Dance Music
Jazz was born in the late 1920s, and swung on into the 1950s. That's a lot of music - at least 30 years worth.
Where to start?
Many new dancers find contemporary bands recreating historic music the most accessible.
Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis 'Live In Swing City: Swingin' With Duke' – (1999, Sony)' is a great first purchase.
Or you might go straight to the original music with this collection of classic swing era big band music: 'An Anthology of Big Band Swing 1930-1955' (1993, Decca).
Jazz Era
1920s
Lindy hop and swing music have their roots in the late 1920s, and many 1920s dances are popular with swing dancers around the world today. The 1920s saw the rise of big bands, yet the most exciting music of the era was played by small bands.
1920s solo dances and partner dances (like charleston and black bottom, and the earliest lindy hop) suit Jazz Era (1920s) recordings.
Swing Era
1930s - 1940s
Swinging jazz was the popular music of the 30s and 40s. Young lindy hoppers of Harlem like the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, would go out to dance to big bands in ballrooms every night. But dancers would also be dancing to smaller bands in bars and at house parties.
Swing era music feels best for lindy hop and for swing era solo dances.
Modern Swing Era
1950s - 1960s
Though rock and roll was sweeping the world, jazz was still healthy in the 50s and 60s. Big Bands like Basie's and Ellington's were still playing to packed theatres, and smaller combos were exploring newer, groovier styles.
Frankie Manning was a big fan of swinging out to big and small bands of the Modern Era (1950s and 60s).
Contemporary Swing (2000s)
There are many bands playing great jazz today, recreating historic styles, or composing their own songs.
- Contemporary Swing (2000s)
- Modern Swing Era (1950s-60s)
- Swing Era (1940s)
- Swing Era (1930s)
- Jazz Era (1920s)
- Andrew Dickeson's Blue Rhythm Band (swing era small band)
- Bernard Berkout (swing era big band)
- Boilermaker Jazz Band (swing era big band)
- Campus Five (swing era small band)
- Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio (swing era small band)
- George Gee (swing era big band)
- Glenn Crytzers' bands (swing era and 1920s small and big bands)
- Gordon Webster (swing era small band)
- Hot Sugar Band (swing era small hot jazz band)
- Jonathan Doyle Swingtet (swing era small band)
- Michael Gamble's Rhythm Serenaders (swing era small band)
- Midnight Serenaders (swing era small group)
- Mint Julep Jazz Band (swing era big band)
- Naomi and Her Handsome Devils (swing era small band)
- Palmetto Bug Stompers (New Orleans jazz)
- Professor Cunningham and his Old School (swing era small hot jazz band)
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band (New Orleans jazz)
- Tuba Skinny (New Orleans street jazz)
- Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks (1920s society big band)
Modern Swing Era (1950s-60s)
Hi-fi, high-fun, swinging jazz that sits right in the pocket.
Basie - Armstrong - Fitzgerald - Peterson
- Contemporary Swing (2000s)
- Modern Swing Era (1950s-60s)
- Swing Era (1940s)
- Swing Era (1930s)
- Jazz Era (1920s)
- Count Basie Orchestra ‘Breakfast Dance And Barbecue’ (1959, Blue Note Records).
- A high quality live recording of Basie’s big band playing favourites to an enthusiastic audience at a late night/early morning show. Features Joe Williams on vocals.
- Count Basie Orchestra ‘Count Basie Story’ (1960, Blue Note Records)
- A 2-disc recording of Basie’s ‘New Testament’ big band in the studio. Features many of the hits from the bands’ 1930s playbook, including ‘Jive at Five’ and ‘Shorty George’. Joe Williams on vocal again.
- Maxine Sullivan ‘A Tribute to Andy Razaf’ (1956, Legacy).
- A recording from later in her career, Sullivan sings with an excellent group of musicians, famous in their own right (including Buster Bailey, Milt Hinton, Dick Hyman).
- Duke Ellington Orchestra ‘The Private Collection, Vol. 6: Dance Dates, California, 1958’ (1958, BMG).
- Duke Ellington's band returned to the charts with a series of incredible live concerts in the 1950s.
- Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (and Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, etc) ‘Ella and Louis again’ (2003, Verve).
- 1950s small group recordings of two of the biggest names in jazz. Mostly slower, groovier feeling swing. Excellent listening, with a band featuring brilliant musicians (including Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, etc).
Swing Era (1940s)
Swinging jazz at the height of its popularity, with jump blues beginning to make its presence felt.
Hampton - Calloway - Millinder - Barnet
- Lionel Hampton Orchestra and small groups ‘Hamp: The Legendary Decca Recordings’ (1996, Decca).
- 2 CD set featuring some of the best 1940s Lionel Hampton big band music. The 50s stuff is a little too jump blues for lindy hop, but is still lots of fun. This album comes with lovely packaging, including great liner notes. Features iconic song ‘Flying Home’.
- Charlie Barnet Orchestra ‘Skyliner: 190-1945′ (1998, Giants of Jazz).
- Often overlooked by modern dancers, Barnet’s big band was very popular with lindy hoppers in the swing era, and this album is a good introduction to its 1940s recordings.
- Cab Calloway and his Orchestra ‘Are you Hep to the Jive?’ (1994, Sony).
- Cab Calloway is probably best remembered today for his performance of ‘Minnie the Moocher’ in the Blues Brothers film, but this charismatic band leader led an excellent big band whose lyrics were usually played for laughs.
- Lucky Millinder and his Orchestra ‘Complete Jazz Series 1941 – 1942′ (2009, Complete Jazz Series).
- Lucky Millinder’s band with Sister Rosetta Tharpe singing is very popular with dancers, though his work with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band in the 1930s is perhaps even better.
- Slim and Slam ‘Groove Juice Special’ (1996, Sony).
- Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart were recording large number of funny songs which are great for dancing throughout the 30s and 40s, and then into the 50s. They’re very popular with dancers today.
Swing Era (1930s)
Jazz goes mainstream, and becomes insanely popular with its swinging rhythms and biiiig bands.
Basie - Webb - Lunceford - Goodman
- Count Basie and his Orchestra ‘Count Basie – the Complete Decca Recordings, 1937-1939′.
- A 3-CD collection of the 1930s hits by one of the best-known band leaders of the swing era. This is a big set, so it’s worth previewing the songs to find ones you like. Popular songs include ‘Topsy’, ‘One O’Clock Jump’ and ‘Jive at Five’.
- Ella Fitzgerald and her Orchestra 'Ella Fitzgerald Live at the Savoy 1939-1940' (2007, Hep Records).
- Features Ella leading (and not singing much) with the Chick Webb band just after he died. This is a brilliant series of live recordings which really capture the feel of the Savoy Ballroom, home to lindy hop!
- Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra 'Lunceford Special 1939-1940' (2001, Sony).
- Lunceford’s 1930s big band is very popular with dancers, and this is a great collection of Lunceford songs from just one year, including dancers’ favourite ‘For Dancers Only’.
- Billie Holiday 'Lady Day Swings!' (2002, Sony).
- Billie Holiday in the late 30s and early 40s, mostly with Teddy Wilson’s Orchestra. Holiday can be a bit tricky for dancing because she does complicated things with timing, but the bands are great and the songs are all very famous.
- Benny Goodman’s Orchestra 'Sing Sing Sing' (1987, RCA/Bluebird).
- Goodman is famous for both is small and big bands, but this is a good introduction to his 1930s big band recordings. Includes the songs ‘Bugle Call Rag’ and ‘Roll ‘em’.
Jazz Era (1920s)
Hot jazz and the blues sit side by side in popular music, and the public leap to their feet.
Armstrong - Morton - Beiderbecke - Henderson
- Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Seven 'The Best of the Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings' (2009, Sony).
- Duke Ellington 'The Best of Early Ellington' (2012, Decca).
- Duke Ellington's career was to stretch into the 1970s, and this collection of his earliest recordings is a great place to begin.
- Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers 'Birth of the Hot 1926-1927' (2009, Bluebird).
- Jelly Roll bragged he'd invented jazz, but plenty of people would have argued with him. If they'd been brave enough. This band was very, very hot.
- Bix Beiderbecke 'Singing The Blues 1' (2008, Columbia).
- Bix Beiderbecke died tragically young, but before he did, his cornet playing inspired jazz musicians.
- Fletcher Henderson 'The Fletcher Henderson Story' (1994, Columbia).
- Fletcher Henderson was one of the greatest band leaders and composers of the 20s and 30s, and his band featured some of the best musicians of the era.