Monday, July 12th, 2010
What a great night we had at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday! It was just amazing to see such a huge and legendary venue filled with Swing Dancers. We’re SO proud of our two dancing teams, the Traffic Jam crew and the Happy Feet girls, who really pulled it out of the bag. Take a peek at their performances here…
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Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Ladies and gentlement check-in has officially opened for “Flight School!” the Aerials workshop with our excellent pilots Ben & Tanya. This workshop will take plac eon 24th April and will cover all new aerials…never seen before at a Swing Patrol London workshop. Excited? Thought so…Passengers are advised to make their way to check in and guarantee their place on this amazing workshop. Here’s a teasing taster of what you’ll be learning…
This is your time to fly. Give it a go…
Monday, March 22nd, 2010
Discovering new music to add to your collection is a fun process and there are lots of ways of going about it. You might have read that last month I told you about the old swing CDs I discovered at my parent’s house? Well, checking out your current CD and MP3 collection is the best place to start. I can guarantee that you’ll come across some swing tunes that you never knew you had! Friends are a great source of tips and suggestions. I’ve got a mate in Germany who gives me good tips, as do several of my UK friends. Its fun sharing ideas with others, especially if they don’t dance on the same scene as you as they’ll have plenty of new tunes for you. My last tip for finding new music is Lastfm.com. Its simple: pick an artist you like, lets say “Ella Fitzgerald” and it’ll start by live-streaming one of her tunes and will then introduce you to a raft of related artists. Enjoy! March’s top 5 toe tapping toons …
1) “Smooth Sailin’ – Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald: legend. “Smooth Sailin’” is a familiar song on the scene, and a good’un. Its gentle, smooth (well, you kind of get that from the title don’t you) and a fine example of Ella’s talent at scatting – there aren’t any real words in there, all boo be doos etc.. But hey, who needs words!
2) “Let the Good Times Roll” – Kansas City Stompers
The Kansas City Stompers are a Danish band, who’ve apparently been on the scene for 50 years. Wow. They have spent a fair amount of time in the US getting into the New Orleans groove. And the result is sublime. Vocals are by a gal called Sanne Salomonsen.
3) “Goody Goody” – Della Reese
Della’s powerful vocals beckon you to the floor, where with this song you can have fun with some fantastic breaks. Della started singing aged 6 in her local gospel choir in Detroit. Inspired by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday she turned to jazz and joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in 1953. In the 1950s and 1960s Della appeared in many TV shows and was the first black woman to host her own talk show. She’s still singing today and is an ordained minister.
4) “Junco Partner” – Louis Jordon
Every now and again you’ll hear a Latin tune sneak into a swing set. This is a good example of one. It has that Latin feel, but beneath you’ll find a rhythm that you can swing to. Louis started his musical career in the 1930s playing big band swing as a saxophonist for bands such as the Savoy Ballroom Orchestra led by Chick Webb. He later became on the leading practitioners of “jump blues”. Apparently he was married 5 times.
5) “I Love Being Here With You” – Barbara Morrison
I had never heard of Barbara Morrison until a few weeks ago in Bristol, but my word, this woman has a pair of lungs… She started performing aged 10 on her local radio station in Detroit and has still touring today. She sings a range of genres from blues to jazz from gospel to pop and has performed with greats including Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles and Etta James.
Happy listening. And if you have any feedback, or want to share some tunes then leave a comment in the box.
Hannah (AKA Mistress Groove)
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
So you want to learn to swing dance? But you’re a bit pushed for time? Maybe you’re not sure it’s for you? Or maybe you want to nail the fundamentals before you commit to a class? Well whether you’re a workaholic, a commitment phobe or a perfectionist we have just the right thing for you. Yes, we are SO good to you that we are willing to teach you everything we know about beginner swing in ONE DAY. Our Learn to Dance in a Day workshops have been getting people off to a flying start throughout the first half of 2010. In fact they are so popular, we have been forced to run more! You may be arriving a lindy flop but by the time you leave you’ll be able to lindy hop…
This weekend we are looking for leaders for the Brick Lane workshop but we have loads more workshops booked in across London. Check out our Workshops page for more information.
Even owls can Lindy hop! Don’t believe us? See for yourself…
What are you still doing here? Go book!
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
So imagine that someone took an array of old swing styled tracks and reworked them in a sort of hip hop style, slung in a DJ, A man wielding clarinetist and a very hypnotic female vocalist and brought them all to a bar just off Brick Lane. Sound like fun? Yea, we thought so too. Which is why we’ll be checking out Future Swing Stories at the Redchurch bar after class on Thursdays.
WATTS-ON? Jivers and Jitteries! 18th Of March marks the virgin eve celebration of a boisterous musical period in a” COOL CAT” contempory manner. FUTURE SWING STORIES , Is a night of revised vintage vibes and daredeviling dancing. Kick off your shoes and bust your conk off.
Expect: Swing suit clad men, Jive and Jitterbug dancers galore, man weilding clarinet, specially created early era films and the Londons best swing dj’s, mixing, scratching and mending, blending some of the best knees up audio this side of chicago.
Best of all, they dig Kormac. My new favourite swing mash up act. Don’t believe us? Well don’t take our word for it…have a listen.
Monday, March 15th, 2010
Balboa, balboa, balboa, it’s really the buzz word right now and this weekend we have a workshop with England’s ‘Mr. Balboa’ – the great Dan Guest. He is Britain’s busiest teacher of Balboa but we have managed to pin him down to share some of his knowledge with you. Time to get a taste of this wonderful dance we all love so much. Don’t we just spoil you? Oh yes we do. Register now to avoid disappointment.
AND…If you were in any doubt whatsoever as to precisely how cool Balboa is, then check out this clip of Mickey Fortenasce & Kelly Arsenault at EBC 2009. Doing the Bal to a pretty unexpected soundtrack…See you on Saturday, mullets optional.
Friday, March 12th, 2010
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
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
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…
Friday, March 5th, 2010
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
