about eating out in Sydney: – They are all about banana bread. I like it. – On the whole, service in cafes is very ordinary – Melbourne does beat them out by a long yard on this. The number of times I’ve had to ask for water, for cutlery… and – this is the worstContinue reading “things i’ve noticed”
Search results for: recreation
lindy hop 80s style
I know it’s wrong to just post youtube clips, but I had to. This is some dancing from the 80s – I’m sure I recognise some famous doods there, but I’m confident enough to specify. But you HAVE to watch through to see two chicks dancing together – they rock. In a similar vein, here’sContinue reading “lindy hop 80s style”
Mora’s Modern Rhythmists
In a fit of frivolity the other week I picked up this bundle of four Mora’s Modern Rhythmists/Swingtet CDs: These guys are from the US and specialise in creating ‘authentic’ recreations of 20s, 30s and 40s dance music (mostly 20s and 30s, really). I’m a big fan. I already had Call of the Freaks andContinue reading “Mora’s Modern Rhythmists”
happy day
This lovely thing just arrived! Sure, it was a little embarrassing opening the door to the post dood wearing only a (very) short, light cotton dress, but I like to think I made his afternoon a little more interesting. But it was just GREAT to see a giant Mosaic cardboard box under his arm. IContinue reading “happy day”
steel is real
(Originally uploaded by fixedgear on flickr). One gear nerds are everywhere. But this is the first time I’d seen one getting all recreationist with it. These are neat pics.
Mora’s Modern Swingtet’s 20th Century Closet
Mora’s Modern Swinget‘s 20th Century Closet. A contemporary band who specialise in the sort of music I like most (earlier swinging jazz and 20s hot jazz), the Swingtet are a smaller version of the Rhythmists (they could be a completely different band that Mora runs, I haven’t checked – I have Dumb Brain right now).Continue reading “Mora’s Modern Swingtet’s 20th Century Closet“
big apple, tranky doo, cultural transmission in dance and nerdy jazz fans
Look out: this post is a bit crapworthy. I think I’ve found my idea for the article, but it needs some work. But I just had to wack this down now while it’s on my mind (and just before I ping ding to the Laundry to see a band and do some dancing). My currentContinue reading “big apple, tranky doo, cultural transmission in dance and nerdy jazz fans”
very un-cultural studies of me
I’ve been writing a bit about women and blues music and dance lately, my ideas fed in part by my research for the thesis, but also (and perhaps more importantly), stimulated by my own experiences as a woman in the swing dance community. I’ve been asked to do a guest spot on a fairly specContinue reading “very un-cultural studies of me”
solomon douglas’ swingtet’s swingmatism and the basie mosaic set!
I scored with two bits of music for christmas. First, a friend’s band’s album: the Solomon Douglas Swingtet‘s album Swingmatism from The Squeeze’s mother, and second, The Basie Mosaic set from The Squeeze. Both are, of course, really fricking great. It’s unfortunate, though, that Sol’s album arrived with the Basie one – they’re working (inContinue reading “solomon douglas’ swingtet’s swingmatism and the basie mosaic set!”
a long story about blues, women, feminism and dance
Angela Y. Davies writes in her book Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday During Bessie Smith’s era [the 20s and 30s], most black heterosexual couples – married or not – had children. However, blues women rarely sang about mothers, fathers and children. in the subject index to herContinue reading “a long story about blues, women, feminism and dance”