Fizz 5/21/2012

Fun times at Fizz last night. It was pretty empty until right about 9:35 p.m., when all of a sudden a huge mob of people showed up, keeping the dance floor basically full for the rest of the night. My set wasn't the biggest stretch, most interesting, inspiring, flowing, acutely attuned to the floor 2 hours I've ever played. I pretty much alternated between new music by newer bands and old music by old big bands, with not much in between. But it kept people dancing. I limited myself to just two tracks off Gordon Webster's new album, even though I'm pretty sure that few would have complained if I'd played the whole thing start to finish. (It's fantastic. Go Buy It Now.) Here's my BPM sparkline, BPM histogram, and track listing:

1. Call The Police - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Ol' New Orleans Home - 4:43 - 200
2. Boot-Ta-La-Za - Slim Gaillard - 1938-46 - 3:25 - 214
3. Four Or Five Times - Engelbert Wrobel, Chris Hopkins, Dan Barrett - Harlem 2000 - 7:44 - 140
4. The Beaver Bump - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 3:35 - 150
5. Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program - 2:41 - 130
6. Soft Winds - 4Beat6 - The band that plays the music of Benny Goodman - 2:46 - 165
7. Free Eats - Count Basie And His Orchestra - 1946-1947 - 2:56 - 155
8. Sweet Georgia Brown - Benny Goodman - Very Best of Benny Goodman - 3:07 - 175
9. Le Jazz Hot - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:44 - 140
10. You’ve Got To See Mama Ev’ry Night - Kay Starr - The Best of The Standard Transcriptions - 1:57 - 127
11. Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Giant - 2:44 - 145
12. Everybody Eats When They Come To My House - Cab Calloway - Are You Hep To The Jive? - 2:46 - 155
13. Strictly Jive - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy (Disc 3) - 3:19 - 170
14. Peckin' - Duke Ellington - The Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 - 3:09 - 160
15. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie - Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Master Takes And Singles - 3:04 - 150
16. Jive At Five - Count Basie - Swinging The Blues: 1930-1939 - 2:46 - 172
17. Lumby - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - Essential, Vol. 2 - 2:31 - 195
18. Night Train - Gordon Webster - Live In Rochester - 3:59 - 140
19. Knock Me a Kiss - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 3:25 - 120
20. Cole Slaw - Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan And His Tympani Five, Volume 1 - 2:44 - 135
21. Shake That Thing - Kid Ory - The Ultimate Jazz Archive 9: Kid Ory, Vol. 1 - 3:31 - 148
22. South - The Solomon Douglas Swingtet - Live at the Legion - 3:17 - 180
23. The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town - Lionel Hampton - All Star Sessions, Volume 2: Hot Mallets - 2:46 - 135
24. Dark Eyes - Fats Waller - Happy Birthday Fats Vol. 1 - 3:22 - 160
25. You Can Have My Husband - Tuba Skinny - Six Feet Down - 3:48 - 140
26. Lazy Lazy River - Leigh Barker & The New Sheiks - The Sales Tax - 5:09 - 120
27. Satchel Mouth Baby - Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' - 3:19 - 130
28. Somebody Loves Me - Stuff Smith - Cat On A Hot Fiddle - 3:42 - 150
29. I Like Pie - Gordon Webster - Live In Rochester - 5:37 - 160
30. Stompin' At The Savoy - George Gee - Swingin' Away - 4:00 - 170
31. For Dancers Only - Duke Ellington - Recollections Of The Big Band Era - 3:04 - 145
32. Flying Home - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 2: Flying Home - 3:10 - 195

Band breaks at Friday Night of ALHC

This past weekend I covered the band breaks of the Friday evening dance at the American Lindy Hop Championships (the event's first time in Chicago).  Note in particular the song from Leigh Barker & the New Sheiks--somebody asked about it after I played it--it comes on the recommendation of dogpossum. The sets ended up only being a few songs in all, but here they are:

