Shuffle Projects

Swinging Projects for Lindy Hop & Balboa Dancers

Song of the Week

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #7: No More Love

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For this week I have chosen a R&B song – played by a big band – rather than a typical Swing song, but it's just perfect to dance Lindy Hop to.

Pianist Buddy Johnson (1915-1977), his real name was Woodrow Wilson Johnson, led a large jump blues band that was very successful during the 1940s and 1950s.

He featured different vocalists but his younger sister Ella Johnson was the primary singer of the band.

No More Love is a great example of the big band's driving sound at a slower tempo and Ella's soulful voice.

Buddy Johnson Walk'em The Decca Sessions

Title: No More Love
Artist: Buddy Johnson And His Orchestra
Recorded: Dec. 19, 1950
Tempo: 125 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song from: Amazon

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist.
Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #6: The Gal From Joe’s

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Another great song is The Gal From Joe's composed by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills, here in my preferred version by Charlie Barnet (1913-1991).

Charlie Barnet was a son of wealthy parents who had hoped he would become a lawyer. However Charlie led his first orchestra on a transatlantic ocean liner at the age of 16 years!

Charlie later led what was known as «The Blackest White Band Of Them All» and he was a great admirer of Duke Ellington (as well of Count Basie). He mainly played tenor sax, influenced by Coleman Hawkins, but also alto and soprano sax. Barnet was able to emulate Johnny Hodges‘ style on alto, our song of the week is a great example of this ability.

Title: The Gal From Joe's
Artist: Charlie Barnet
Released: 24.2.1939
Tempo: 164 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist.
Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

Do you like the «Song of the Week» series? Share your thoughts below.

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #5: The Game Of Love

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This is a beautiful song by Fairground Attraction, a Scottish pop band which only existed from 1987-1990. They are most known for their world hit «Perfect», released 1988.

«The Game Of Love» is a wonderful swinging song, although I wouldn't play it at every Swing night. But sometimes it's just the perfect song!


Title: The Game Of Love
Artist: Fairground Attraction
Released: 1990
Album: Ay Fond Kiss
Tempo: 144 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song from: Amazon

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist.
Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

Do you like the «Song of the Week» series? Share your thoughts below.

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #4: I Found A New Baby

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Kenny Clarke 1964
Mallory1180 [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

I Found A New Baby (also: I've Found A New Baby) is one of my favourite Jazz standards and I can't stop hunting for new versions of that great song.

For this week I have chosen a version you can find on an Edgar Hayes compilation. Kenny Clarke (1914-1985), who played drums and vibes (plus piano and trombone during school) joined Edgar Hayes‘ Big Band 1937.

In 1938, they made an European tour and Kenny Clarke got the opportunity to lead his own recording session in Sweden. The group was named Kenny Clarke's Kvintett and they recorded four songs, one of them is our song of the week.

In my ears it sounds like Kenny Clarke is playing a xylophone with that muffled, warm sound, though some sources state he's playing vibes. Pretty weird are the vocals by James Anderson in the second part of the song. But because of that strange combination of different sounds, this version is so appealing to me.

Title: I Found A New Baby
Artist: Kenny Clarke's Kvintett
Recorded: March 8, 1938, Stockholm SE
Tempo: 234 bpm
Dance: Balboa

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist.
Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

Do you like the «Song of the Week» series? Share your thoughts below.

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #3: Spooks

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Louis Armstrong Recording Studio 1959


This funny song in a medium tempo range starts with a squeaking door and a deep laughter. Is it spooking in the house?

Often there is a murmur in the dance crowd when the intro starts and the majority of the dancers don't know the song: Is that a Swing tune? Yeah, it is!

There are strings and a choir supporting the orchestra which gives the song an additional mood.

Title: Spooks
Artist: Louis Armstrong feat. Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra
Recorded: 13.4.1954 New York, NY
Tempo: 152 bpm
Dance: Lindy

I like this song! Steve Leggett on allmusic label it «utterly goofy». Make up your own mind!

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist.
Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

Do you like the «Song of the Week» series? Share your thoughts below.

Now Check Out