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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #103: When I Grow Too Old To Dream

Written by on 20.02.2012 · Leave a Comment
DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #103: "When I Grow Too Old To Dream" by Arnett Cobb (1959)

After last week’s song from the 1970s, here is another fantastic tune which was recorded many years after the swing era: When I Grow Too Old To Dream” by Arnett Cobb. Arnett Cobb (Aug. 10, 1918 – Mar. 24, 1989), born Arnette Cleophus Cobbs,  played briefly piano and violin before switching to tenor saxophone. His style was based between swing and early rhythm & blues. Cobb worked with Frank Davis (1933), Chester Boone (1934-1936) and the Milt Larkin Orchestra (1936-1942). The latter was never recorded, though. When Cobb was succeeding Illinois Jacquet with Lionel Hampton‘s Big Band (1942-1947), he gained his initial fame. [...]

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The Big Swing Night @ Leapin’ Lindy 12 – From The DJ Perspective

Written by on 16.02.2012 · Leave a Comment
The Big Swing Night Leapin' Lindy 12

Instead of writing a ‘normal’ event review like I did last year (check out The Big Swing Night @ Leapin’ Lindy 11), I thought I’m writing about this night from the perspective of the Swing DJ. The Biggest Swing Party in Switzerland Last weekend (February 8-10, 2012), the popular Lindy Hop weekend Leapin’ Lindy 12 was happening in Switzerland’s capital Berne. Currently, the Big Swing Night on Saturday is the biggest Swing Dance Party in Switzerland. Many key points were similar to last year’s edition: Location: Kultur-Casino Bern, Great Hall Dancers: 700+ Band: Gordon Webster 7 feat. Naomi Uyama DJ: Swing DJ Chrisbe (that’s [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #102: Rosetta

Written by on 13.02.2012 · Leave a Comment
DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #102: "Rosetta" by Al Casey (1973)

Sometimes, I know exactly which song I would like to feature next and I write down the post in a short time. But at times, I only know a certain criteria the song should have – e.g. a slower tempo – but can’t decide which song. Then I change and change again and eventually, I have spent an hour or more, only to pick a song. This week, the latter was the case. However, I have found one deep in my library and here is a new song for you: comfortable tempo, groovy, quite long actually . Rosetta The song [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #101: Gift For The Club (I Found A New Baby)

Written by on 06.02.2012 · 2 Comments
DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #101: "Gift For The Club (I Found A New Baby)" by Buck Clayton

After 100, there is a new 1! It’s like to push reset and start from the beginning. Now, I mean this in a figurative sense. So far, I tried to avoid too many repetitions of artists and song titles. From now on, I will be less strict with myself. Let’s start with the next bundle of 100 songs . As you may know, “I Found A New Baby” is one of my all time favorite songs and I love to collect as many versions of it as I could find. This Song of the Week is a wonderful version by Buck [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #100: Livery Stable Blues

Written by on 30.01.2012 · Leave a Comment
DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #100: "Livery Stable Blues" by Original Dixieland Jass Band

O n e   H u n d r e d ! Wow! I never thought I will write 100 Song of the Week posts, and there is still no end of the series in sight! What song should be posted as the 100th song? I decided to feature a song what had made history. So, it’s not about dancing today, it’s about the first Jazz song ever recorded. Unfortunately, I have to say, the first Jazz recording was not by a black artist, it was by a white group. A black musician had the chance to be the first, though. [...]

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Project Q – Lindy Hoppers for Science: Who’s in from Zurich?

Written by on 23.01.2012 · 13 Comments
Project Q - Lindy Hoppers for Science: Who's in from Zürich?

I just stumbled upon Project Q (thanks to Jerry Salmonte’s Facebook Page!) and I would like to coordinate a group of dancers in and around Zurich to participate in this project! What is Project Q about The following description is taken from their website: “The goal of Project Q is to bring Lindy Hoppers from around the globe to illustrate, in a visual way, the power behind future technologies that are based on the laws of quantum mechanics. To pull this off we need your help. The idea is to have different scenes from around the world film themselves dancing [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #99: Oh I’m Evil

Written by on 23.01.2012 · Leave a Comment
DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #99: "Oh I'm Evil" by Una Mae Carlisle | Shuffle Projects

Una Mae Carlisle (26.12.1915 – 7.11.1956) was “discovered” by Fats Waller when she was seventeen. He heard her entertaining in Cincinatti, where she used to be a live and radio performer and he invited her to play on his radio show at WLW radio station. She was very influenced by him and her boogie woogie/stride piano style was similar to his. She also took over the inclusion of comedy elements in her sets, like Waller used to do. In 1936, Una Mae left the US to tour Europe. She spent the next three years mostly in London and Paris to perform [...]

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Shuffle The House – Balboa Workshop in Schaffhausen CH – Registration is Open!

Written by on 17.01.2012 · Leave a Comment
Shuffle The House Balboa Workshop 2012

Promoting events is not the main purpose of this blog. But from time to time, I make an exception. Especially when they are happening in Switzerland and are attracting international dancers. Shuffle the House For the third edition, Marcia Bodenmann and Jonas Maggiori expanded their organization team with Tina Foppa and Coco Akerman. What stays is the idea: to organize an intimate Balboa workshop with parties in beautiful locations and venues, nestled in a quaint landscape in the northeast of Switzerland – in Schaffhausen. There will be some side attractions like a flea market and more surprises. Workshop 10 hours [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #98: Wednesday Night Hop

Written by on 16.01.2012 · Leave a Comment
DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #98: Wednesday Night Hop by Andy Kirk

I have to bring this song, it’s too good, although it might be a little bit overplayed right now, especially on the Balboa dance floors. Well, some of you might know the song from “Lindy Chorus“, a routine choreographed by Frankie Manning. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here is an example of “Lindy Chorus” from 2011: Now what’s the song? It’s Wednesday Night Hop by Andy Kirk. Andy Kirk took over Terrence Holder’s Dark Clouds Of Joy in 1928, renamed it first in Andy Kirk and his Dark Clouds Of Joy and then Andy Kirk and his Twelve [...]

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Top Swing Albums of 2011: Solomon Douglas Swingtet “Ain’t No School Like The Old School”

Written by on 12.01.2012 · Leave a Comment
Best of 2011: Ain't No School Like The Old School by Solomon Douglas Swingtet | Shuffle Projects

This is my second post of the super short series “My 2 Top Swing Albums released in 2011“. If you missed the first one, then you can read here part 1. Third Album After “Swingmatism” (2006) and “Live at the Legion” (2009), The Solomon Douglas Swingtet released their third Album “Ain’t No School Like The Old School” in April 2011. This studio album was recorded at the end of a three-week tour of the eastern states and provinces (in the US), having played 16 gigs in 20 days. Led By A Swing Dancer and DJ The ten-piece band is led [...]

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