Balboa

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #147: Mele Kalikimaka

24.12.2012 by Chris

I was wondering if I should feature a Christmas song. Because when you're listening to the Spotify playlist “DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week” during the year, then you probably don't want to listen to Christmas music.

But hey, it's a nice swinging tune, there is some ukulele in it, so I decided to choose this one anyways:

Mele Kalikimaka

Here is what I found about it on Wikipedia:

“Mele Kalikimaka” is a Hawaiian-themed Christmas song written in 1949 by Robert Alex Anderson. The song takes its title from the Hawaiian phrase, “Mele Kalikimaka,” meaning “Merry Christmas”.

The phrase is borrowed directly from English but since Hawaiian has a different phonological system – Hawaiian does not have the /r/ or /s/ of English and its phonotactic constraints do not permit consonants at the end of syllables or consonant clusters – “Merry Christmas” becomes “Mele Kalikimaka”.

One of the earliest recordings of this song was by Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters in 1950 on Decca 27228 (78 rpm) / 9-27228 (45 rpm) and it has been covered by many artists.

The Puppini Sisters

Inspired by the Andrews Sisters, who took the genre of singing in close harmony to the top (one hundred and thirteen songs in the American charts between 1938 and 1951), Marcella Puppini created a new Sisters group with Kate Mullins and original member Rosanna Shura (later replaced by Stephanie O'Brien and since July 2012 by Terrianne Passingham).

The idea was not to try and copy the enchantments of a historical songbook: rather to create an individual sound, which would encapsulate the trio’s eclectic influences.

As they write about themselves, the Puppini Sisters have long become synonym with the intoxicating mix of music and style they call Swing-Pop, and have won hearts all over the world.

On October 5, 2010, the Puppini Sisters released their third album Christmas With The Puppini Sisters and this week's song is taken from that album.

Title: Mele Kalikimaka
Artist: The Puppini Sisters
Recorded: 2010
Album: Christmas With The Puppini Sisters
Tempo: 206 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Balboa

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ iTunes US ･ Amazon DE ･ Amazon US ･ ~~emusic~~

What do you think about this version? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #144: Swingin’ In The Promised Land

03.12.2012 by Chris

If you are a Balboa dancer, then this tune is familiar to you. Maybe you don't be aware of the title or the artist but I'm sure you have heard it countless times on the dance floor.

It's “Swingin' In The Promised Land” by Edgar Hayes & His Orchestra.

Edgar Hayes

Edgar Junius Hayes (May 23, 1904 – June 28, 1979) was an African-American pianist, arranger and bandleader. He never became a major name but he worked steadily throughout his long career.

Hayes graduated with a music degree from Wilberforce University.

From 1931, he played and arranged for six years for the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, which was taken over by Lucky Millinder in the meantime.

During 1937-1941, Hayes led his own orchestra including sidemen such as Kenny Clarke among others. In the spring of1938, they toured through several countries of Europe and Asia.

An interesting fact is, that Hayes' band was the first to record Joe Garland's composition “In The Mood” on February 17, 1938 for Decca. This tune became a swing classic, when Glenn Miller recorded it more than a year later.

In the same session, Hayes recorded their most popular title “Stardust” which became a surprise hit.

He disbanded the orchestra and moved to California in 1942, where he formed a quartet called his “Stardusters” and played throughout the 1940s, then he performed mostly solo into the 1970s.

Swingin' In The Promised Land

Because of the tempo, it's also often used for Balboa competitions.

Title: Swingin' In The Promised Land
Artist: Edgar Hayes & His Orchestra
Recorded: November 14, 1938
Album: Complete Jazz Series 1937 – 1938
Tempo: 233 bpm
Dance: Balboa

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ ~~iTunes US~~ ･ Amazon DE ･ ~~Amazon US~~ ･ Amazon UK ･ emusic

What do you think about this song? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #139: Blue Skies

29.10.2012 by Chris

I'm pretty sure you know the song “Blue Skies“.

It was composed by Irving Berlin in 1926 for the musical “Betsy“. The show was a disaster and closed after only 39 performances but the song was an instant success.

On October 6, 1927, the first feature-length motion picture with sound “The Jazz Singer” starring vocalist Al Jolson premiered and “Blue Skies” was one of the nine tunes performed by Jolson. The film was a huge success and brought the song to the attention of millions.

Ever Since, “Blues Skies” was a success in several other films and it was recorded countless times.

One of these recordings is by

Cyril Blake

Cyril McDonald Blake (1897 – Dec. 3, 1951), originally from Trinidad (British West Indies), was an essential part of the music scene of England in the decades both before and after World War II.

Around 1918, he arrived in England and was one of the guitarists in the Southern Syncopated Orchestra. While being in the band, he switched to trumpet.

During the 1920s, he worked in Paris and in London

In the 1930s, Blake lived and played in different bands (Leon Abbey, Happy Blake, Rudolph Dunbar, Leslie Thompson, Joe Appleton, and Lauderic Caton) in London.

In 1938, he started his own band and Jig's Club in Soho became a venue associated almost completely with Blake.

He recorded several times under the name Cyril Blake & His Jig's Club Band. In December 1941, the band was recorded live at Jig‘s Club by Parlophone.

In the 1940s, Blake led his band behind Lord Kitchener for recordings on Parlophone Records, playing in a calypso style. Then he returned to Trinidad, where he continued to lead bands. He died in 1951 because of illness.

Title: Blue Skies
Artist: Cyril Blake And His Jig's Club Band
Recorded: December 1941
Album: Anthology of British Vintage Jazz, Volume 3
Tempo: 210 bpm
Dance: Balboa, Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ iTunes US ･ Amazon DE ･ Amazon US ･ Amazon UK･ emusic

How do you like this version of “Blues Skies”? What do you think about the Series “Song of the Week”? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #138: Minor Jive

22.10.2012 by Chris

It's time again for a fast Balboa tune. Let's bring back David Roy Eldridge (Jan. 30, 1911 – Feb. 26, 1989).

Roy “Little Jazz” Eldridge

Roy Eldridge started out playing trumpet and drums in carnival and circus bands. With the Nighthawk Syncopators he received a bit of attention by playing a note-for-note re-creation of Coleman Hawkins‘ tenor solo on “The Stampede.”

Inspired by the dynamic playing of Jabbo Smith (Eldridge would not discover Louis Armstrong for a few years), Eldridge played with some territory bands and in New York (where he arrived in 1931) he worked with Elmer Snowden (who nicknamed him “Little Jazz”), McKinney's Cotton Pickers, and most importantly Teddy Hill (1935).

Eldridge's recorded solos with Hill, backing Billie Holiday and with Fletcher Henderson (including his 1936 hit “Christopher Columbus”) gained a great deal of attention.

In 1937 he appeared with his octet (which included brother Joe on alto) at the Three Deuces Club in Chicago and recorded some outstanding selections as a leader including “Heckler's Hop” and “Wabash Stomp.” By 1939 Eldridge had a larger group playing at the Arcadia Ballroom in New York.

With the decline of Bunny Berigan and the increasing predictability of Louis Armstrong, Eldridge was arguably the top trumpeter in jazz during this era.

Source: allmusic

Minor Jive

This tempo in this clip is actually slower than on the stated album!

Title: Minor Jive
Artist: Roy Eldridge
Recorded: November 16, 1943
Album: After You've Gone
Tempo: 272 bpm
Dance: Balboa

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ iTunes US ･ Amazon DE ･ Amazon US ･ Amazon UK ･ emusic

How you like Roy Eldridge's trumpet style? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #135: Moten Swing

01.10.2012 by Chris

Bennie Moten (Nov. 13, 1894 – April 2, 1935) was a fine ragtime-oriented pianist who led the top territory band of the 1920s, an orchestra that really set the standard for Kansas City jazz.

Moten formed his group (originally a sextet) in 1922 and in 1923, they made their first recordings.

During 1926-1932, Moten's Orchestra recorded for Victor and, although none of his original musicians became famous, the later additions included his brother Buster Moten on occasional jazz accordion, Harlan Leonard, Jack Washington, Eddie Durham, Jimmy Rushing, Hot Lips Page, and (starting in 1929) Count Basie.

The most famous Bennie Moten recording session was also his last one, ten songs cut on December 13, 1932 that found the ensemble strongly resembling Basie's five years later. The band at that point also starred Ben Webster, Eddie Barefield, and Walter Page and one of the high points was the debut of “Moten Swing” (or “Moten's Swing”).

Bennie Moten tragically died in 1935 after a unsuccessful tonsillectomy operation. Many of its top members (including Lester Young) eventually became members of Count Basie's newly formed orchestra.

Source: allmusic

Moten Swing

There are many versions of “Moten Swing” out there, most of them just have the main melody line and not the more complex structure of this recording. Not an easy track to dance to.

By the way, check out “Harlem” (Song of the Week #120), there's a remarkable resemblance…

Title: Moten Swing
Artist: Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra
Recorded: 1932
Album: Stomp and Swing
Tempo: 202 bpm
Dance: Balboa

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ Amazon.de ･ A'zon.com ･ A'zon.co.uk ･ emusic

Balboa

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #147: Mele Kalikimaka

Mele Kalikimaka

The Puppini Sisters

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #144: Swingin’ In The Promised Land

Edgar Hayes

Swingin' In The Promised Land

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #139: Blue Skies

Cyril Blake

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #138: Minor Jive

Roy “Little Jazz” Eldridge

Minor Jive

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #135: Moten Swing

Moten Swing

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