[Dixielandjazz] The Charleston

[Stephen G Barbone]

> "PHIL WILKING" <philwilking at bellsouth.net> wrote (polite snip)
>
> My old music teacher (born in 1908 and long gone), who was playing  
> in jazz
> bands in the 1920's, once told me that when the young people of the  
> day
> asked for a Charleston, they meant the Charleston rhythm to dance  
> to. They
> actually much prefered the tune "Five Foot Two" or maybe "Yes, Sir,  
> That's
> My Baby" played with a Charleston beat to the actual tune "The  
> Charleston."

I think the same is true among today's swing dancers. We have a fairly  
large group of expert swing dancers who follow us. And while the  
learner swing dancers prefer slower tempos, the experts often request  
our high speed songs. They see them as a challenge and we are happy to  
oblige.

When we do our high speed, raucous numbers, they switch from Lindy to  
Charleston steps. Our favorite challenge to them is Tiger Rag, for  
about 8 minutes, as fast as we can play it. They LOVE it and stay out  
on the floor till the end.

So much for the usual wisdom about slower tempos and 3 minute dance  
songs. <grin>

For a dancer comment about "Tiger Rag" see the myspace page below my  
sign off and scroll down the comments to Katherine's of June 6, 2008.  
She is mid 30s, an expert swing dancer in great shape and refers to a  
swing dance we played on the streets of West Chester PA. Note also the  
2 comments under hers from other dancers.

These kids kick butt. And it's fun for us to hug them when we both are  
all sweaty and out of breath after one of the burners.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband