Fizz 4/26/2010

There were quite a few people at Fizz last night but not many actually dancing. Nights like that are hard to sort out for DJs. Sometimes they happen out of the blue, just because nobody really feels like moving. Other times, it's because you are not playing good music, or not playing the right music for that crowd at that time. Unfortunately I think last night falls into the latter category. I think most of the stuff I played was pretty good music, but it wasn't in the right order, or wasn't the best choice given the crowd. Because I couldn't find the right groove, I also ended up keeping the tempos fairly tame, with a few quick jumps above 200 BPM to please key constituencies.

One other note: Solomon Douglas, who was in town for a gig last Sunday, reminded me that the first anniversary of Frankie Manning's passing was today (Tuesday, April 27th). I announced this at about 10:30 and suggested that everyone do a Shim-Sham in honor of his memory. I followed that up with Shiny Stockings, one of Frankie's favorite tunes and one that many people associate with him.

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

1. Knock Me a Kiss - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 3:25 - 118
2. Muddy Water - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 2:29 - 123
3. Rose Room - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Ain't No School Like the Old School - 3:09 - 153 (from Solomon's latest album, to be released soon.)
4. What's Your Name? - Echoes of Swing - You've Got To Be Modernistic - 3:18 - 155
5. Shoot the Sherbert to Me, Herbert - Tommy Dorsey - Historic Jazz Recordings, Volume 4 - 3:24 - 145 (Following some mellow tracks, I wanted to bump up the energy a bit with the next track.)
6. Don't Be That Way - Benny Goodman - The Fabulous Swing Collection - 3:21 - 170 (But it turned out that this one was not the right mood. Too squarish big-bandy.)
7. All Of Me - Helen O'Connell - Great Girl Singers, Sing 22 Original Hits - 2:09 - 145
8. Yes Indeed - Sy Oliver - Yes Indeed - 3:13 - 128
9. Don't You Miss Your Baby - Jimmy Witherspoon - Jimmy Witherspoon & Panama Francis' Savoy Sultans - 3:55 - 140
10. Moten Swing - Barney Kessel - To Swing Or Not To Swing - 3:57 - 160
11. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145
12. Two O'Clock Jump - Harry James - Harry James and His Big Band - 2:19 - 150
13. Goody, Goody - Ella Fitzgerald - Something To Live For - 2:31 - 150
14. Solid As A Rock - Count Basie - Count Basie Et Son Orchestre 1950-1951 - 3:03 - 135
15. Ballin' The Jack - Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band - This Kid's The Greatest! - 3:15 - 145
16. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho - Sidney Bechet - Sidney Bechet: 1949 - 3:20 - 175
17. Daphne - Django Reinhardt - Django Reinhardt 3: Minor Swing - 3:03 - 210
18. Life Begins When You're In Love - Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Master Takes And Singles - 3:02 - 180
19. Jump Session - Slim Gaillard - 1938-1939 - 2:35 - 160
20. All I Know - The Countdown Quartet - Sadlack's Stomp - 2:56 - 125
21. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150
22. Everybody Loves My Baby - Asylum Street Spankers - What? And Give Up Show Biz? - 3:20 - 205 (In retrospect, this would make a great song for a routine, but it is a horrible song for social dancing.)
23. High Shelf Booze - Eilen Jewell - Letters from Sinners & Strangers - 3:38 - 125 (This is my latest vaguely Wade-in-the-Wateresque groove track.)
24. Down south camp meeting - Svend Asmussen - Still Fiddling - 3:41 - 145
25. Bizet Has His Day - Les Brown - Essential Jazz Masters - 2:22 - 165
26. I Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 3:09 - 160
27. Hoodle-Addle - Ray McKinley Orchestra - You Came A Long Way From St. Louis - 3:21 - 140
28. For Dancers Only - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:41 - 150
29. South - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 3:17 - 182
30. Shout, Sister, Shout! - Sister Rosetta Tharpe - The Gospel of the Blues - 2:41 - 145
31. It's You Who Taught It To Me - Fats Waller - The Unique Mr. Waller - 2:42 - 160
32. Sunny Side Of The Street - James Booker - A Taste Of Honey Vol. 1 - 2:43 - 125
33. Tain't What You Do - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:06 - 160 (Shim Sham for Frankie, followed by one of his favorite tunes.)
34. Shiny Stockings - Count Basie - April In Paris - 5:17 - 120
35. I'm Beginning To See The Light - Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington - Compact Jazz - 3:26 - 132
36. Hey, Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:21 - 140
37. A Viper's Moan - Willie Bryant And His Orchestra - 1935-1936 - 3:25 - 150
38. Four Or Five Times - Jimmy Noone - Jimmy Noone - 3:08 - 160
39. Cole Slaw - Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan And His Tympani Five, Volume 1 - 2:44 - 135 (This last one was a birthday jam for Jonathan.)