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Tammy, you were raving about the Andrew Sisters with Glen Miller CD. Its out-of-print! Any other recommendations for Andrew Sisters? |
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50th Anniversary collection is good and not out of print. |
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Ron, Wow! Let me check around and see if I can find it for you. I think David got it at Tower or Off the Record. I'll look at music trader for you as well. It may be out of print, but I bet we can find it for you!!!! I'll check around and let you know! It really is solid!!! I'm not sure what's on the 50th Anniversary but I'm sure that's good as well. Hey Lisa, what's on that? Here's what's on the Chesterfield broadcast: Oh Johnny, Oh Jonny, Oh! I've got no Strings Begin the Beguine Indian Summer Chico's Love Song Bie Mir Du Shon Beer Barrel Polka (Hee hee hee-wanna polka??) In the Mood I Love You Much Too Much The Donkey Serenade Tuxedo Junction Say "Si Si" The Rhumba Jumps (one of my favs) Hold Tight-Hold Tight (solid, jack!) Yodelin' Jive (fun & flying!) One O'clock Jump |
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50th anniversary collection, vol. 1: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ts/music-glance/B000002PGK/qid=936897976/002-7419869-8567866 That's probably the one I'm going to pick up. I'm gradually filling those gaps in my collection.. Be careful when you start recommending CDs on this forum, people actually listen. I know two people that bought the O'Day/Krupa CD after we raved about it on here... I just got a new big-band CD collection. Its only average, but it has a song called "Margie" by Billy May orchestra, which is pretty good, and I had to play it Tuesday at the Rocket for Margaret Adams and she recognized it as a song her grandfather used to sing to her! Isn't that cool? |
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Oh, and to fill another gap in my collection. Anyone have a favorite Sinatra? |
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I'm sure there are other Sinatra albums that are better, but one of my favorites is "A Swingin' Affair", originally released in 1957 and currently in print on Capitol Records. My favorite cuts from that CD are "I Wish I Were in Love Again" and "I Won't Dance". The first for its message, the second for its dancability. Song list: 1. Night and Day 2. I Wish I Were in Love Again 3. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' 4. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans 5. Nice Work If You Can Get It 6. Stars Fell on Alabama 7. No One Ever Tells You 8. I Won't Dance 9. Lonesome Road 10. At Long Last Love 11. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To 12. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good 13. From This Moment On 14. If I Had You 15. Oh! Look at Me Now 16. Lady Is a Tramp Another great collection of Sinatra's is "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!", also on Capitol. Song list: 1. You Make Me Feel So Young 2. It Happened in Monterey 3. You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me 4. You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me 5. Too Marvelous for Words 6. Old Devil Moon 7. Pennies from Heaven 8. Love Is Here to Stay 9. I've Got You Under My Skin 10. I Thought About You 11. We'll Be Together Again 12. Makin' Whoopee 13. Swingin' Down the Lane 14. Anything Goes 15. How About You? |
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Here's my new favorite CD: Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, "Swingin' in Hollywood". It contains recordings that the Dorseys did for movies, and has a version of "One O'Clock Jump" that just shreds! (It's the closest to the version from "Groovie Movie".) Also contains "We'll Get It" (my personal favorite), "Opus One", "Song of India", etc, etc. |
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Thanks, spin doctor. By the way, nice website you got there at savoystyle.org You know, I wonder how many bands did Opus One. I have 4 versions already, and my big-band collection is relatively weak. |
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Thanks for the compliment, Ron. The site keeps me busy and out of trouble. "How many bands did Opus One" A: I don't know how many bands, but I found 89 recordings on www.allmusic.com Here's a rough cut and paste from the site: Albums with a song "Opus One" Silver Collection [92] - James, Harry Swingin' Decade [60] - Gray, Glen I Get a Kick Out of You [75] - ODay, Anita Big Bands of the Swinging Year, Vol. 1 [90] - Big Bands of the Swinging Year, Vol. 1 16 Great Performances [72] - Mills Brothers Best of the Mills Brothers [MCA] [65] - Mills Brothers Swingtime [91] - Elgart, Les and Larry Radio Days [OST] - Radio Days Kings of Swing [Intersound] [93] - Kings of Swing Carved in Stone [95] - DMP Big Band Swing Back with Tommy Dorsey [91] - Dorsey, Tommy Idiot's Guide to Jazz [97] - Idiot's Guide to Jazz TV's Stage Show [96] - Dorsey Brothers Live from Clearwater, Vol. 1 [96] - James, Harry Piano Moderns - Hallberg, Bengt Tommy Dorsey and His Greatest Band [94] - Dorsey, Tommy Oliver Jackson Trio/Cliff Smalls - Jackson, Oliver Best of the Swing Big Bands [92] - Kuhn, Paul Big Band Special [98] - Big Band Special Live from the Cave Club [98] - Mills Brothers Jazz Greatest Hits [96] - Jazz Greatest Hits Greatest Hits [RCA] [96] - Dorsey, Tommy Family Circle: Get Fit to Jazz [96] - Family Circle: Get Fit to Jazz Fabulous Big Band Collection [98] - Fabulous Big Band Collection Family Circle: The Best of Jazz [96] - Family Circle: The Best of Jazz by DORSEY on Age of Swing, Vol. 3 [92] - BBC Big Band Swing: Best of the Big Bands - Swing: Best Of The Big Bands Giants of the Big Band Era: Gene Krupa [92] - Krupa, Gene Song for You [84] - ODay, Anita Big Bands of the Swinging Years [1996] [96] - Big Bands of the Swinging Years [1996] Swinging Texas Tenor [94] - Offer, Cullen Swing Club Mix [97] - Wolverines Big Band In the Mood [Eclipse] [96] - In the Mood Best of the Decca Years [90] - Mills Brothers by GARRIS/OLVIER on Giants of the Big Band Era: Tommy Dorse [92] - Dorsey, Tommy by GARRISH/OLIVER on Harry James [Echo Jazz] [95] - James, Harry Steffl Swing [96] - Steffl Swing Swingin' Our Way - Emmons, Buddy Swingtime: 1930's & 40's Swing [94] - Those Wonderful Years Swing Time [94] - Those Wonderful Years Well Git It! [43] - Dorsey, Tommy Freedom Jazz Dance [92] - Quintetto Vocale Italiano Yes, Indeed! [39] - Dorsey, Tommy On My Own [91] - Sheldon, Jack Boogie Woogie [MCA] - Dorsey, Tommy Compact Jazz: Best of the Big Bands - Compact Jazz Best of Tommy Dorsey [RCA] [3Z] - Dorsey, Tommy Best of the Swing Bands [79] - Best of the Swing Bands Harry James and His Orchestra [92] - James, Harry Hits of '45 [96] - Hits of '45 Swingin' Our Way [90] - Pennington, Ray Virtual Reality: Tradition Lives [96] - Spitfire Band Original Historic Recordings [96] - Dorsey, Tommy Big Band Hits of Tommy Dorsey [93] - Big Band Hits of Tommy Dorsey Swing-Dance, Vol. 1 [37] - Swing-Dance, Vol. 1 Party Request Series, Vol. 3 [96] - Party Request Series, Vol. 3 Big Band Jazz, Vol. 1: From the Beginni [83] - Big Band Jazz, Vol. 1: From the Beginni Alive & Kickin': Big Band Sounds at M-G [97] - Alive & Kickin': Big Band Sounds at M-G 1945 Live in Hi-Fi at Culver City [97] - James, Harry Big Band Collection [96] - Big Band Collection Songs that Won the War, Vol. 3: Swing [95] - Songs that Won the War, Vol. 3: Swing Big Band Sound [95] - Big Band Sound Fabulous Swing Collection [98] - Fabulous Swing Collection Oscillatin' Rhythm: Great Swing Hits in [97] - Oscillatin' Rhythm: Great Swing Hits in At the Fat Man's [46] - Dorsey, Tommy Big Bands in Hi-Fi, Vol. 2: In the Mood [48] - Big Bands in Hi-Fi, Vol. 2: In the Mood Big Band Crazy [97] - Electric Swing Potpourri [98] - DMP Big Band Battle of the Bands: Miller Vs. Dorsey [98] - Battle of the Bands: Miller Vs. Dorsey Portrait of Tommy Dorsey [98] - Dorsey, Tommy Let's Swing [98] - Let's Swing Night out with Blue Plate Special [98] - Blue Plate Special Big Band Legends [96] - Big Band Legends V.E. Day: The Dancebands [99] - V.E. Day: The Dancebands Let Me off Uptown [96] - ODay, Anita Best of the Big Bands [Intersound] [93] - Best of the Big Bands Selection of Swing Era, Vol. 1 [98] - Selection of Swing Era, Vol. 1 Let Me off Uptown: The Best of Anita O' [99] - ODay, Anita Golden Age of Hollywood [98] - Golden Age of Hollywood Fabulous 40's [97] - Fabulous 40's Mills Brothers: The Anthology (1931-196 [31] - Mills Brothers Dream Band, Vol. 1 [59] - Gibbs, Terry Great Guitars at Charlie's Georgetown [82] - Great Guitars Homefront: 1941-1945 [98] - Dorsey, Tommy I've Got Big Band Rhythm [98] - Herberman, John Swing, Swing, Swing [90] - Boston Pops Orchestra Swingin' in Hollywood [98] - Dorsey Brothers Hollywood's Best: 40's [97] - Hollywood's Best: 40's Big Big Bands, Vol. 12 [91] - Big Big Bands, Vol. 1 |
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My favorite Opus One is by the Mills Brothers, but then again I haven't even approached your list Spin Doctor. Like the Sinatra for 'Swinging Lovers', will have to look into 'Swinging Affairs'. Especially since I like 'Stars fell on Alabama'; to me the best version of that is on Billie Holiday's "Songs for Distingue Lovers." |
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Dennis, Another cool song on the Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey CD, "Swingin' in Hollywood" is "John Silver". Haven't quite figured out what to do during the "barking" part of the song...... |
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Start a new thing. Instead of peckin'... barkin'. |
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Spin Doctor- I meant it as more of a rhetorical question! I could respond with a cut/paste of all the CDs that Sing, Sing, Sing was done on, but considering it was over 180, I think not, and that's not even counting all the obscure modern swing bands ugly versions of Sing, Sing, Sing, because they aren't even in the all music guide... |
