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 < [email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, April 14, 2023 5:46 PM > *To:* [email protected] < > [email protected]> > *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 Pietravalle > West Michigan > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > <https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS> > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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