Welcome to the Swing Patrol Blog! How exciting is this? We have so many cool people involved with Swing Patrol, we have a well organised web site and even a football team (Swing Patrol United.) But now, to top it all have we have…drum roll..a BLOG!!!

This blog is intended to be an online community for everyone involved with Swing Patrol. While it might have some similar news to our website it will also be updated with a range of cool things about fashion, music and all things that relate to the life of Swing Patrol and the art form we love…swing dancing!  Have a look around and see what you think!  Welcome.

Love your vintage? Well you could do a lot worse than getting yourself down to the Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair this Sunday. With clothes from the 1800s-1980s and over 40 NEW dealers in fine vintage apparel from all over the UK & Europe it promises to be quite the occasion. I picked up some great stuff on my last venture, not to mention some rather smashing tea and cake

Do get in early though, with over 800 people attending the last one it’s best to get in early for the real fine pickings before the vintage style seekers arrive en masse.

Sunday 14th March 11:00-4:30pm £4
The Urdang, The Old Finsbury Town Hall, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1

Pst….they were giving away 100 FREE tickets on their website. Hurry on over and see if you can snaffle one.
Keep looking for the heart…

www.clerkenwellvintagefashionfair.co.uk

Donnning your glad rags

So we’re all off to Stokey! Are you donning your glad rags and heading out to the gin mill this weekend? Perhaps you’re off to get an edge off some giggle water or get goofy with some fish or who knows…maybe you’re heading for a real flat tire? Whatever you’re doing, get swotting up on this new installment of essential twenties slang – if only so you can find out what all of that actually meant

Edge - intoxication, a buzz.  i.e. “I’ve got an edge.”

Egg - a person who lives the big life

Fall Guy – Victim of a frame

Fire extinguisher – a chaperone

Fish -(1) a college freshman (2) a first timer in prison

Flat Tire – A dull witted, insipid, disappointing date. Same as pill, pickle, drag, rag, oilcan

Flivver - a Model T; after 1928, could mean any old broken down car

Flapper - A stylish, brash, hedonistic young woman with short skirts & shorter hair

Fly boy – a glamorous term for an aviator

Frame - To give false evidence , to set up someone

Gams - A woman’s legs

Get a wiggle on – get a move on, get going

Giggle Water – An intoxicating beverage; alcohol

Gin Mill – An establishment where hard liquor is sold; bar

Glad rags – “going out on the town” clothes

Gold Digger – A woman who associates with or marries a man for his wealth

Goofy - in love

Essential twenties slang A-B

Essential twenties slang C-D

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To say we’ve emerged ‘fresh’ from the first of the girls only workshops with Sharon Davis last night would be stretching the truth slightly. However, we’ve all certainly emerged very excited about next week! So let us indulge ourselves for a little bit (sorry guys) with this archival clip from Night Music, a mini documentary on some of the female jazz bands of the 30’s and 40’s.

If you liked that you sould check out this clip of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. Chicks and brass are SUCH a winning combination

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So many people turned out for our French themed Swing Pit on Sunday night. The dancefloor was packed with stripey t-shirt, berets and fantastic dancing. A big thank you to Isabelle and Noemie for organising one of the coolest Swing Pits the Vibe bar has seen. If you didn’t make it down then take a look at these great photos by Simone Edwards and see what you missed….

You can see more photos from Ze Pit Francaise and keep up to date with Swing Patrol events by joining our facebook group. See you on a dance floor soon…

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LIFE magazine, August 1938

“Jitterbugs are extreme Swing addicts who get so excited by its music that they cannot stand or be still while it is being played. They must prace around in wild exhibitionist dances.”

This article is a really interesting insight into the Jitterbug dance craze was perceived by the Jazz scene. Apparently  to the ‘hot musician’ the Jitterbugs are plain poison! A rowdy crowd only humoured because they helped to bring prosperity to Swing music. It really is an interesting insight into a different era. It’s quite clear that the author believe that Jitterbug is the worst thing that could have ever happened to Jazz! Perhaps the funniest bit is the photo on page 57 where they have tried to illustrate the effect of Swing on a Jitterbugger.  The poor woman looks deranged!

The whole magazine is packed with great articles but this is part of a special feature on Swing – as ‘the hottest and best kind of Jazz reaches it’s Golden Age.’

At the end of the article LIFE compile a list of swing records – apparently  from ‘considered opinions of experts!’ ‘They form the nucleus of a good collection for those who want to know more about hot music.’