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Speaking of Sing, Sing, Sing...anyone else sick of the mandatory jam to that song? I'd love to be able to go someplace in San Diego without having to hear that song. How about some spontenaity folks? |
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Regarding the Pavlovian Sing Sing Sing "JAM". Its not just in San Diego. In clubs from San Diego to Seattle and from San Deigo to Texas, it happens everywhere we play...but not all of the time. In cases where the jam does not develop is when there are lots of new dancers. I guess its the veteran dancers who have developed the habit somewhere. |
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Sing Sing Sing is a fun way for a band to highlight some of the musicians. You can't dance the whole song anyway, so why not a "JAM"? If you are too good for it, don't participate! |
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Oh, so Jamie, what are some of your favorites? |
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Here's a cool discovery I found. Four free songs available for preview at: http://www.mp3.com/artists/26/five_in_love_with_betty.html I would classify as jump blues, retro swing but not typical neo-swing. |
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I never said I was too good for a Sing, Sing, Sing jam, so don't get so offended Melissa. All I said was I'd like to see some spontaneous jams. |
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I just gotta give a plug for this site: Swanktown Radio http://www.visi.com/~gwolfe/swanktown.shtml You can look at his top 10 albums (that he's played the most in the previous month), look at his playlists, listen to his past shows, and go to the website of most of the bands he's played. Its a great site. |
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Try out the ~ATOMIC FIREBALLS~ I love their CD "Torch this Place" You don't hear this style of singing much and you can dance to it...swingtime should review it! |
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I have to rave about this right away! I just received the new Lavay Smith CD: Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing! Its great! It should be an instant swing-dancer's favorite. It certainly is an instant favorite of mine. It is loaded with 68-minutes of blues and jazz, both covers and originals. The musicianship is superb, the band is so tight and so right on. Truly fine musicians. There are so many good songs, good danceable songs, everyone is sure to find a avorite. The arrangements are great, featuring lots of great brass riffs, and many many excellent solos by the band members. Great dynamics, and great breaks (and I mean great!) and wonderful repeating patterns that dancers can play with until they go to heaven. Great songs include "Honey Pie" (153 BPM) with its diverse and oh-so-smooth solos. I also like "Big Fine Daddy" (123 BPM), which was arranged by Bill Elliott. And I like "Busy Woman's Blues (115 BPM). And "Roll the Boogie" (179 BPM). And "Voo It" (126 BPM). Heck, there isn't a song I dislike on the entire album! Between the sexy picture of Lavay Smith on the back cover and the many songs with suggestive lyrics, I don't doubt that she has "so many men, they are waiting outside in line"... I think this CD is better than their first, and their first was excellent. Much better mix of tempos, better arrangements, better choice of cover songs, and of course, the originals are choice. Buy this CD. |
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Sounds like their new CD is doing well: >From: lavay smith >To: "Ron Bloom" >Subject: Re: CD review web site >Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 04:27:53 -0700 > >Dear Ron, > > Thanks for the kind words! Things are going well-the CD debuted on >the Billboard Jazz Charts at #22, and moved up to #19 this week. The good >press from folks like you can only help. Thanks again. > >Sincerely, >Lavay Smith and Chris Siebert > > > >Hi guys- > >I loved the CD. I made it my feature CD for this > >month. > > > >http://www.swingorama.com/music/ronsrevshome.html > > > >-Ron > > |
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Ron -- "Her voice is quite interesting and distinctive but not completely to my liking." ?? I happen to enjoy her voice a lot. She has a great range, and she sounds like she's a colored woman, plus her on stage mannerisms (sp?) are very funny to boot. |
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Yeah, its about the only bad thing I have to say about her and I really had to think about it for a long time before I even wrote that in my final review. Its a little nasal or something, when she says "me" it often sounds like "be". And its like some of the words are slurred. I don't know, but I just think other female vocalists are a bit better. I had to be honest. I've never heard anyone say that, so its probably just me. Its a fine CD overall. |
