• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Shuffle Projects

Swinging Projects for Lindy Hop & Balboa Dancers

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • DJ CHRiSBE
    • Song of the Week
  • RESOURCES
  • CONTACT

Benny Goodman

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

30.07.2012 by Chris

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). In 1927, he moved to Kansas City and joined Walter Page's Blue Devils. He recorded with them in 1929 and then joined Bennie Moten in the same year, staying until Moten's death in 1935.

Count Basie picked up the pieces of the Moten band and Rushing joined the new Count Basie Orchestra. This was a perfect match and Rushing stayed for 15 years. While with the Basie Orchestra, he also appeared in several film shorts and features.

Rushing was with Basie until October 1948 and occasionally during 1949. When the Count Basie Orchestra broke up in 1950, he shortly retired and then formed his own combo (1950-1952). He freelanced as a soloist during the 1950s.

In 1957, Rushing appeared with Count Basie at the Newport Jazz Festival. With Benny Goodman he had an appearance at the Brussels World Fair and in 1959, he toured Europe with Buck Clayton.

In the 1960s, he sang with Harry James, Benny Goodman and Eddie Condon and stayed active until his death in 1972.

I Want A Little Girl

A clip from “The Subject is Jazz”, presented by Dr. Billy Taylor, summer 1958

“I Want A Little Girl” is a beautiful blues. Jimmy Rushing's distinctive voice could be powerful with a wide range from baritone to tenor. But it could also be warm, soft and soulful like in this number.


[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B002D1B3VO” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51knJjZO-ZL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B002D17IUY” locale=”us”]I Want A Little Girl[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Jimmy Rushing
Recorded: 1954
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B002D1B3VO” locale=”us”]The Very Best Of[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 75 bpm
Dance: Blues



Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ・ iTunes US ・ [easyazon-link asin=”B002D10WIE” locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link] ・ [easyazon-link asin=”B002D17IUY” locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ・ [easyazon-link asin=”B002D1EDK2″ locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ・ emusic



What do you think about this version? 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.


[catalyst_hook_box name=”adboxsotwbottom”]

Related Songs:

Song of the Week #69: “Evenin'” by Jones Smith Inc.
Song of the Week #125: “Jeep Jockey Jump” by Glenn Miller
Song of the Week #124: “Cherokee” by Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
Song of the Week #123: “Russian Rag” by Tuba Skinny
Song of the Week #122: “A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)” by Dinah Washington

Filed Under: Music, Song of the Week Tagged With: Benny Goodman, Blues, Count Basie, DJ Chrisbe, Jimmy Rushing, Mr. Five by Five

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

07.05.2012 by Chris

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 written this before: I definitely recommend the album “[easyazon-link asin=”B0013AUWA4″ locale=”us”]The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings[/easyazon-link]”. All the songs were carefully remastered in 1996 and it is one of my favorite compilations of Swing music ever!


[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B0013AUWA4″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518T3JsY0jL._SL160_.jpg” width=”157″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AKXCQ” locale=”us”]Smiles[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Benny Goodman Quartet
Recorded: 1937
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AUWA4″ locale=”us”]The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 154 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Balboa



Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ・ iTunes US ・ [easyazon-link asin=”B001VFN2KS” locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link]・ [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AKXCQ” locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ・ [easyazon-link asin=”B001GSFPH8″ locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ・ emusic


Do you like small groups or do you prefer big bands? 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.


[catalyst_hook_box name=”adboxsotwbottom”]

Related Songs:

  • Song of the Week #35: “Smiles” by Flavio Ambrosetti Sextett
  • Song of the Week #93: “Moonglow” (Take 2) by Benny Goodman Quartet
  • Song of the Week #113: “Ridin' And Jivin'” by Earl Hines
  • Song of the Week #112: “Ochi Chornya” by Wingy Manone
  • Song of the Week #111: “Town Hall Blues” by Bud Freeman

Filed Under: Music, Song of the Week Tagged With: Balboa, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Lindy Hop, Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson

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

23.12.2011 by Chris

Best of 2011: Let's Dance by Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra | Shuffle ProjectsMusical 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 finally released in July 2011. It was well worth the wait!

Fresh Sound

I have to confess, I'm not a huge fan of contemporary big bands. In my opinion, most of them are boring, uninspired, too clean and I often miss a certain amount of “dirt” in the music, if you know what I mean.

