:30 everybody marched back downstairs for the Graduation Dance, and then I took over the downstairs music. The rest of the night it was crowded and lively--a really fun vibe.

DJing upstairs (mostly for dancers I'm good friends with), I didn't think too hard about song selections. Since it was so informal, I pretty much just played my latest favorites and tried to keep the followers happy by dancing a bunch, getting very sweaty in the process. Once I got downstairs, I had to focus more, paying attention to the floor, transitions between songs, balance, all that good DJ stuff. More comments below in the setlist. Here's the BPM sparkline and frequency distribution. And here are my contributions to the evening's music:

1. I Never Knew - Benny Goodman - 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert Plus 1944-47 - 3:05 - 170
2. My First Impression of You - Chu Berry - Classic Chu Berry Columbia and Victor Sessions - 2:52 - 145
3. St. Louis Blues - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra - Benny Goodman - Very Best of Benny Goodman - 3:24 - 135
4. Mood Hollywood - Bunny Berigan - The Key Sessions 1932-1933 (Disc B) - 2:58 - 190
5. Clementine - Duke Ellington - The Blanton-Webster Band - 2:59 - 165 (More folks start to drift in...)
   
6. Sweet Sue - Svend Asmussen - Musical Miracle Vol. 1: 1935-40 - 2:55 - 185
7. Four Or Five Times - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:08 - 140 (First of several tracks off this album that I played)
8. When I Grow Too Old To Dream - Benny Goodman - B.G. In Hi-Fi - 3:25 - 160
9. Rose Room - Artie Shaw - Artie Shaw, King Of The Clarinet - 2:43 - 155
10. Froggy Bottom - Andy Kirk & His Clouds of Joy - Kansas City: Swing, Blues, Jive & Boogie - 3:05 - 150
11. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - Bill Coleman - Bill Coleman In Paris 1936-1938 - 3:17 - 175
12. Hey, Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:21 - 140
13. Apollo Jump - Lucky Millinder - Classic Big Band Jazz - 3:26 - 145
14. Who Ya Hunchin'? - Chick Webb - Jazz After Hours - 2:55 - 175 (This incited a Tranky Doo.)
15. Duke's Place - Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington - Compact Jazz - 4:14 - 160
16. Jive At Five - Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings - 2:51 - 175
17. Dippermouth Blues - Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band - Vol. 3: Stomps, Etc...& The Blues - 2:50 - 185
18. Mary Had A Little Lamb - Teddy Wilson - Teddy Wilson, His Piano Orchestra With Billie Holiday - 2:58 - 205
19. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It - Papa Bues Viking Jazzband - Live In Copenhagen - 3:36 - 135
20. Easy Does It - Paul Tillotson the Love Trio - Lindy Hop Blues - 2:57 - 130
21. But She's My Buddy's Chick - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 2:48 - 130
22. How Big Can You Get? - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway - 4:05 - 160 (Yes, you read that correctly. It's Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Jason took over for me from here.)

Downstairs, after the Graduation Dance:

1. Oo Poppa Do - Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - One Hour Mama - 3:13 - 160 (I really like how the next 6 songs worked out--starting with a jump-bluesy feel, transitioning to powerhouse big bands. )
2. My Bad Luck Soul - Janiva Magness Band - My Bad Luck Soul - 2:10 - 160 (Where did I hear about Janiva Magness? I can't remember--might just have stumbled across her while browsing eMusic. Regardless, she's awesome.)
3. Rock Me All Night Long - The Fabulous Treniers - The Hoss Allen Sessions - 2:41 - 155
4. Smack Dab In the Middle - Count Basie - Count Basie at Newport - 3:38 - 124
5. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145
6. Tain't What You Do - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:07 - 155 (This is a brassy version of TWYD from 1950. Despite the different recording, people still shim-shammed. )
   
7. Miss Brown To You - Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Miss Smith To You! - 2:58 - 130

Jason took over for me at this point (about 11:15) and went until around 11:50.

1. Your Mind Is On Vacation - Lyambiko - Shades Of Delight - 3:31 - 120 (Hat-tip to Hey Mr. Jesse.)
2. Flat Foot Floogee - Ray Bryant - Swing Dance Special - 2:42 - 160
3. Ballin' The Jack - Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band - This Kid's The Greatest! - 3:15 - 145
4. I Love Being Here With You - Ernestine Anderson - Ernestine Anderson - The Concord Jazz Heritage Series - 3:39 - 130 (Last "official" song of the night. The next three are exit music.)
5. Got My Own Thing Now - Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot - 2:30 - 260
6. Something's Changed - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights - 2:56 - 100
7. Who's Making Love - Johnnie Taylor - Stax Gold - 2:50 - 115