DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #126: I Want A Little Girl

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DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #126: I Want A Little Girl by Jimmy Rushing

There are two male blues & jazz singers I really adore. One is Joe Williams and the other one is Jimmy Rushing. Jimmy, born as James Andrew, Rushing (Aug. 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was known as “Mr. Five by Five” due his corpulent shape. He was famous for his blues interpretations but actually, he could sing almost anything. Rushing played violin and piano in his youth and studied music in high school. By the time he was 18, he began working professionally as a singer. From 1923-1924, he was singing in California (with Jelly Roll Morton amongst others). [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #114: Smiles

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DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #93: "Moonglow" (Take 2) by Benny Goodman Quartet

Back in November 2010, I posted “Smiles” by Swiss alto saxophonist Flavio Ambrosetti as the Song of the Week #35. Five years earlier, Benny Goodman recorded “Smiles” with his quartet, featuring Lionel Hampton on vibraphone, Teddy Wilson on piano and Gene Krupa on drums. Smiles Let’s listen to two versions. First, the studio version (it’s a bit scratchy…) And now, a live version, obviously from the same year (although, I don’t have any evidence for that) Smiles is wonderful song, both for Lindy Hop and Balboa. Because of the clear rhythm, it’s especially useful for Balboa (beginner) classes. Probably, I have [...]

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Top Swing Albums of 2011: Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra “Let’s Dance”

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Best of 2011: Let's Dance by Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra | Shuffle Projects

Musical Hero Benny Goodman One of my favourite contemporary swing musicians, a fabulous clarinetist from the Netherlands, is Bernard Berkhout. Bernard used to play with small groups, but after reading the book “Swingin’ the Dream: Big Band Jazz and the Rebirth of American Culture” by Lewis A. Erenberg [Amazon.de | Amazon.com], he realized the historical importance of his musical hero Benny Goodman and he was so inspired, that he started his own big band. That was in 2008. The big band album was in the air since more than a year, but we had to be patient, until it was [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #93: Moonglow

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DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #93: "Moonglow" (Take 2) by Benny Goodman Quartet

I’m a big admirer of Benny Goodman’s small group recordings from 1935 to 1939. He recorded with different group sizes and what I like is the relaxness in the songs, there is so much joy of play hearable. The sound is full and often, you get the feeling, there were many more musicians involved than actually were. Most of the recordings were done as a quartet, with Gene Krupa on drums, Teddy Wilson on piano and Lionel Hampton on vibes. Please note, that two of the musicians (Wilson and Hampton) were black. It was quite uncommon at that time to [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #85: Summit Ridge Drive

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DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #85: Summit Ridge Drive by Artie Shaw & HIs Gramercy 5

The use of the harpsichord in Come On-A My House by Rosemary Clooney [Song of the Week #68] was inspired by the song of this week. Like Benny Goodman with his different small groups,  clarinetist, composer and bandleader Artie Shaw (born: Arthur Jacob Arshawsky, 23.5.1910 – 30.12.2004) created a smaller combo out of his big band and called it Artie Shaw and his Gramercy Five. He needed something special to create a distinctive sound. As Johnny Guarnieri told “Piano Jazz” radio host Marian McPartland in 1981, he was already in Shaw’s big band when Shaw called him one day in [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #83: Queer Notions

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DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #83: Queer Notions by Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra

James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson (18.12.1897 – 29.12.1952) was a pianist, composer, arranger and leader of the first great jazz big band. He had a huge influence in early jazz. Henderson had a degree in chemistry and mathematics, but when he came to New York in 1920, the only job he could find was in the music industry because of race discrimination. He worked as a music director and pianist for the Black Swan label. In 1922 Henderson formed his first band with Don Redman. Thanks to Redman’s innovative arrangements, they became quickly the best Afro-American band in New York. When [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #78: Savage Serenade

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DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #78: Savage Serenade by Adrian Rollini & His Orchestra

Dear Balboa dancer, here is another song for you: Savage Serenade, in a version recorded in 1933 by Adrian Rollini and his Orchestra. Adrian Francis Rollini (28.06.1903-15.05.1956) was a talented multi-instrumentalist, he played piano and xylophone as a youth. Later he played bass saxophone (some say he was the greatest bass saxophonist of all time), he was one of the first jazz vibraphonists and he introduced the “goofus” in jazz. Rollini was an important member of the California Ramblers, one of the most recorded bands in the 1920s. He formed two sub-groups: The Little Ramblers (from 1924)  and the Goofus [...]

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #40: Piano Stomp (Shine)

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Lionel Hampton Piano Stomp (Shine)

Frenchie Balboa Festival (FBF) is over! Another great Balboa weekend with great dances and great music. If you would like to improve your speed in Balboa dancing and especially shuffling, here is my song of the week which will be a challenge for sure. This is one of the fastest song I’ve ever danced to: A breathtaking version of Shine with 300 bpm!! Lionel Leo Hampton (20.04.1908-31.08.2002) was one of the swing giants, he was the first jazz vibraphonist, but also pianist, percussionist, band leader and actor. 1936 he was discovered by Benny Goodman, shortly afterwards he played and recorded [...]

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