First Friday at Big City Swing 11/5/2010

Last night was pretty crazy. There were about 40 very enthusiastic people in the intro lesson, and by the time I got there, as the lesson was rapping up, it was already pretty steamy in the studio. More people showed up just as the dance began, so fortunately we had both floors open for dancing (otherwise there wouldn't have been room to even sway back and forth). I had the first set of the night, and knew that I needed to cater to all the folks that were there for the first time. Nearly all of the most seasoned dancers (including our friends in from Madison, WI) migrated upstairs immediately in search of room to swing out, so I had a room full of folks who were rocking their 6-count and charleston. Consequently, I kept the tempos between about 140 and 180--comfortable for 6-count--while trying to push it a bit higher. The more uptempo numbers didn't seem to take though.

I'd also decided to throw my high-falutin' taste out the window and play music that the newest dancers would connect with and have fun to. That's why I kicked it off with BBVD, threw in In the Mood, and gave a nod to Sinatra. Here's what I played, plus the usual BPM sparkline and frequency distribution:

1. How Big Can You Get? - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway - 4:05 - 160
2. Baby Drives Me Wild - The Mighty Blue Kings - Meet Me In Uptown - 2:18 - 170
3. Choo Choo Ch' Boogie - Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five - Jukebox Hits Volume 1 1942-1947 - 2:45 - 165 (I was trying to max out on "catchy" and "familiar" with these.)
4. Apollo Jump - Lucky Millinder - Classic Big Band Jazz - 3:26 - 145
5. Are You All Reet? - Chu Berry - Classic Chu Berry Columbia And Victor Sessions - 3:09 - 155
6. In the Mood - Glenn Miller - Best of the Lost Recordings & The Secret Broadcasts - 3:15 - 180 (My wife reported overhearing someone exclaim "I love this one!" as this tune started.)
7. Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today - Benny Goodman - B.G. In Hi-Fi - 3:05 - 155
8. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - You Do Something To Me - 3:45 - 160
9. Solid As A Rock - Count Basie - Count Basie Et Son Orchestre 1950-1951 - 3:03 - 135
10. All Of Me - Della Reese - Cocktail Classics - 2:01 - 160
11. Yes Indeed - Slam Stewart - Slamboree - 3:35 - 150
12. Shotgun Boogie - Paul Tillotson the Love Trio - Lindy Hop Blues - 2:55 - 165 (This track may be the most perfect East Coast swing tune ever. DJ's best friend.)
13. Sugar - Katharine Whalen - Jazz Squad - 2:57 - 182
14. Put A Lid On It - Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot - 2:39 - 198
15. Miss Brown To You - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 3:15 - 145
16. Did You Mean It? - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 2:22 - 150
17. I Get A Kick Out Of You - Frank Sinatra - The Very Good Years - 3:14 - 175
18. All Right, Okay, You Win - Count Basie - Count Basie at Newport - 2:45 - 145
19. Rose Room - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Ain't No School Like the Old School - 3:09 - 153 (I got a surprisingly good reaction to this track--I always thought of Rose Room as an anonymous, relaxed tune, but evidently folks were listening really closely and liked what they heard.)
20. Yacht Club Swing - Echoes of Swing - Harlem Joys - 3:19 - 160
21. Oh! Babe - Lucky Millinder - Apollo Jump - 2:56 - 170
22. Killin' Jive - Cats & The Fiddle - We Cats Will Swing For You - 2:50 - 180
23. Minor Swing - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Give Me Your Telephone Number - 3:41 - 195
24. If You'se a Viper - John Sinclair - No Money Down : John Sinclair's Greatest Hits , Volume One - 3:55 - 150
25. Last Night On The Backporch - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Ol' New Orleans Home - 4:10 - 150
26. Hello, Dolly! - Bobby Darin - Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 5: Wild Cool & Swingin - 3:14 - 165
27. Onion - Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five, 1938-1940, Volume 1 (Disc - 2:55 - 170
28. Walk 'Em - Buddy Johnson - Jukebox Hits 1940-1951 - 2:53 - 125
29. It Ain't The Meat - The Swallows - Risque Rhythm: Nasty '50s R&B - 2:35 - 140 (It was after 10 p.m., and I didn't see any children in the room, so I figured this was okay.)
30. Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti) - Jimmie Lunceford - Jukebox Hits 1935-1947 - 2:45 - 155
31. Swing Brother Swing - Count Basie - America's #1 Band - 1:50 - 150
32. Cavernism - Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Mr. Rhythmist Goes To Town - 3:24 - 185
33. Let's Misbehave - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - You Do Something To Me - 2:52 - 188 (This song was a performance from Big City's Solo Charleston class. They were awesome.)
34. T'aint What You Do - Sy Oliver - Yes Indeed - 3:02 - 165 (Right into the shim-sham.)

My friend Bob took over after this, around 10:30. He'd promised to "bring the thunder" and I'd say he delivered. I may have to start calling him Thor.