But here we have something completely different.

From the very first tone, I was impressed by the sound. The orchestra plays with such a fresh and relaxed but hard swinging drive, there is so much joy in the music, that you can't sit still!

And Bernard himself is proving again, that he is THE master on clarinet. His solos are top notch! I have no idea how one can play an instrument with such a virtuosity :).

Not to forget to mention all the other musicians who have done an incredible great job.

Music For Dancers

No wonder! The local Lindy Hop community in the Netherlands was involved from the beginning of the project. As Bernard writes in the 24-page (!) booklet coming with the CD, two of the Lindy Hoppers stand out:

“Dancer and swing DJ Robert Cullen became my sounding board, my musical conscience and co-producer. Dancer and clarinetist Frans van Dommelen was extremely generous in approaching his many contacts in the world of dance, and he was ever-present and supportive no matter how far away from home we performed or rehearsed. Both of them participated in long discussions about repertoire, length and tempos.”

The result is an album for dancers.

The music is based entirely on the ideas and arrangements of Benny Goodman. The length of the songs is in the range between 3:00 and 4:49 minutes. As usual for this kind of CDs, the bpm are listed: the tempos vary between 114 and 232 bpm. There are songs for any dance level!

Track List

  1. Roll ‘Em – 192 bpm – 3:48
  2. Minnie The Moochers Wedding Day – 200 bpm – 3:51
  3. Jersey Bounce – 126 bpm – 3:26
  4. St. Louis Blues – 130 bpm – 4:10
  5. He Ain’t Got Rhythm – 166 bpm – 4:49
  6. I Would Do Most Anything For You – 192 bpm – 3:27
  7. House Hop – 216 bpm – 3:44
  8. Swingtime In The Rockies – 230 bpm – 3:01
  9. Estrelita – 132 bpm – 3:30
  10. Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance) – 180 bpm – 3:08
  11. Down South Camp Meeting – 216 bpm – 4:15
  12. Happy As The Day Is Long – 232 bpm – 3:54
  13. You Turned The Tables On Me – 114 bpm – 3:00
  14. Let’s Dance – 220 bpm – 3:31

Numbers 5, 10, 12 and 13 feature singer Leah Kline (awesome voice!), the rest are instrumental numbers.

Highly Recommended

This album is by far the best contemporary big band recording I've ever heard! There are always downsides, but honestly, I can't find one.

I highly recommend “Let's Dance” and I'm convinced we will hear songs from the recording very often on the dance floor.

Buy “Let's Dance”!

Digital Download
Amazon

Sources:

  • Hey Mister Jesse Podcast #67 – July 2011: Interview with Bernard Berkhout and Robert Cullen about the creation process and production of the recording.
  • “Recording technique recommended for a new big band album” Thread on swingdjs.com where Robert Cullen was researching which recording technique would be preferred by Swing DJs (try with a search, original link doesn't exist anymore)
  • Bernard Berkhout's Website

Check out another Top Swing Album of 2011:

  • Solomon Douglas Swingtet “Ain't No School Like The Old School”

Filed Under: Music Tagged With: Benny Goodman, Bernard Berkhout, Big Band, Doctor Bernard and His Swing Orchestra, Lindy Hop, Swing

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

12.12.2011 by Chris

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 have mixed orchestras. In fact, Benny Goodman was hesitating for a long time to perform with black musicians on stage because of race discrimination.

Moonglow (or Moon Glow) was recorded by the quartet in 1936 and there are two existing takes. Take two is a tad faster than take one and is our song of the week. The same tune was a number one hit two years before, recorded by Goodman's freshly organized permanent performance orchestra.

Moonglow is a quite slow Lindy Hop tune, which suits perfectly to the winter season we have right now in Europe. Imagine, it's cold outside and you are attending an afternoon swing event. You drink some hot tea, eat a piece of cake and dance to this song.

I recommend “The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings” for every swing dancer and music lover, it's one of the best compilations I've ever bought. The remastering is softly and respectfully done without damaging the original sound feeling.


DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #93: "Moonglow" (Take 2) by Benny Goodman QuartetTitle: Moonglow (Take 2)
Artist: Benny Goodman Quartet
Recorded: 1936
Album: The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings
Tempo: 114 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop



Click the link to prelisten and/or buy the song (mp3/mp4a) at
iTunes CH/EU
— iTunes US — Amazon.de — Amazon.com


What do you think about Benny Goodman's small group recordings? Let us know 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.

Sign up now for DJ Chrisbe's free resources emails for
more music tips and swing DJ resources!

Related Posts:

Song of the Week #92: “Little Sir Echo” by Rex Stewart & Dickie Wells
Song of the Week #91: “‘Tain’t What You Do” by Jimmie Lunceford
Song of the Week #90: “Stompin’ At The Riverside” by Spade Cooley
Song of the Week #89: “Rexatious” by Rex Stewart
Song of the Week #88: “Honeysuckle Rose” by Fats Waller

[catalyst_hook_box name=”share”]

Filed Under: Music, Song of the Week Tagged With: Benny Goodman, DJ Chrisbe, Gene Krupa, Lindy Hop, Lionel Hampton, Quartet, Small Groups, Swing, Ted Wilson

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

17.10.2011 by Chris

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 the fall of 1940: “Shaw asked me if I'd ever played the harpsichord, and I said: ‘Certainly.' And he said, ‘Well that's great; we're gonna make some records tomorrow.' . . . I was lying! So I said, ‘Artie—I don't know what a harpsichord is.' . . . He says, ‘I have one up the house; let's go up there tonight—and we'll rehearse, and we'll make some records tomorrow.'”

The pianist got the hang of the antique instrument (with its stiffer keyboard action) pretty fast, he told a writer from Time-Life records in 1973: “I went home and practiced until I could trill with the fourth and fifth fingers for twenty seconds, then I was okay.”

Source: “Hip to the Harpsichord” The Wallstreet Journal – Masterpiece

The result was the recording of “Summit Ridge Drive” which became a million-seller and one of Shaw's all-time favourite numbers, among others like “Frenesi“.


DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #85: Summit Ridge Drive by Artie Shaw & HIs Gramercy 5Title: Summit Ridge Drive
Artist: Artie Shaw & His Gramercy Five
Recorded: 1940
Album: Complete Gramercy Five Sessions
Tempo: 128 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop



Click the link to prelisten and/or buy the song (mp3/mp4a) at
iTunes — Amazon.de (CH/D/A) — Amazon.com — eMusic*

*not an eMusic member yet? Get 25 Songs with Your 7 Day FREE Trial!


Do you like this song? Do you like the series? Please leave a comment!


Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.

Sign up now for DJ Chrisbe's free resources emails for
more music tips and swing DJ resources!

Related Posts:

Song of the Week #14: “Frenesi” by Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
Song of the Week #68: “Come On-A My House” by Rosemary Clooney
Song of the Week #84: “Root Hog Or Die” by The Harlem Hamfats
Song of the Week #83: “Queer Notions” by Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra
Song of the Week #82: “Bizet Has His Day” by Les Brown

[catalyst_hook_box name=”share”]

Filed Under: Music, Song of the Week Tagged With: Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, DJ Chrisbe, Gramercy 5, Harpsichord, Lindy Hop

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Welcome, I'm Christian Bossert. Since 1999, I‘ve been passionate about Swing dances as well as their culture and history. I‘m a Swing dance instructor and international Swing DJ Chrisbe, based in Zurich Switzerland. Read More…

Recent Posts

  • Alphabetical Jazz Steps – Edition 3 (2017) with Chester Whitmore
  • Marcia & Chris unterrichten bei Dance2bee in CH-Muhen, 10.-13.07.2017
  • WhatStep – Your Dance Move Assistant App: The Story
  • Februar-Aktion: 15% auf iTunes Geschenkkarten
  • Marcia & Chris are teaching Balboa in D-Dortmund, 27.-29.11.2015

Most Popular Posts

  • 33 Tips & Actions How To Become A Better Swing Dancer
  • Swing Summer in Europe: Studio Hop Summer Camp in Eauze France
  • Competing at ABW and ESDC
  • Dance Teaching Idea: Ask & Tell
  • A Day At The Balboa Experiment
  • Frankie Manning: Never Stop Swinging (Documentary)
  • 14 Tips To Become A (Better) Swing DJ

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in