I’ve been trying to find the video someone shared with them playing the tune.
I’ll share when I find.
L
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
On Friday, April 14, 2023, 3:56 PM, Jeff Kaufman <j...@alum.swarthmore.edu>
wrote:
Hi Laurie,
Any chance you could share the tune or a recording? "Jazz" is a very wide
genre, and giving advice for matching dances to jazz is sort of like giving
advice to matching dances to "fiddle music".
Jeff
On Fri, Apr 14, 2023 at 1:58 PM Charles Abell via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
As a caller and a dance musician who sometimes plays jazz standards for contra
dances, I have found that dances that are a bit marchy (down-the-halls, single
promenades, etc) and bouncier dances (lots of balances) seem to work best with
swing tunes. And of course, some square dances are written to go with swing
tunes ("Just Because", etc) Conversely, very flowing, smooth dances often don't
work quite as well.
That said, the nature of the swing tune is also important. Clear phrasing,
singable melodies are helpful, and of course you need the 32-bar structure.
Many swing tunes - like, say, "Bye Bye Blackbird", will have more of a
double-time feel - that swinging, boom-chuck rhythm. But we have also used
tunes like "Autumn Leaves" which are more of a straight swing feel, more
relaxed and flowing. Either, though, seems to work with bouncy and marchy
dances; it's just a different vibe.
Listening to some Elixir recordings might provide some fodder for your
planning.
Hope that helps, Chuck From: Laur via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 5:46 PM
To: contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Dances that go to swing dance tunes We have a band in the
area that like to play kind of a jazzy swing tune number - and as far as I can
ever remember callers are more than a little surprised by the tune when it
comes out because the dances don’t work with it.
I want to do is find a dance that goes with a swinging jazzy tune, and then ask
them to play it when I choose that dance
I do have one dance I think might’ve been recommended here Ragtime Sammy that
goes well with a rag. However I’m a little concerned it may be too dizzying.
Thought?
Any others??
Laurie PietravalleWest Michigan
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
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