Hi all,

Got asked for a slow jive the other day, which I didn't have! Although I suspect it would have cleared the dance floor, me likes to be able to fulfill requests.

Anyway, can anyone point in the direction of an albums or two that'll cover this genre?

Thanks,
Martin

Talk to Eskie

Take a look for a CD called

DANCELIFE: Rock this Town

Heres a tracklisting of the album, with dance genres/type listed after each track. The number on the end is the MPM of the track (Martini's per minute?)

My Baby Just Cares Slow Jive 29
Can't Get Enough Slow Jive 32
Shuffle City Slow Jive 33
Cry Me a River Slow Jive 33
My Man Is a Sweet Man Slow Jive 34
Some Kind of Wonderful Slow Jive 27
This Will Be Slow Jive 36
Look at That Cadillac Slow Jive 36
It's Chitlin' Time Slow Jive 36
Any Dream Will Do Slow Jive 36
Baby Likes to Rock it Jive 39
Only the Good Die Young Jive 40
To My Father's House Jive 44
Runaway Boys Jive 44
Buona Sera Jive 44
Land of a Thousand Dances Jive 44
Red Hot Jive 45
I'm so Excited Jive 46
St. Tropez Twist Jive 46
Rock This Town Jive 48

As with all such strict tempo/ballroom dance albums, dont be tempted to look down the track listings and use your existing copy of any of the tunes listed, as these albums often have tunes with "re-arranged" time signatures or percussion, to MAKE them into a type of dance, which the original may not have been.

The first couple of places which I tried on the net, were quoting about $24 (US) for this CD, which I would say is a bit pricey for a single CD. Obviously those with ballroom dresses must have loads of rainy-day cash stored in their display of chinaware teapots.

(I shouldnt make fun of strict tempo really...I won a very prestigeous annual gig from a less worthy DJ, by actually playing Foxtrots, Waltzes, etc...when requested... instead of (as the previous DJ did), announcing on-air, "we dont have any of that stuff"

Cheers guys,

Gary, how many pints am I gonna have to shout you come plasa!

Thanks for the heads up, following on from your answer, how about an album covering foxtrots waltzes etc.

good boy scout and all that...

Hmmm, looks like I'm into the realms of "bonus pints" then....

Well, theres two avenues of investigation here....

1) The "traditional" strict tempo/ballroom albums.... such as "Victor Sylvestor". These albums will get you all the usual "Come Dancing" style tunes, with so many band members that you'll just start imagining the 4ft mirrorball twinkling away... Standby for tunes such as "Cavatina: Theme from the Deer Hunter" and "Mr Sandman", as well as more useful "Mr Muscle/knobbly Knees" classic..."The Wheels Cha cha"... nearly all of these albums feature the dance style (Waltz, Foxtrot, Pasa Doble, Salsa etc" at the end of each track title, but sometimes abbreviated to (W), (FT), (PD), (Sal), (Sw) etc....

2) "Modern" ballroom dancing tunes. I carry a print out of these tunes in one of my record boxes... Did you know that "Atomic Kitten: Whole again" was a contempory line dance, that "Dancing Queen" and "I just called to say I loved you" were ballroom dances too? Me neither until a good few years back. There are ballroom websites which list such modern tunes in "dance type" order.

Remember too, if you're ever thrust into a Ballroom dance situation...playing one I mean, not dancing to one.... Forget tight, slick, non-stop mixing into the beginning of the dance...its a no no... go for "Ladies and Gents, I've had several requests for a Waltz (whatever), which I'll be playing straight after this next song...so please grab your partners warmly by the throa....err...HAND... to be ready on the dance floor for Victor Sylvestor and the boys, straight after this one from Dire Straits: The walk of life" ..... then let "Walk of life" fade out at its end... and announce "Take your partners please for >song title<, a Waltz....." start tune from very beginning...

Ok, ok, it all sounds as cheesy as cheddar written down...but... it works.... People (especially OLD DEARS) need at least a couple of minutes warning of an impending ballroom dance, to re-polygrip their dentures and adjust their trusses, (dont they Mikeee)...playing a Pensioner-friendly tune prior to the Waltz etc...gives them that preparation time...and leads the music into the right style too, even for those just looking on. Its important too, to announce that the next tune IS a waltz, (or foxtrot etc), prior to the Play...that way it allows couples chance to space themselves around the dancefloor, so that their first group turn doesnt look like a first-bend formula one accident.

Good grief....Im sounding as if I play this sort of stuff weekly...I dont....I probably play about 10 ballroom dance tunes a year...tops.

on a similar theme, can anyone recommend any good merengue cd's/songs

esk! Im ya man! I have loads of spanish stuff... one must have merengue track is called "solo se viva una ves" - any spaniard will go mad for it.... can burn some for you if you want

QUOTE (Eskie @ Aug 28 2003, 04:30 PM)

on a similar theme, can anyone recommend any good merengue cd's/songs

sainsbury's sell some nice merangues, with strawberries & cream