Balboa

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #134: I Ain’t Got Nobody

24.09.2012 by Chris

I have to warn you: this is a damn hot version of I Ain't Got Nobody 😉

Lew Stone

Lew Stone (June 28, 1898 – Feb. 13, 1969), born in London UK, was an extremely popular bandleader, arranger, and pianist throughout the 1930s.

Beginning in 1927, he was as a freelance arranger for numerous bands for four years.

In 1931, Stone joined Roy Fox‘s orchestra as a arranger and pianist, playing at the Monseigneur Restaurant. Stone took over the leader's position when Fox needed to rest because of illness. He turned the band into the most popular one in London.

Stone continued to utilize some of Fox's musicians for his own band. They played on the radio once a week and made quite a number of recordings.

During the 1940s, Stone led the Stonecrackers and the Novatones. He also led the orchestra at the London Coliseum. He and his band continued to play across England and Scotland during the 1950s. From 1959 to 1967, he was leading a sextet.

During his career, Stone was a musical director for almost forty films and several theater productions.

Source: allmusic, wikipedia

I Ain't Got Nobody

It's a bit scratchy in the clip, the sound quality of the recording below is better.

[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B004A8F9X6″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61qZfw6yrlL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B004A8KVR0″ locale=”us”]I Ain't Got Nobody[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Lew Stone
Recorded: ??? (Let me know, if you have an idea)
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B004A8F9X6″ locale=”us”]The Golden Age Of British Dance Bands: Those Dance Band Hits[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 178 bpm
Dance: Balboa, Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B004A5JKA2″ locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B004A8KVR0″ locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B004A55BHI” locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ･ 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 #133: I Found A New Baby

18.09.2012 by Chris

It's time to introduce another version of my all-time favorite song “I Found A New Baby“.

Tiny Grimes

Lloyd “Tiny” Grimes (July 7, 1916 – March 4, 1989) began his musical career as drummer and worked as pianist.

As one of the earliest electric guitarist, he started playing the electric 4-string tenor guitar in 1938. Two years later, he joined The Cats and the Fiddle as guitarist and singer. During 1943-1944, Grimes was part of a classic Art Tatum Trio which also included Slam Stewart.

After leaving Art Tatum, he started recording under his own name. In September 1944, he led a session including Charlie Parker. They made four recordings that are considered early bebop jazz.

In the late 1940s, he put together an R&B-oriented group, Tiny “Mac” Grimes and the Rocking Highlanders.

Tiny Grimes was active up until his death, playing his swing/bop transitional style and recording as a leader for different labels.

Source: allmusic, wikipedia

I Found A New Baby

This version was recorded for the famous “The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions”.

I'm a big fan of electric guitar jazz. I love Grime's melodic playing and my favorite part are the melody lines top down starting around 3:57.

DJs, please consider the song length of 5:21 minutes.

[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B00150I4U2″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vnpVZVYEL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B00150G1N4″ locale=”us”]I Found a New Baby[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Tiny Grimes
Recorded: 1974
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B00150I4U2″ locale=”us”]Some Groovy Fours (France, 1968-1974) (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions)[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 204 bpm
Dance: Balboa, Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001R769TQ” locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B00150G1N4″ locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001LXAQ8Q” locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic

Do you like this tune? 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 #130: Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue

27.08.2012 by Chris

Our song of the week is a legendary one. As a (Balboa) dancer, you love it or you hate it, there's nothing in between. I belong to the group of lovers.

What is so special about this song you may ask.

Well, read further 🙂

Diminuendo In Blue And Crescendo In Blue

Paul Gonsalves at Newport Jazz Festival 1956 — Paul Gonsalves. Photograph: Paul Hoeffler/Redferns

Duke Ellington wrote “Diminuendo In Blue” and “Crescendo In Blue” in 1937. The songs were recorded individually on opposite sides of a 78 rpm record and they were performed as separate pieces until 1951.

At the Birdland club in that year, tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves asked Duke for a solo between “Diminuendo” and “Crescendo”. Duke agreed and Gonsalves soloed for nearly 26-28 choruses (depends on the source) bringing the people to crying out and jumping on their chairs.

A few years later, Duke Ellington almost gave up his orchestra due to slackening demand in big band music, but then there was this legendary performance that rejuvenated Duke's career.

Sources: Wikipedia, Citypaper

Live at Newport Jazz Festival 1956

The story of a riot, that was almost created… 27 choruses solo… a platinum blond woman dancing… watch the clip!

And here is the full track, at least audible: 14 minutes and 14 seconds.

I really love that song! There is so much energy in there and you hear the musicians cheer Paul and pushing him even more. How I wish to have seen this performance with my own eyes.

Don't forget, it was in 1956, the same year when Elvis Presley and Rock ‘n' Roll became big! And Duke Ellington and his band brought big band music back on the radar.

DJ'ing Diminuendo And Crescendo in Blue

It's obvious, that you only can play this song at special occasions. 14+ minutes is far too long for a DJ'ed song for dancers.

Here is how DJ Kyle Smith does it. For example, he plays that song every year at the All Balboa Weekend, dedicating it to Sylvia Sykes. So, he announces the song, the length of the song and that it's totally okay to switch partners during the song. That way, you can decide yourself if you prefer dancing or having a drink.

[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B0013DDOCO” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61f7UoaU7ZL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013CRKRA” locale=”us”]Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (Live)[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Duke Ellington
Recorded: 1956
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013DDOCO” locale=”us”]Ellington At Newport 1956[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 196 bpm
Dance: Balboa, Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B004A08JLS” locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B0013CRKRA” locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001GTIY8Y” locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic

Are you a lover or a hater of that tune? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #129: At The Clambake Carnival

20.08.2012 by Chris

Cabell “Cab“ Calloway III (Dec. 25, 1907 – Nov. 18, 1994) was one of the most famous black stars in the 1930s-40s.