• Queer Street ['45] - Count Basie - America's #1 Band - 3:05 - 170
• The Back Room Romp - Duke Ellington - The Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 - 2:49 - 150
• Oh I'm Evil - Una Mae Carlisle - Una Mae Carlisle: 1938-1941 - 2:25 - 150
• I'm Coming Virginia - Benny Goodman - The Yale University Archives, Volume 3 - 2:09 - 170
• Chant Of The Groove - Fats Waller - Fats Waller 1941 - 3:05 - 185
• Lazy Lazy River - Leigh Barker & The New Sheiks - The Sales Tax - 5:09 - 120
• All Of Me - Twin Cities Hot Club - Twin Cities Hot Club - 4:10 - 165
• 'Tain't What You Do - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:07 - 155
• Five Foot Two - Gordon Webster - Live In Rochester - 4:04 - 210
• Shake That Thing - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 4:25 - 125

First Friday at Big City Swing, 5/4/2012

Still playing catch-up. This set was also off my iPod, also mostly a back-and-forth between me and my co-blogger Bob. Here's the BPM sparkline and histogram (whoa, check out the long tail!), and here's the track listing:

1. Everybody Loves My Baby - Sippie Wallace - Sippie - 3:11 - 145
2. My Blue Heaven - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Songs of New Orleans - 5:21 - 150
3. How Big Can You Get? - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway - 4:05 - 160
4. Savoy Blues - Duke Heitger - Duke Heitger's "Krazy Kapers" - 4:11 - 200
5. All I Know - The Countdown Quartet - Sadlack's Stomp - 2:56 - 125
6. 8, 9 And 10 - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:43 - 175
7. Free Eats - Count Basie And His Orchestra - 1946-1947 - 2:56 - 155
8. Somebody Stole My Gal - Benny Goodman - B.G. In Hi-Fi - 3:26 - 172
9. Swingin' On Nothin' - Midnight Serenaders - Hot Lovin' - 3:50 - 200
10. Satchel Mouth Baby - Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' - 3:19 - 130
11. Lavender Coffin - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 4: Midnight Sun - 2:47 - 135
12. Blues In Hoss' Flat - George Gee - Swingin - 5:15 - 148
13. Mack The Knife - Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife: The Complete Ella In Berlin (Live) - 4:39 - 140
14. Killin' Jive - Cats & The Fiddle - We Cats Will Swing For You - 2:50 - 180
15. All The Cats Join In - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 4:23 - 178
16. Take The A Train - Delta Rhythm Boys - The Best Of 1940-50 - 3:06 - 150
17. All Of Me - Sidney Bechet - The Fabulous Sidney Bechet - 4:08 - 110
18. I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate - Clarence Williams - Quadromania - 2:39 - 215
19. Six-appeal - Charlie Christian - Six-appeal - 3:20 - 145
20. Sunday In New York - Bobby Darin - Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 5: Wild Cool & Swingin - 2:31 - 145
21. Tain't What You Do - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:06 - 160
22. Four Or Five Times - Jimmy Noone - Jimmy Noone - 3:08 - 160
23. Fiddle Dee Dee - Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton Story 1: Hot Mallets - 2:39 - 195
24. Everybody Loves My Baby (cut) - Fritzel's New Orleans Jazz Band - Vol. 2 - 2:43 - 220
25. Just A Closer Walk With Thee - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 6:06 - 75
26. Milenberg Joys - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 3:45 - 190
27. Swingin’ The Blues - Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings - 2:47 - 225
28. On Revival Day - Lavern Baker - tLaVern Sings Bessie Smith - 3:16 - 143
29. Blue Drag - Allen Toussaint - The Bright Mississippi - 4:21 - 110

Fizz 4/30/2012

I'm way behind posting setlists, so I'll be short and sweet. This set from two weeks ago was entirely off my iPod, because my laptop was out of commission due to spilled tea--call it death by Darjeeling. For a large part of this set, I was trading 3's with my friend John (thanks John!). That made it way easier to spin from an iPod, since I didn't have to set up a bunch of songs in a row. I'll post the usual BPM sparkline and histogram, even though the sparkline won't make much sense because my tracks weren't all consecutive.

