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Swinging Projects for Lindy Hop & Balboa Dancers

Jimmie Lunceford

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #96: Flaming Reeds and Screaming Brass

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This is a song I have in my library since a long time but interestingly I didn't play it until last Saturday at The Snowball in Stockholm.

It's an uptempo song with unexpected breaks and sound patterns. First, you wait until the song really starts when you realize, that you are already in the midst of it.

Interestingly, «Flaming Reeds and Screaming Brass» was a test recording by the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra from 1933 for Columbia and not released before the late 1960s on LP!

James Melvin «Jimmie» Lunceford (6.6.1902 – 12.07.1947) was a multiinstrumentalist but mostly famous as bandleader. He led one of the most popular big bands of the swing era. The orchestra evolved from the Chickasaw Syncopators, a student band he organized in 1927.

In 1934, the band got booked by The Cotton Club in Harlem/New York and Lunceford's reputation began to steadily grow. The band was most known for their tight musicianship, visual show and humor in music and lyrics.

Our song of the week is a perfect example of the Lunceford sound.


DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #96: "Flaming Reeds And Screaming Brass" by Jimmie LuncefordTitle: Flaming Reeds and Screaming Brass
Artist: Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
Recorded: May 15, 1933, New York
Album: Complete Jazz Series 1930 – 1934
Tempo: 246 bpm
Dance: Balboa



Click the link to prelisten and/or download the song at
iTunes CH/EU — iTunes US — Amazon.de — Amazon.com


What do you think about this song, do you like it? 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 or on 8tracks.

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

Related Posts:

Song of the Week #95: «Four Or Five Times» by Jimmie Noone
Song of the Week #94: «Petite Fleur» by Sidney Bechet
Song of the Week #93: «Moonglow (Take 2)» by Benny Goodman Quartet
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

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #91: ‹Tain’t What You Do

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When you are an experienced dancer, then you know this song for sure.

If you are a beginner, then here is a song you have to know!

It was one of Frankie Manning's favourite songs and it is very often used for the Shim Sham.

It Ain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It) was composed by Melvin «Sy» Oliver and co-written with Trummy Young. It was first recorded in 1939 by Jimmie Lunceford and his orchestra.

Sy Oliver (17.12.1910 – 28.05.1988) was a trumpeter, vocalist, composer and arranger. In 1933 he joined Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra to help to define their sound and he arranged many hits in the following years. In the fourties he changed to Tommy Dorsey's orchestra to modernize their sound from Dixieland to Swing.

In 1946 he attempted to lead his own orchestra before he became a freelance arranger and producer. From 1975-1980 he was regularly leading a band again.

And that you can sing along the next time, here are the

Lyrics:

When I was a kid about half past three,
My daddy said, «Son, come here to me»;
Says, «Things may come and things may go,
But this is one thing you ought to know!»

‹Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
‹Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
‹Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
That's what gets results!

‹Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
‹Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
‹Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
That's what gets results!

You can try hard, don't mean a thing;
Take it easy, breezy, then your jive will swing!

Oh, it – ‹tain't what you do, it's the place that you do it,
‹Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
‹Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
That's what gets results!


DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #91: "'Tain't What You Do" by Jimmie LuncefordTitle: ‹Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)
Artist: Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
Recorded: 1939
Album: Harlem Shout
Tempo: 160 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Shim Sham



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


Do you like to dance the Shim Sham to this song? 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 #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
Song of the Week #87: «Troubled» by Frankie Trumbauer
Song of the Week #86: «Postcard To Fere» by Erich Nussbaum

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