He was a (underrated) vocalist, performer and bandleader of one of the most popular African American big bands during that era with the Cotton Club as his home stage.

Cab Calloway was known to hire the best musicians and pay them top wages. He was convinced that when he had top sidemen it made him look good.

His sidemen included such great musicians as trumpeters Doc Cheatham, Dizzy Gillespie and Jonah Jones, tenor saxophonists Ben Webster, Chu Berry, Illinois Jacquet, Ike Quebec and Sam Taylor, pianist Bennie Payne, guitarist Danny Barker, bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Cozy Cole, and others.

I highly recommend to watch the Cab Calloway documentary “Sketches” (1 hour).

At The Clambake Carnival

The song starts at 1:33. The sound quality is poor but you get the idea ;).

Because Cab Calloway isn't singing in that song, it's not so obvious that it's by him and his orchestra.

“At The Clambake Carnival” is a lightly swinging tune with a simple base rhythm. Therefore it's also very suitable for (Balboa) beginner classes.

[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B000QZYYS8″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61P9HsPO1DL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B000QNZMDQ” locale=”us”]At The Clambake Carnival[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Cab Calloway
Recorded: 1938
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B000QZYYS8″ locale=”us”]New York 1937-1938, Vol. 2 Disk B[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 191 bpm
Dance: Balboa, Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001S6TSO4″ locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B000QNZMDQ” locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001FJFP9Q” locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic

What do you think about Cab Calloway's music? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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

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30 Week Lindy Hop Challenge: Your Favorite Lindy Hop Variation Dance

11.08.2012 by Chris

Every Friday for thirty weeks, I will write about a topic from the list of the
“30 Week Lindy Hop Challenge“.

Well, I'm too late this week, it's Saturday. Never mind! Here is

Week #5: Your favorite Lindy Hop variation dance
(Charleston, Balboa, Shag)

If you are a regular visitor on this website then you already know the answer. My absolute favorite is:

Balboa

Meanwhile, I would even say Lindy Hop is my favorite Balboa variation dance, I have become that addicted to that dance :).

Lisa Ferguson & Peter Loggins by Lisa Johnson — Lisa Ferguson & Peter Loggins
Photo by Lisa Johnson

My first contact with Balboa was in 2000 (or 2001, I'm not sure anymore) at Herräng Dance Camp where I booked a Lindy Hop week.

Peter Loggins & Lisa Ferguson, one of our instructor couples, were teaching Balboa in their classes. At that time, you couldn't sign up for Balboa classes.

I was still pretty new to Lindy Hop and therefore I had a hard time to memorize this “new” dance. At nights, we were dancing Lindy Hop so I couldn't practice the Balboa outside of the classes.

When I got back home, nobody did the dance and I forgot the steps as fast as I learned them.

After these classes, I took one or two taster classes, but the steps I learned there were kind of different to the ones I had learned before.

By 2006/2007, Balboa had become very popular in Europe and I had the feeling that one have to know to dance Balboa beside Lindy Hop.

Back in Herräng in 2007, tired of taking Lindy Hop classes, I took up Balboa again. It was much easier now to learn the steps but unfortunately, the music in the library, which has become the Balboa room in Herräng, was too fast for me and my partner. Again, we danced mostly Lindy Hop at nights.

I liked the dance from the beginning and I really wanted to learn it but as you can see, it needed me a lot of effort, to really get into it. I couldn't see any possibilities to improvise in this dance.

One year later, my girlfriend and I decided to attend the Balboa week at Studio Hop Summer Camp. The concept of dancing Balboa all day and all night seemed to be the only way to avoid dancing Lindy Hop at nights.

But it was also scary. I hardly could imagine how it would be possible to dance Balboa all night and this for a whole week. Remember, I thought there is no space of improvisation in this dance.

I'm so glad I did this. On the third evening I had this dance epiphany and everything changed. I started to understand the dance, the movements made sense and suddenly, I discovered lots of improvisation opportunities within my dances.

Since that night in the summer of 2008, I'm hooked on Balboa!

<< Last Friday: #4 Your favorite live band

>> Next Friday: #6 Your favorite group dance (shim sham, tranky doo big apple, etc)

Balboa

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #134: I Ain’t Got Nobody

Lew Stone

I Ain't Got Nobody

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #133: I Found A New Baby

Tiny Grimes

I Found A New Baby

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #130: Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue

Diminuendo In Blue And Crescendo In Blue

Live at Newport Jazz Festival 1956

DJ'ing Diminuendo And Crescendo in Blue

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #129: At The Clambake Carnival

At The Clambake Carnival

Related Songs:

30 Week Lindy Hop Challenge: Your Favorite Lindy Hop Variation Dance

Week #5: Your favorite Lindy Hop variation dance
(Charleston, Balboa, Shag)

Balboa

Balboa

Lew Stone

I Ain't Got Nobody

Related Songs:

Tiny Grimes

I Found A New Baby

Related Songs:

Diminuendo In Blue And Crescendo In Blue

Live at Newport Jazz Festival 1956

DJ'ing Diminuendo And Crescendo in Blue

Related Songs:

At The Clambake Carnival

Related Songs:

Week #5: Your favorite Lindy Hop variation dance(Charleston, Balboa, Shag)

Balboa

Week #5: Your favorite Lindy Hop variation dance
(Charleston, Balboa, Shag)