First Friday at Big City Swing 9/2/2011

Between the heat and the holiday weekend and other events going on, it ended up being a lighter night than usual for the First Friday dance. I didn't mind that, as it meant there was more space to dance and it didn't get as sweaty & stinky as it would have if it were packed. The crowd seemed to be an even mix of 6-count and lindy hoppers, and really seemed happiest in the 150-170 bpm range--I had a bit of a hard time dipping under or pushing it above that range, though I tried. I also tried to avoid playing much New Orleans style stuff, since my friend Chris was DJing after me. He's got an enviable collection of music from New Orleans bands, and I figured he would top whatever I tried to play, so why bother pushing my luck. Instead, I stuck to a lot of classic big band and small combo music, which was hardly a chore. Here's what I played (plus BPM sparkline and freq. distribution):

1. Nice Work if You Can Get It - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Nice Work If You Can Get It - 3:19 - 170 (Last song of the lesson)
2. Now Or Never - Katharine Whalen - Jazz Squad - 2:13 - 165
3. Dunkin' A Doughnut - Andy Kirk & His Clouds of Joy - An Anthology Of Big Band Swing 1930-1955 - 2:51 - 170
4. Rose Room - Artie Shaw - Artie Shaw, King Of The Clarinet - 2:43 - 155
5. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats - 3:13 - 160
6. South - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 3:17 - 180
7. Hey, Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 3: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - 3:21 - 140
8. Georgia Grind - Lillian Boutté - Music Is My Life - 3:32 - 145
9. I'm Alone Because I Love You - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 3:29 - 150
10. Yacht Club Swing - Fats Waller - Yacht Club Swing 1938 - 3:51 - 162
11. Rhythm Itch - Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five - Moppin' and Boppin' - 3:11 - 170
12. Bennie's Bugle - 4Beat6 - The band that plays the music of Benny Goodman - 3:01 - 195 (This song kills me.)
13. Miss Brown To You - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 3:15 - 145
14. Route 66 - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 4:24 - 150
15. Splanky - George Gee - Swingin' Live! - 3:18 - 135 (Oh splanky.)
16. Little Jazz - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 3:06 - 140
17. Bassology - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:49 - 155 (This really isn't the greatest dance tune, but I love Slam's bowed bass work so much that I had to play it.)
18. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:54 - 165
19. Honeysuckle Rose - Adrian Rollini - 1934-1938 - 2:38 - 160
20. Dipsy Doodle - Larry Clinton & His Orchestra - G.I. Jukebox - 3:03 - 175
21. Back Bay Shuffle - Artie Shaw - His First Three Bands: 1936-1940 - 3:15 - 190
22. Too Darn Hot - Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife: The Complete Ella In Berlin (Live) - 3:16 - 160 (This song has a longish intro where Ella sings "It's tooooo darnnnn hot. It's tooo-ooo-ooo darnnnn hot." The floor completely cleared during this, and for a second I was scared that people heard her singing and thought "You know, she's right. I should really go get a drink of water and then maybe go home and take a shower. )
23. Easy Does It - Paul Tillotson the Love Trio - Lindy Hop Blues - 2:57 - 130
24. Melancholy Blues - Milano Jazz Gang - To Satchmo with Respect - 2:51 - 115 (Nice new version of a very old tune.)
25. Perdido Street Blues - Southside Aces - A Big Fine Thing - 3:54 - 135
26. It's You're Last Chance To Dance - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - The Hurricane Sessions - 4:30 - 180
27. Tain't What You Do - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:07 - 155 (Shim-sham.)
28. I Can’t Dance (I Got Ants In My Pants) - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy (Disc 1) - 3:00 - 205 (Slightly awkward Balboa demo.)
29. Tuxedo Junction - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Ain't No School Like the Old School - 3:14 - 155
30. Summit Ridge Drive - Buddy DeFranco - Plays Artie Shaw - 4:35 - 145
31. Black Coffee - The Careless Lovers - Black Coffee - Single - 2:39 - 195