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I think Lavay's voice is the best part! That girl can groove. Hey Ron, ever heard of Bessie Smith? Howsabout Ma Rainey? Lavay has that early blues vocal style pegged. Listen to Bessie's classic version of "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" and then tell me Lavay's voice isn't perfect for that kind of stuff. I much prefer that kickass belting kind of voice to some of those operatic/musical theater singers trying to do jazz or blues. Case in piont: Cassie whatshername that sings with Bill Elliot....she's got a lovely voice, great for the quartet stuff and lighter tunes, it just dosen't work for down n' dirty songs like Blues in the Night.... |
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I can list a lot of female vocalists I like better, starting with Ella Fitzgerald's, of course. But her voice is too "nice" sometimes. But her version of "Blues in the Night" is still pretty good. I also love that woman who sings the "Bli-Blip" version on that Lincoln Ctr Orchestra CD. I also like Barbara Morrison (as in that "Stormy Monday" version I play a lot), a woman who sings for the Johnny Nocturne band, and a few others like that who sing the down and dirty blues songs. Equally as full as expression as Lavay's, but better. But then again, I like Lavay's voice better than a lot of others. |
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Umm...I think her enunciation and pronunciation are supposed to be that way. Lavay's delivery is one of the distinctive characteristics of her performing persona. Many of her songs are in the blues genre. A down-to-earth almost husky and -yes- imperfect voice adds to the atmosphere in those songs. What some would call a flaw, I would call a styling virtue. In the realm of music, everyone's entitled to an opinion. Mine is that Lavay's delivery alludes to Billie Holiday's lilting, almost floating, style that seemed to defy the meter of any song she sang in. We've talked about the concept of "hanging" or "swinging" the notes in this forum before. Whenever I hear Lavay swing a vocal, it reminds me of Lady Day and her amazing way with rhythm. That's one of the reason's I love listening to and dancing to her and her band so much. HopMichael |
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Dude!! Lavay is the fucking shit! It's all about Lavay. I think she is so dope specifically because of her attitude. Her enunciation (or lack there of) is so great. She doesn't sound like she came from a rich white boarding school. She's got soul, and you can hear it. I don't think that her and Ella are necessarily comparable either. It doesn't seem to me that Lavay is trying to follow in her footsteps in any way. She definitely is into the more raunchy, raw, and bluesy sound then the sophisticated, refined, and "elite" sound (not that that makes much sense, but I couldn't find the right adjective I was looking for). Lavay keeps it real. You got to give her credit for that. She deserves that acknowledgement in my book. Okay...done. Peace out~ Krista |
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Oh, and I'm with you Kate....Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey rock the house!! Those are some phenomenal women. What they did for music at that time was incredible. So many women, with so little credit...oh the tradgedy! |
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For more inspirational women, check out the amazing sounds of "Rio Rita" or "The International Sweethearts of Rhythm." These two all-girl bands were so good that one critic insisted the tracks were dubbed by a male band. The later of the two donated all their profits to childrens' charities as well. Rob |
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Rob, Where can we go to "check these out"? And why would the critic insist that the tracts were dubbed by a male band because the were so good. Hey, I had a great dance with you last week at the LPN show! Hurry and let us know when we can come to your practices. Nancy |
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Rob,Yes, The interantional Sweet hearts of Rhythm were in fact in my opinion the best all female group during the swing era. SO many Bands couldn't pull off the song "Do you wanna Jump Children", but the ISHR played it so great they made it their theme song,by far the best version of that song ny ANY band! and how about Their Trumpet Player "TINY"? man ,SHE had chops!!! |
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Although Peter might have info to the contrary... The International Sweethearts of Rhythm is probably out of print. However, you can get a video featuring their performances through Jezabel Productions (Ha!). The publishing company is Cinema Guild based in New York. There is also a book by D. Handy available from Amazon.com that might have a discography. I'm assuming the critic who heard the recordings of the ISHR never attended a live show and that's why he was fooled. At the time, other all-female bands were formed to serve a bizzare function -- that of New Kids on the Block meets Marilyn Monroe. Those female bands were noted for their undulations and not their musicianship. Sadly, such a collection of good female musicians was rare for that day. No wonder the critic was duped. As for the Dirty Bourbon Band. We perform every Thursday at Just Java in Chula Vista from 7-10pm. Come check us out before the Firehouse. Directions at www.dirtybourbon.com. Looking for more unheard female heros? Buy anything with Dorothy Donegan. For a while, she was the pianist for Cab. She also headed the Dorothy Donegan trio. She's a boogie pianist with a powerful left hand. Rob |
