Fast Swing Jazz - Please Help!

[fersin]

Hi there I am new to the forums and whilst looking for fast swing jazz on youtube saw this forum in a comment. I recently discovered swing jazz through a PC game funnily enough and loved it. The thing is I have no idea about swing jazz or any good artists.

This is where I was looking for help. If anyone could recommend me fast swing jazz similar to this -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwC6lt1OiLU

then I would greatly appreciate it. Hope I'm not breaking any rules, cheers for helping a newbie. Looking forward to some replies !

 

[RadioWave]

If you're browsing youtube, always check the uploader/general comment section for artist info and recommendations, or make use of the 'suggestion' feature. You're listening to Gerhard Trede - check out his other works to see if you like it.

Sounds to me that 'bebop' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bebop would be right up your alley:

[video=youtube;09BB1pci8_o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09BB1pci8_o&feature=related[/video]


[video=youtube;DEibWy5miBk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEibWy5miBk&feature=related[/video]

Check the 'Radio' threads on the forum to hear what everyone else is listening to. There are plenty of recommendations on there... Try everything. Even if it wasn't what you were looking for, you just might like it.

 

[Rudie]

Go to http://www.allmusic.com, click "Jazz" and start absorbing the information.

 

[martinsantos]

The method described by bluestone is wonderful to know different musicians and styles, even for just a first sight about.

After a while you can get a copy of "The Big Bands", by George T. Simon. It's a very good introduction to jazz and can give you some ideas about where to start.

Good luck!

 

[JAZZmann]

pandora radio is where I usually find new/old artists.

 

[Chas]

Uptempo?

Jimmie Lunceford: White Heat, Jazznocracy (sides A & B) on a release on Bluebird
[video=youtube;JNPjeTidTHE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNPjeTidTHE[/video]

Artie Shaw: Traffic Jam

[video=youtube;U1hXfWT3o3I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1hXfWT3o3I[/video]

Count Basie "Jumping At The Woodside"
[video=youtube;lArSKPvbkss]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lArSKPvbkss&feature=fvst[/video]

Earl Hines' "Rock and Rye"
Jimmie Lunceford: "Miss Otis Regrets"

 

[Chas]

p.s. LEARN BALBOA! That way you can dance real close to really fast music...

 

[Fletch]

Great picks Chas...and BTW: Was it always called Balboa? Did up tempo dancers necessarily know they were Balboa-ing?

Few more flagwavers (30s term for a fast chart showing off the virtuosity of a band). I'll keep it to the big names:

Yeah Man! - Fletcher Henderson Orch., 1933
Braggin' in Brass - Duke Ellington Orch., 1938
Bugle Call Rag - Metronome All Stars, 1941

...and always be on the lookout for...The Tiger!
Tiger Rag - Quintette du Hot Club de France, 1934
Tiger Rag - Ray Noble Orch., 1933

 

[RadioWave]

Great picks Chas...and BTW: Was it always called Balboa? Did up tempo dancers necessarily know they were Balboa-ing?

There was an older woman that I knew of that, when asked about dancing balboa during its heyday, replied, "Oh, you mean that shuffle-y dance we used to do?"

Also:

[video=youtube;Nc1oJsRjTgQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc1oJsRjTgQ&feature=related[/video]

 

[Chas]

Yes, they called it Balboa or swing dancing, later bal-swing. Balboa was the first dance to be referred to as "swing dance". It was born in the Rendezvous Ballroom (on Balboa Island in LA) IIRC as a smooth form of Collegiate Shag. The ballroom was so crowded that the dancers had to find a way to get into the fast music on a crowded dance floor.
Check out this clip- @ around 4:06 Dean Collins explains it and these are some of the original Balboa dancers in a LA TV show shot sometime in the late 70s/early 80s.
[video=youtube;SAz9HxrWL-k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAz9HxrWL-k[/video]

 

[Dapper Dave]

I always maintained if you want to hear swing Listen to Benny Goodman 1937-1938 he had an all star crew. Harry James, Ziggy Elman, Gene Krupa, Vito Musso, Arthur Rollini and Babe Russan. Theres a CD set called Benny Goodman On the Air 1937-1938 it's one of my favorits. It gives you the atmosphere of the 1930s clubs they played in, and you can really hear the full impact of the band. You can really hear how the crowds would go wild when the star players would do there solos. Also Harlem Jazz like Duke Elington and Cab Calloway are some bands I think you might enjoy

 

[Chas]

One of the most interesting bands that played a lot of uptempo stuff was that of Jan Savitt. His band was interesting inasmuch as his trademark "shuffle" style and that he led an integrated band- his male vocalist was George "Bon Bon" Tunnell. "Paper Picker" immediately pops to mind.

Today's podcast will have a lot of uptempo swing for y'all. It should be up in a couple of hours.

On the air as I write this.

 

[Fletch]

Savitt's shuffle swung. But was it swing?

 

[Chas]

I think you just answered your own question, Fletch....

If it was the right note at the right moment it is swing, n'est pas?

 

[martinsantos]

Certainly is swing! Savitt's orch swung in a way that can't be beaten! And the listener feels that everybody in that orch was getting great moments playing that way.