• Joshua - Ben Webster - Big Ben 3: 52nd Street - 3:03 - 170
• Pousse-Café - Al Casey - Jumpin' With Al - 3:51 - 165
• Blue Minor - Chick Webb - Stomping At The Savoy - 2:50 - 180
• Reefer Man - Don Redman - Doin' the New Low Down - 3:33 - 220
• I found a million dollar baby - Benny Goodman - COLUMBIA 36136 - 2:57 - 200
• Parc On Summit - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 3:11 - 180
• Hey Sweet Potato - Buddy Johnson - The Best of Buddy's - 2:43 - 130
• Shipyard Ramble - Erskine Hawkins - Riff Time (The Essence Of Swing) - 3:31 - 190
• A Viper's Moan - Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Call Of The Freaks - 3:30 - 140
• Twenty-Four Robbers - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:11 - 140
• Small Fry - Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio - Barrelhouse - 3:39 - 95
• You’ve Been A Good Ole Wagon - Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights - Black Coffee - 2:45 - 115
• All the Cats Join in - Catherine Russell - Inside This Heart of Mine - 3:38 - 115
• All I Know - The Countdown Quartet - Sadlack's Stomp - 2:56 - 125
• Jump Session - Slim Gaillard - 1938-1939 - 2:35 - 160
• Yacht Club Swing - Echoes of Swing - Harlem Joys - 3:19 - 160
• How Come You Do Me? - Eddie Condon - We Called It Music - 2:51 - 110
• Knock Me a Kiss - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ the Times - 3:25 - 120
• My Blue Heaven - Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Songs of New Orleans - 5:21 - 150
• Milenberg Joys - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 3:45 - 190
• Shake That Thing - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 4:25 - 125
• Whatcha Gonna Do When There Ain't No Swing? - Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' - 3:26 - 120
• Let Me Off Uptown - Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz - 3:24 - 130
• Southern sunset - Swing Parade South - Hommage a Sidney Bechet - 3:32 - 105
• We've Got The Blues - The Spirits Of Rhythm - Spirits of Rhythm 1932-1941 - 3:16 - 110
• 'Tain't What You Do - Sy Oliver - Sy Oliver et son orchestre: 1949-1952 - 3:07 - 155
• Minor Swing - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Give Me Your Telephone Number - 3:41 - 195
• Mr. Rhythm - Glenn Crytzer And His Sycopators - Harlem Mad - 4:08 - 130
• Chant Of The Groove - Fats Waller - Fats Waller 1941 - 3:05 - 185
• Undecided - Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Savoy - 1939-40 - 3:06 - 210
• Fat and Greasy - Fats Waller - Ain't Misbehavin - 3:09 - 160
• The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town - Lionel Hampton - All Star Sessions, Volume 2 - 2:46 - 135
• Junk Man - Midnight Serenaders - Hot Lovin' - 4:39 - 110

Riverwalk Jazz Radio Program

For those of you who have read this blog for little time, you may recall a post where I wrote into James telling him about a cool Jazz story I heard and promoting a show called Riverwalk Jazz with the Jim Cullum Jazz band. If not, see "Story about Lionel Hampton".

Unfortunately, I don't find the time to listen every week when it's on a local radio station (similar to as to how often I am finding time to regularly write on this blog). However, I felt compelled to post an official blog about 3 hours of my favorite local radio programming.

For local Chicago listeners, tune into 90.9 WDCB out of the College of Dupage from 10am-1pm every Saturday to listen to "Riverwalk Jazz" (10am-11) and "The Swing Shift" (11am-1pm). For listeners outside of Chicago, feel free to search on a Public Radio app on your phone or stream live at www.wdcb.org. Don't worry, if you miss the live broadcast (like me every week), you can still stream "Riverwalk Jazz" at their website www.riverwalkjazz.org. "Riverwalk" is on radio stations across the nation as well!

"The Swing Shift" has done artist portraits of big bands and other jazz artists - my most memorable and enjoyable program was called something like "The big debate: Hot Lips Page or Louis Armstrong?" where they played earlier, less known recordings that even a distinct Pops or Hot Lips trained ear would struggle figuring out who it was. I have requested a copy or for them to re-air this episode, but unfortunately, neither have happened yet. 

"Riverwalk" is by far, my favorite of the two programs and if you get hooked too, be aware that the audio episodes are only available online for 4 weeks after the live stream. After that, you can still read their "JazzNotes Archives" at http://www.riverwalkjazz.org/jazznotes-archive/ where you can get a short preview of what the show was about.

