Shuffle Projects

Swinging Projects for Lindy Hop & Balboa Dancers

Billie Holiday

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

by

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 EldridgeRoy 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!


[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B000W1TJV8″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BgOHgLPwL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B000W1ZG06″ locale=”us”]Minor Jive[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Roy Eldridge
Recorded: November 16, 1943
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B000W1TJV8″ locale=”us”]After You've Gone[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 272 bpm
Dance: Balboa



Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B005JKAYOI” locale=”de”]Amazon DE[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B000W1ZG06″ locale=”us”]Amazon US[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B005JNPGZ2″ locale=”uk”]Amazon UK[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic


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

[catalyst_hook_box name=”adboxsotwbottom2″]

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

Related Songs:

Song of the Week #76: “Wabash Stomp” by Roy Eldridge
Song of the Week #137: “Skinny Minne” by Glenn Crytzer & His Syncopators
Song of the Week #136: “There Ain’t No Sweet Man That’s Worth The Salt Of My Tears” by Diana Krall
Song of the Week #135: “Moten Swing” by Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra
Song of the Week #134: “I Ain't Got Nobody” by Lew Stone

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #128: Me, Myself And I

by

Eleanora Harris*, better known as Billie Holiday (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend saxophonist Lester Young, changed the art of American pop vocals forever, as John Bush writes on allmusic.com.

Before her, jazz and pop singers were tied to the Tin Pan Alley tradition and rarely personalized their songs.

*Before she switched to the stage name Billie Holiday, she called herself Eleanora Fagan, which was her maternal grandfather's last name and was also used by her mother.

Billie Holiday Mini Biography

Note: This is a flash movie and therefore not visible on IOS devices. Sorry about that.

Me, Myself And I (Are All In Love With You)

There are several clips on YouTube, I have chosen the one, which has the lyrics included in the description.

The music was written by Irving Gordon with lyrics by Allen Roberts and Allen S. Kaufman. It was first recorded in 1937 by several artists including Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, Bob Howard and His Orchestra, and Dick Jurgens and His Orchestra with vocalist Eddy Howard.

This is just one example how Billie Holiday put a lot of spirit and expression into a song. Her bluesy style of singing is unique. Aside from that, “Me, Myself And I” is a great song to dance to.


[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B0013AT2OQ” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51P4CuVc2bL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AKT84″ locale=”us”]Me, Myself And I[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
Recorded: 1937
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AT2OQ” locale=”us”]The Quintessential Billie Holiday Volume IV[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 156 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop



Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001UKC9H6″ locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B0013AKT84″ locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ･ [easyazon-link asin=”B001UBE6LW” locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ･ emusic



What do you think about Billie Holiday? 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 #127: “I Like Pie, I Like Cake” by The Four Clefs
Song of the Week #126: “I Want A Little Girl” by Jimmy Rushing
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