First Friday at Big City Swing 10/7/2011

Last night at Big City Swing was buckets of fun. Actually, they probably should have had some buckets on hand--it got so sweaty in there, condensation started forming on the ventilation near the ceiling, then dripping down on me and my laptop. I didn't really mind, I was having such a good time. Highlights of the night included out-of-town friends showing up (all of whom have become straight up Rock Stars when it comes to lindy hop), dancing with several awesome followers who have just moved to town, and a phenomenal tap performance by Bril Barrett of MaddRhythms.

Bril danced to an Oscar Peterson track and left everyone speechless. His dancing is amazingly confident and controlled, yet loose and relaxed. And his rhythms, in addition to being totally mind-blowing, had a very strong continuity to them. Sometimes when I watch tap-dancers--even very very talented ones--showing off their fancy steps, I find it hard to follow their variations because they seem to deviate from whatever pulse they had going. Not with Bril--every beat he made was clear, in the pocket, and you could hear how all his fancy rhythms were connected to each other. (Bril offers several levels of tap classes at Big City Swing. When he finished dancing, his comment was "You too can learn to do that in only four easy lessons.....of twenty years a piece.")

At the start of the evening, Jenna and I taught the taster lesson, and decided to use music that was a bit faster than usual. (For intro. lessons, we usually use music 150-160 bpm--last night we ranged up to 180.) That allowed me to play fast stuff for the first couple songs in my set, which put me in a really good position for the rest of the night. As you can see in the sparkline, I was able to ride the tempo up and down nicely, though looking at it now, I think I could have pushed the boundaries out more in both directions. More on this in the running commentary.

Here's the setlist (sparkline and freq. distribution):

1. Put A Lid On It - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ The Times - 3:13 - 170 (This was the transition from lesson to dance. My Swing 1 students from last month really dug this tune.)
2. Bring It On Down - The Baby Soda Jazz Band - Cures Everything But The Blues - 2:34 - 175
3. When I Grow Too Old To Dream - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Live @ D.B.A. - 2:55 - 190
4. My Blue Heaven - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Songs of New Orleans - 5:21 - 150
5. Meet Me in Uptown - The Mighty Blue Kings - Meet Me In Uptown - 2:59 - 145
6. Sure, Had A Wonderful Time - Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan And His Tympani Five, Volume 1 - 3:00 - 135
7. Route 66 - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 4:24 - 150 (First of two songs off this album that I played. Then Bob played at least one more during his set.)
8. Come On-A My House - Rosemary Clooney - The Essential Rosemary Clooney - 1:56 - 180
9. The Wild Mab Of The Fish Pond - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - 1941-Transcription Performance - 2:20 - 155
10. Georgia Grind - Lillian Boutté - Music Is My Life - 3:32 - 145
11. Big Fat Mama - Lucky Millinder - Apollo Jump - 3:08 - 135
12. A Viper's Moan - Willie Bryant And His Orchestra - 1935-1936 - 3:25 - 150 (Stoner swing interlude.)
13. Peckin' - Duke Ellington - The Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 - 3:09 - 160
14. Evenin' - Count Basie - Count Basie at Newport - 3:32 - 165
15. Everybody Rock - Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Savoy - 1939-40 - 3:18 - 185
16. Milenberg Joys - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 3:45 - 190
17. Down south camp meeting - Svend Asmussen - Still Fiddling - 3:41 - 145
18. No Regrets - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 2:52 - 130
19. Southern sunset - Swing Parade South - Hommage a Sidney Bechet - 3:32 - 105 (Slowest song that I played all evening. Didn't seem to phase anyone. I probably could have played more stuff in this range.)
20. Six Appeal - Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five - Crazy Rhythm - 3:29 - 135
21. Skin 'Em Back - Skeets Tolbert - Skeets Tolbert 1931-1940 - 2:43 - 150
22. Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam) - Glenn Miller - Perfect Swing - 3:36 - 165
23. 8, 9 And 10 - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:43 - 175
24. I Can't Dance I Got Ants In My Pants - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 4:13 - 210 (Fastest song of the set. Seemed to get people excited, leading in to a jam circle on the next song....)
25. Black Coffee - The Careless Lovers - Black Coffee - Single - 2:39 - 195
26. If You're A Viper - Kermit Ruffins - The Big Butter & Egg Man - 3:08 - 170
27. Everybody Loves My Baby - Sippie Wallace - Sippie - 3:11 - 145
28. Ochi Chornya - Wingy Manone - Wingy Manone: 1940-1944 - 2:54 - 165
29. Dear Old Southland - Sidney Bechet - Classic Sides 1931-1937 (CD A) - 3:03 - 140
30. Grabtown Grapple - Artie Shaw - 1944-45 - 3:00 - 190
31. Tain't What You Do - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:06 - 160 (Shim-sham, timed to lead in to the tap performance.)