"Riverwalk" tells stories about jazz artist's lives, plays old interview clips and recordings if they have them available, and Jim Cullum's Jazz band performs many songs throughout the broadcast. Still not convinced? On their recent show "Dick Hyman: A Man for all Seasons," they played an original recording (in this case live radio broadcast) that faded into a modern live recording Jim Cullum's band did for the show - this is a typical of almost every show

As Louis Armstrong said, "Jazz is played from the heart. You can even live by it. Always love it."

So check it out!

p.s. There's only one week to listen to "Empress of the Blues: The Life and Music of Bessie Smith" (April 2012). This is a fantastic episode for all Jazz and Blues enthusiasts. There a story about Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong back in the 1920s. There's even a shout out from my favorite jazz artist, Sidney Bechet! I already purchased a CD recording of the tracks performed on that show by The Jim Cullum Jazz Band featuring Topsy Chapman. Look at the track list HERE. Great covers of "On Revival Day," "Gimme a Pigfoot," "West End Blues," my personal favorite from the show: "St. Louis Gal," and much more.

Fizz 3/19/2012

I was a bit swamped this week, so it's taken me until now to post my setlist from last Monday at Fizz. Still pretty busy, so I'll post without comment (but with the BPM sparkline and histogram). Here's what I played:

1. Swing It, Sister - The Mills Brothers - The Mills Brothers: Chronological Vol. 2 - 2:38 - 205
2. Ain't Misbehavin' - Fats Waller - The Very Best of Fats Waller - 3:59 - 100
3. Page Mr. Trumpet - Pete Johnson - NSC111 NATIONAL - 2:52 - 165
4. Rose Room - Crytzer's Blue Rhythm Band - Chasin' the Blues - 2:49 - 160
5. Come On Over To My House - Jay McShann - Jumpin' The Blues - 2:52 - 145
6. Gettin' In The Groove - Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans - 1938-1941 - 2:58 - 140
7. Shake That Thing - Wynonie Harris - Risque Blues - It Ain't the Meat - 2:17 - 135
8. Savoy Blues - The Wolverines Jazz Band Of Bern - Wolverines Of Bern At 35 - 3:56 - 140
9. Louisiana - Barney Kessel - To Swing Or Not To Swing - 3:56 - 140
10. Sad Sap Sucker Am I - Fats Waller - The Unique Mr. Waller - 3:06 - 140
11. Fat and Greasy - Fats Waller - Ain't Misbehavin - 3:09 - 160
12. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Benny Goodman - The Very Best of Benny Goodman - 3:26 - 170
13. Madame Dynamite - Eddie Condon - Let's Swing It - 2:55 - 185
14. Tutti Frutti - Slim Gaillard - 1938-46 - 2:38 - 170
15. Swingin' On Nothin' - Midnight Serenaders - Hot Lovin' - 3:50 - 200
16. Miss Brown To You - Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday - 3:15 - 145
17. Somebody Loves Me - Stuff Smith - Cat On A Hot Fiddle - 3:42 - 150
18. On The Sunny Side of the Street - Benny Goodman - The Yale University Archives, Volume 3: Big Band In Europe - 3:11 - 135
19. Duke's Place - Ella Fitzgerald - Something To Live For - 4:13 - 140
20. Exactly Like You - Casey Driscoll - Le Mer - 4:16 - 185
21. Good Queen Bess - Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra - Passion Flower 1940-46 - 2:59 - 160
22. Nona - Erskine Hawkins - Vintage Dance Orchestras No. 277 - 2:44 - 145
23. Tain't What You Do - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:06 - 160
24. Everybody Loves My Baby - Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' - 3:22 - 200
25. The Dipsey Doodle - Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Call Of The Freaks - 2:58 - 180
26. Junk Man - Midnight Serenaders - Hot Lovin' - 4:39 - 110
27. Downright Disgusted Blues - Chu Berry - Classic Chu Berry Columbia and Victor Sessions - 2:31 - 125
28. I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me - Sidney Bechet - Jazz in Paris: Sydney Bechet et Claude Luter - 2:40 - 145
29. Le Jazz Hot - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:44 - 140
30. My Daddy Rocks Me - Benny Goodman - 1945 Vol.2 - 2:48 - 100
31. Peckin' - Duke Ellington - The Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 - 3:09 - 160
32. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It - Papa Bues Viking Jazzband - Live In Copenhagen - 3:36 - 135
33. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 5:16 - 150

First Friday at Big City Swing 3/2/2012

Friday night was one of the crazier First Fridays in recent memory. Perhaps it was the busload of eager high-schoolers who showed up for the lesson, maybe also the group of college students who'd driven several hours to come to the dance. Maybe the camera crew from ABC, filming a segment on swing dancing for 190 North. Or the OTHER camera crew, in from Korea to film a documentary about American jazz culture (or something like that).

