[Dixielandjazz] Dancers Swing The Music - Was Swing the Belleville

[Stephen G Barbone]

> Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com>
>
> Last night I attended an event called "The Swing de Belleville" party.
> The name was a take-off on the wonderful French speaking cartoon
> "Triplets de Belleville" - on of the best I've ever seen.
> What attracted me, however, was the participation of Swing de Gitans,
> a local - young - Gypsy swing group.  So, I took the risk despite the
> threatening "on gramophones.." with a DJ's name.
> The event was wonderful.  Those young DJs played music of Benny
> Goodman, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong.  And the public was almost all
> young, although there might have been two or three people in their
> forties; I must have been the oldest, and my friend who's 53 - the
> secong oldest.  And at least some of the kids danced (there was
> pracically no room to sit - it was dance or stand).  And were
> enthusiastic about the "professional" dancers, who seemed to be the
> dancing teachers from "Dance Tel-Aviv," an organization advertised at
> the event, and of which I have not heard before.  They offered lessons
> in lindy hop, charleston, and other dances of the '20's and '30's.
> The band was excellent, corroborating Buddy Tate's statement that
> "dancers put soul in the music."  I've heard the group many times, but
> last night it sounded much more enthusiasitc.
> All of which brings us back to Steve, doesn't it?

Hello Marek et al:

No doubt about it, dancers swing the music and energize the band.

In January, 3 of Barbone Street's gigs were strictly for dancing.  
First one for a swing dance at the Ethical Society Building on  
Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. Great space, great dance floor,  
great bunch of 200 kids, mostly under 30, dancing their butts off.

Second one was a corporate party on the Mosulu Tall Sailing Ship  
moored on Penn's landing in Philly. (You saw it in the Godfather,  
bringing Don Vito from Sicily) This corporation employs a bunch a  
great dancers of all ages and they fill the floor. They danced their  
butts off.

Third one was a private 40th birthday party for a guy who employs us  
to play at a retirement facility twice a year. This one made us  
nervous because they were all under 40 except him, and who knew if  
they would like the music. The danced their butts off and loved it.

Bottom line for us is that we all thought the band sounded as good, or  
better than ever, and we know we swung. And our faith in the power of  
OKOM among kids was renewed. Especially since they resulted in two  
high profile gigs. One, a Univ of Pennsylvania Formal Swing Dance at a  
museum, and the other a wedding.

In these tough economic times, we are finding that OKOM gigs among the  
young are very viable and high paying, as well. And, for those of us  
who still see ourselves as sexy senior citizens, there is nothing  
better than watching those young, hard bodies, dance.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband