Blues

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

13.08.2012 by Chris

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.

Title: Me, Myself And I
Artist: Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
Recorded: 1937
Album: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Volume IV
Tempo: 156 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

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

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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.

Title: I Want A Little Girl
Artist: Jimmy Rushing
Recorded: 1954
Album: The Very Best Of
Tempo: 75 bpm
Dance: Blues

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

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #115: Five O’Clock Blues

14.05.2012 by Chris

This week's song is neither a big band nor a small group recording, it's performed by only one instrument, the piano.

James Edwards “Jimmy” Yancey (Feb. 20, 1894 – Sept. 17, 1951) was an afro-american pianist, singer and dancer. He is considered the pioneer of Boogie Woogie piano. Boogie Woogie was a typical element of uptempo Blues and early Rock ‘n' Roll.

In the late 1930s, Boogie Woogie boomed but Yancey had started playing it already after 1915. Interestingly, Yancey didn't begin recording before 1939.

Chris Kelsey on allmusic writes about his style:

“Yancey was not as technically flashy as some of his disciples, but he was an expressive, earthy player with a flexible left hand that introduced an air of unpredictability into his bass lines. His playing had a notable peculiarity: Although he wrote and performed compositions in a variety of keys, he ended every tune in E flat.”

Despite the fact, that he had quite an impact as musician, he never quit his day job as a groundskeeper for the Chicago White Sox baseball team, where he started to work in 1925.

On January 23, 1986, Jimmy Yancey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, largely based on his contributions to the development of Boogie Woogie as a style.

Five O'Clock Blues

This song is a great example for Yancey's earthy style, as it is described earlier in this post. For my taste, it's more a Blues than a Boogie Woogie tune, though.

As a Swing DJ, you have to well consider when it's the right time to play such a song for a dance crowd!

Title: Five O'Clock Blues
Artist: Jimmy Yancey
Recorded: 1939
Album: The Piano Blues Of Jimmy Yancey
Tempo: 126 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Blues

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

Are you okay with dancing Lindy Hop to Boogie Woogie? 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 #107: The Spinach Song

19.03.2012 by Chris

American (dirty) blues singer and pianist Julia Lee (Oct. 31, 1902 – Dec. 8, 1958) was best known for her double entendre songs, “the songs my mother taught me not to sing,” as she stated herself.

She began to record for Capitol in 1944. Along with local players from Kansas City, she played on some sessions with Jay McShann, Vic Dickenson, Benny Carter, Red Norvo and Red Nichols.

In 1949, she landed a major hit with a song about vegetables – at first sight…!

I Didn't Like It the First Time (The Spinach Song)

Now, let's have a look at the lyrics:

Spinach has vitamin A, B and D, but spinach never appealed to me
But one day while having dinner with a guy, I decided to give it a try

I didn't like it the first time, it was so new to me
I didn't like it the first time, I was so young, you see
I used to run away from the stuff, but now somehow I can't get enough
I didn't like it the first time, oh, how it grew on me!

I didn't like it the first time, I had it on a date
Although the first was the worst time, right now I think it's great
Somehow, it's always hittin' the spot, especially when they bring it in hot
I didn't like it the first time, but oh, how it grew on me

Drugs? Sex?

It's obvious, that Julia Lee doesn't sing about spinach.

In the 1920s and 1930s, “spinach” was a very common slang word for marijuana. So, we can assume it's a song about smoking pot.

Although, when I was doing some research, I found statements from people who believe, that Lee is singing about sex.

Since we can find the song on many “Reefer” compilations (collections of vintage drug songs), I suppose the song is rather about drugs than sex.

Title: I Didn't Like It the First Time (The Spinach Song)
Artist: Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends
Recorded: 1949
Album: Kansas City's First Lady Of The Blues
Tempo: 159 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

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

What do you think? Is it a song about drugs or about sex? 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.

Top Swing Albums of 2011: Solomon Douglas Swingtet “Ain’t No School Like The Old School”

12.01.2012 by Chris

This is my second post of the super short series “My 2 Top Swing Albums released in 2011“. If you missed the first one, then you can read here part 1.

Third Album

After “Swingmatism” (2006) and “Live at the Legion” (2009), The Solomon Douglas Swingtet released their third Album “Ain't No School Like The Old School” in April 2011.

This studio album was recorded at the end of a three-week tour of the eastern states and provinces (in the US), having played 16 gigs in 20 days.

Led By A Swing Dancer and DJ

The ten-piece band is led by jazz pianist Solomon Douglas. In 2006 he toured the United States and Japan as a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Nowadays he is a freelance musician and dance instructor. Solomon teaches mainly Lindy Hop and Blues and is also a Swing and Blues DJ.

The repertoire of the Swingtet is rooted in that of the Count Basie band and that of the Duke Ellington band, complemented with other big band standards and classic jazz tunes.

Old Gems Become New Gems

Egyptian Fantasy by The Solomon Douglas Swingtet @ Seattle Lindy Exchange 2011

It was a good decision to record that album after a tour, when the musicians are well attuned. You can feel that with every note! The band is swinging like mad and you can't believe that there are “only” 10 of them playing all these gems. They love for sure what they are doing!

All 17 tunes are instrumental, originally recorded between 1928 – 1942. The new arrangements are closely based on the original ones without the requirement to sound exactly like them.

Here we have a fantastic album of old-style jazz songs with different tempos and styles.

And the clean sound is awesome, very direct! The different instruments are well balanced and nicely mixed.

I like the courage to choose less known songs like “Bizet Has His Day” or “Queer Notions”, both favorites of mine (and featured as Song of the Week #82 and #83)! I also love the versions of “Rose Room” and “Blues In The Air”.

Track List

King Porter Stomp – 210 bpm – 3:01
Clap Hands! Here Comes Charley! – 320 bpm – 2:09
Long Tail Mama – 201 bpm – 2:39
Bizet Has His Day – 155 bpm – 3:44
New Orleans Bump – 119 bpm – 3:35
Blues In The Air – 68 bpm – 5:46
Egyptian Fantasy – 106 bpm – 4:29
Queer Notions – 157 bpm – 2:57
The Mooche – 116 bpm – 4:08
Tuxedo Junction – 155 bpm – 3:14
Rose Room – 153 bpm – 3:10
Avalon – 248 bpm – 3:54
Cotton Tail (fast) – 260 bpm – 3:02
Cotton Tail (faster) – 281 bpm – 2:48
That's How Rhythm Was Born – 188 bpm – 3:47
Casa Loma Stomp – 269 bpm – 3:01
White Heat – 314 bpm – 2:17

A Must For Dancers, Music Lovers and DJs

Solomon and his musicians dared the balancing act of re-creation and adding their own style, and it was worth it!

The songs have a good length and different tempos for Lindy Hop, Balboa and Blues dancers. An album by a dancer for dancers – a pure winner!

Buy “Ain't No School Like The Old School”!

Digital Download
iTunes CH/EU — iTunes US — Amazon.de — A'zon.com — A'zon.co.uk

CD
Directly from Solomon — CD Baby

Link:

Solomon Douglas' Website

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Blues

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

Billie Holiday Mini Biography

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

Related Songs:

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

I Want A Little Girl

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #115: Five O’Clock Blues

Five O'Clock Blues

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #107: The Spinach Song

I Didn't Like It the First Time (The Spinach Song)

Drugs? Sex?

Related Songs:

Top Swing Albums of 2011: Solomon Douglas Swingtet “Ain’t No School Like The Old School”

Third Album

Led By A Swing Dancer and DJ

Old Gems Become New Gems

Track List

A Must For Dancers, Music Lovers and DJs

Buy “Ain't No School Like The Old School”!

Link: