I’m in a DJ dual (not duel, because I am a big hippy and Choose Not To Race) on Friday at the Sweet n Hot weekend in Melbourne next weekend, and I’m busily getting my nerves on. I’m such a big baby.
It’s going to be a lot of fun, I think, Keith and I are going to be swapping songs, and that’s a great place to start, because Keith and I have similar taste in music, though different collections, and I know Keith is a clever DJ, so he’ll rescue me if I fuck up. And I’m familiar enough with his vibe that I reckon I can complement what he does. I’m hoping we’ll make each other squee with fun.
So far I have listened to this song about four times, because I’m still really hot for boogie woogie because of this Mosaic select 3CD set.
(78rpm: Boo-Woo – Harry James and the Boogie Woogie Trio, 1939 – Columbia 35958/C-44)
I know boogie woogie isn’t really the very best music for lindy hop, but it’s a mixed balboa/lindy hop crowd and… nope. That’s not going to help me. I JUST LOVE IT OK. I get a bit hot for chunky Kansas swing and uptempo blues. Big Joe Turner. Basie. Jay McShann. Etcetera, etcetera. I love the thumpy excitedness of it.
I’m still hot for Bob Wills. It’s like one of those crazy fevers that burns you out and then you die. I’ve got quite a bit of his stuff, and I quite like the stuff he did in 1941 (or so). I’m talking about the songs with a good pianist and possibly some brass to balance all those strings.
…and that’s about as far as I’ve gotten preparing. But I’m expecting to lean on the high energy stuff, moving up and down the tempos. We’re swapping three songs each (I think), so that’s about long enough to work a little wave, or to respond to Keith’s last song and build on it. We’re only going for an hour or an hour and a half, starting earlier in the night, so we’ll be able to build things up from nothing. I hope. To be honest, I haven’t really looked at the running sheet properly. All I really know is that it is ON and it will be FUN.