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Hey! Has anyone else heard Johnny Boyd's new album yet? You remember, he's the ex-lead singer of Indigo Swing. The album is called "Last Word In". It was released this Tuesday. It's AWESOME! Each song takes on a different flavor of swing! One song is a little twangy and country sounding, one has a slight gospel feel, a couple have a mild rockabilly flair, one is pretty bluesy, one is borderline boggie woogie, one is very swanky-loungy, etc. One song even features a Mariachi band! The whole album is very danceable, and yet each track is different enough that you can listen to the CD all the way through. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites. Check it out! For more info and reviews, check out Johnny's website at www.johnnyboyd.com Lisa Rae |
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Ron, Have you written your review on this album yet? I'm actually interested in reading it cause it seems that you're the only one who has a "preview copy" and hasn't sold out to Boyd and plastered a cookie cutter review everywhere. |
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I'm getting lazy with my reviews. It'll be something like the following, but I'll have to listen to it again before I write my final review. Hmmm, I hate to disagree with you Lisa Rae (nice meeting you while you were in town), but I'm unimpressed with the new Johnny Boyd. I'm a big Indigo Swing fan and I've probably overplayed most of their songs. So I was hoping to love the new Johnny Boyd. I am playing the first song, "Coming Back to you" regularly. But I don't see the others songs as being good for Lindyhopping. And I'm not that impressed with the album, just for listening. I don't think the songwriting is as good as Indigo Swing. His singing is still good, but now it seems he's more of a crooner, and I'm not a fan of that. I liked his singing when it was one instrument among many. In his new CD, there's little emphasis on the band, soloing, etc. And none of the wonderful piano we heard in Indigo Swing songs. All-in-all, I'm unimpressed. I'll have to give it another listen, maybe I'm being too harsh. |
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Ron, I am definitely no music critic. I am probably nowhere near as discriminating as you when it comes to music. But in my humble opinion, I think you should definitely give it another listen. I wasn't sure I liked it after the first listen either since it wasn't anywhere near what I expected. But somewhere between the second and third time through, it definitely grew on me. You are right about one thing. It's not like Indigo Swing. His vocals ARE the central focus and it IS pretty lacking in pure instrumentals. While I also liked the piano in Indigo Swing, it got old after awhile. This album mixes up the background instruments and mood well. It could be called crooning I guess, but the different music styles give it a new dimension that I found pretty interesting. As for danceability, try Honey Dew. Our DJ played it last night and it packed the floor with Lindy Hoppers! There are several other songs that are good for dancing too. They may not have the same pace as your typical Indigo Swing track, but isn't it more fun to mix up the pace? Lisa Rae |
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Lisa Rae, It's great to find someone else awake and on the forum before 9am on a Friday! Ok back to work, -Aletha |
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Aletha, Don't give me TOO much credit, chica. I cheat! I'm on the east coast. It's afternoon for me already. Hee hee!!! Lisa Rae |
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By Ron on Tuesday, April 04, 2000 - 06:38 pm: "I also love that woman who sings the "Bli-Blip" version on that Lincoln Ctr Orchestra CD..." Me too...and I asked around. The response I got was that it might be Sarah Vaughn (and no, I'm not sure if the spelling is correct on that). It's an awesome song, though. One of my favorites to dance to. Kendra |
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Kendra, The singer on the LCJO version is Diane Reeves. Rayned |
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Rayned, Awesome, I'll be sure to pass that info along to the folks in Houston. Kendra |
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Or you could just tell them to read the liner notes. People are so helpless. |
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ha ha ha. they probably napstered it. |
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