Anyways, add it all up and it was pretty nutso. Despite my best efforts to drive people away (cf #22 below), the floor stayed pretty jammed all night, with the exception of the "jam" that we staged for the benefit of the cameras. (They wanted to capture the natives in their natural habitat.) I ended up playing mostly modern bands, with just a few classic swing tracks--the crowd seemed pretty new, and seemed to respond best to the brighter and crisper sounds of modern recordings. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't skewed so heavily toward new stuff. Here's the usual BPM sparkline and histogram, and here's my setlist:

1. Route 66 - Gordon Webster - Live In Philadelphia - 4:24 - 150
2. All Of Me - Della Reese - Cocktail Classics - 2:01 - 160
3. Slow Boat to China - The Boilermaker Jazz Band - The Mood I'm In - 3:37 - 160
4. Mood Hollywood - Don Neely's Royal Society Jazz Orchestra - Radio Rhythm - 3:31 - 170
5. Choo Choo Ch' Boogie - Louis Jordan - Jukebox Hits Volume 1 1942-1947 - 2:45 - 165
6. Sing Me a Swing Song (And Let Me Dance) - Benny Goodman - The Birth of Swing - 2:23 - 177
7. My Blue Heaven - The Cangelosi Cards - Clinton Street Recordings, I - 4:11 - 145
8. Jersey Bounce - Bernard Berkhout - Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra - 3:27 - 135
9. Rose Room - Crytzer's Blue Rhythm Band - Chasin' the Blues - 2:49 - 160
10. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling - Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats - 3:13 - 160
11. 8, 9 And 10 - Slim Gaillard - The Very Best Of - 2:43 - 175
12. Blue Drag - The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn - Permanent Magic - 3:40 - 190
13. Rosetta - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Ol' New Orleans Home - 3:36 - 205 (I love how lazy this track is, despite the tempo.)
14. A Woman's Intuition - Stompy Jones - Stompy Jones - 3:17 - 140
15. All Right, Okay, You Win - Joe Williams - The Definitive Joe Williams - 3:05 - 130 
16. Twenty-Four Robbers - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:10 - 140
17. Six-appeal - Charlie Christian - Six-appeal - 3:20 - 145
18. All I Know - The Countdown Quartet - Sadlack's Stomp - 2:56 - 125
19. Last Night On The Backporch - The Palmetto Bug Stompers - Ol' New Orleans Home - 4:10 - 150
20. Put A Lid On It - Davina & The Vagabonds - Live @ The Times - 3:13 - 170
21. Satchel Mouth Baby - Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' - 3:19 - 130 (Off her new album, which is FULL of great stuff)
22. Prince Nez - Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot - 2:53 - 180 (This song doubles in tempo midway through, topping out at about 350 bpm)
23. Lindyhopper's Delight - Chick Webb - Strictly Jive - 2:45 - 195 (Jam circle)
24. I Can't Dance I Got Ants In My Pants - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 4:13 - 210 (Jam circle continued)
25. Tain't What You Do - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 3:06 - 160 (right in to shim-sham)
26. Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam) - Glenn Miller - Perfect Swing - 3:36 - 165
27. Le Jazz Hot - Jimmie Lunceford - Jimmie Lunceford - 2:44 - 140
28. Ridin' And Jivin' - Earl Hines - Rosetta - 2:39 - 155 (The trombone player on this track has a dirty, dirty mind.)
29. Why Don't You Do Right - Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman - 3:17 - 125
30. Swing Brother Swing - Miss Sophie Lee - Tallulah Moon - 3:55 - 165
31. Just A Closer Walk With Thee - The Smoking Time Jazz Club - Quarter Note Vol. 1 - 6:06 - 75/160 (I started this track midway through the slow section. Lots of confused looks at first, until it picked up and started to swing. I wanted to play this one not just because it's a good tune, but to make sure that Bob, who was up to DJ right after me, would be kept on his toes. Don't want to let his reflexes get too dull.)