If you are a Spotify user you can listen to their list of ‘30 Great Hot Records’ here

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Greetings UK Swing Aficionados! Here’s some very exciting news from Australia’s premier swingin’ Big Band…

After six years of performing live – to the acclaim of thousands at corporate, private and public performances in Australia – we constantly field requests for a CD which captures the essence of our exciting Big Band sound, so it’s with great delight that we announce the release of our debut CD – Bounce!

This CD captures the best of B# (that’s ‘B Sharp’ for those of you new to ‘music speak’) to date, and begins another swingin’ journey we want to take you on into the future!  It’s our tribute to some of the ground-breaking legends of the original Swing Era, and an acknowledgement of the talent and passion of the B# team in the same tradition today.  Bounce! offers you 16 classic Big Band Swing tunes as well as a fabulous 16 page liner note booklet! Tunes we’ve included are ones that our fans have told us they love the most! And as a former Swing Patrol teacher for 6 years in Melbourne, there’s even more reason for me to be excited about this release, with feedback from dancers in Australia confirming that the diversity of tunes on Bounce! are “awesome” and ideal for social dancing!

The B# Big Band consists of Australia’s highest calibre and experienced jazz and session musicians – including those that are regular band members in various theatre productions and T.V. shows. Combined with our ability to re-create the magic of the 30s, 40s and 50s swing eras, you can be assured this CD really swings! And it’s not just Aussies that have discovered our fresh beat over the festive season – discerning music lovers in England, Germany, Poland and Italy have also ordered a copy of Bounce! and sent back fabulous feedback re the selection and quality of tunes!

So, ready to Bounce! with us? Here’s how to find out more and order your copy:

Visit our Bounce! CD page at the ‘Try Booking’ website by clicking here: B# Debut CD – Bounce!  The ‘Try Booking’ website is fast, safe and simple! Follow the step-by-step prompts for ‘international orders’, pay by credit card, and we’ll ship your copy (or copies) of Bounce! to you within 7 to 10 days.

And as a Swing Patrol UK special offer, you’ll get 15% off the regular international price of AUD $37 when you enter the ‘discount code’: SWING PATROL as part of the booking process. Easy as that!

With our growing acclaim, we hope to tour the UK someday, but in the meantime, we hope you enjoy our swingin’ sounds on Bounce! as much as others currently are.

Any questions, feel free to email me: henry@bsharpbigband.com.au Otherwise, get set to Bounce! with B#.

Cheers,

Henry K & The Swingin’ B# Team
www.bsharpbigband.com.au
Join the B# Mailing List

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Ladies and gentlemen meet Buddy Guy…

Now meet Gui Cavalcanti and Jenn Martinez, blues dancers, in love, getting married and on a campaign to get above-mention King of Blues to play at their wedding. Yes that’s right, their wedding!  Crate & Barrel is sponsoring a contest with a $100,000 prize towards the wedding of your choice meaning if Jenn and Gui can muster enough votes they would be able to pay Buddy Guy and his band the small sum of $75,000 (plus a rider…i know) to play at their wedding.

Bonkers? Maybe. Adorable? Absolutely. Go on, do it for Blues dancing and do it for romance. Get involved on facebook or directly at the Ultimate Wedding Contest and save them from this guy.

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The weekend is here again, offering a whole plethora of opportunities to get out and dance! All we have to do is get through Friday. So here is a bit of lunch break inspiration fodder to get you in the mood This clip is from the film Stormy Weather (1943) and features Cab Calloway doing a version of the Jumpin’ Jive.  It features an amazing tap break from the Nicholas Brothers about half way through.  By the way, anyone who knows for sure what it means to like your eggs on the ‘Jersey side’….PLEASE let us know.

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To say we’re pretty excited to be offering GIRLS ONLY EVENINGS with Sharon Davis from Wed Mar 10, 17 & 24 is a bit of an understatement. Sharon hails from Perth Australia but these days spends spends most of her time teaching and performing around the world with her dance partner Juan Villafane (Argentina), and dance troupe The Killer Dillers.  Sharon is also a founder of Australian burlesque company Sugar Blue Burlesque, with which she has delighted audiences with her graceful feather fan dances and sassy showgirl antics. You can see her show reel here..

Sold? Yeah….we thought so. Register now to avoid disappointment! Sharon will be teaching two course at two levels in Solo Jazz for Girls and Josephine Baker (Bananas optional). This is an amazing treat for the ladies…! Never heard of Josephine? Allow us us enlighten you…

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