Swing Celebrity Picks

Recommending their favorite swing CDs and artists

Bill is a well-known Lindy-Hop instructor and swing DJ from Ithaca, NY.  Bill's essential swing CDs are: 

Margie Cormier
Updated 5-30-2000

Margie Cormier's runs the Southern California Lindy Society Website, a resource for everything Lindy Hop in the L.A. and Orange County areas.  Her website is one of the very best anywhere.  

• The Best of Early Basie - Count Basie

• Are You Hep to the Jive?- Cab Calloway

• Best of the Big Bands - Cab Calloway

• Hollywood Jump Featuring Meagan Ivey - Eddie Reed Big Band

• Swing Fever - Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra

• Calling All Jitterbugs - Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra

• Swingin' The Century - Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra

• Black, Brown & Beige - Duke Ellington

• The Best of Louis Jordan - Louis Jordan

• Really Swingin' - Frankie Manning's Big Band Favorites - Various Artists

• Swing Kids Soundtrack --Various Artists

• Downtown Uproar and Boogie in the Barnyard - The Widespread Depression Orchestra

David Dalmo

David Dalmo won the Swedish Lindy Hop Champions in 1993, 1995 and 1996 and the inaugural World Lindy Hop Championships in 1995.  He attended the Swedish Ballet Academy for 3 years, was a member of the Rhythm Hot Shots, taught at Herrang and Catalina, worked as choreographer and dancer for TV and other productions and is currently a member of the hip hop company BOUNCE.

David Dalmo's favorites include:

• Duke and Ella at the Newport Jazz Festival '59

• Ella and Louis Again

• Frankie's Favorites

• Bardar's Jitterbug

• Big 18 - More live echoes of the Big Band Era

• Petter - Mitt Sjatte Sinne 

Bill Elliott

Bill Elliot is the bandleader of one of the best and most successful modern big-band swing orchestras playing today.  Visit Bill's website.

Some of Bill's favorites include:

• Cab Calloway - Are You Help To The Jive?  Columbia/Legacy

• Charlie Barnet - Vol. 2 Skyliner 1940-1945  Jazz Archives

• Frank Sinatra -  Come Dance With Me  Capitol

• Ray Gelato Giants - The Men From Uncle

We are Evin Jacobson and Noel Galang. We have been teaching in Chicago for 2 years, and have had the good fortune and honor of teaching at several dance camps as well as workshops around the country. We also perform several times a month with Big City Swing. We focus on Savoy Style Lindy Hop, and venture into Shag, Balboa, Boogie and other Swing era dances. Our website can be accessed at www.swingthings.com/evinnoel

• Jimmy Witherspoon - Singin' the Blues
• Tommy Dorsey-Frank Sinatra - All Time Greatest Hits
• Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra - Live in Swing City
• Dave Stephens Swing Orchestra - Swing Out
• Chick Webb - Strictly Jive
• Diana Krall - When I look in your eyes
• Slim Gaillard - Slim's Jam
• Yoko Noge & The Jazz Me Blues - Thrill Me
• An Anthology of Big Band Swing (1930-1955)
• Indigo Swing - Indigo Swing

Peter Loggins

Peter Loggins, Dean Collins dancer extraordinaire.  Peter's favorites:

• Charlie Barnett

• Artie Shaw

• Count Basie

• Jan Savitt 

• Eddie Reed "Hollywood Jump" 

• Mora's Modern Rhythmist "Mr. Rhythmist goes to town" 

Jesse is a Mpls-turned-San Francisco DJ who spins at the 9:20 special.  His essential selections, in his words: "Showcase the variety of the music I most enjoy dancing to and DJing (as well as listening). They don't necessarily represent the entire range of
my musical interests, but they do highlight a specific area. They each contain several songs which I enjoy dancing to and DJing..."  Jesse's essential swing CD list:

• Ernestine Anderson - Great Moments With Ernestine Anderson
• Count Basie/Duke Ellington - First Time! The Count Meets The Duke
• Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues: The Best Of Jimmy Witherspoon
• Ella Fitzgerald/Duke Ellington - Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Blues
• Harry James - Trumpet Blues: The Best Of Harry James
• Buddy Johnson - Walk 'Em: Decca Sessions
• Slim Galliard - Laughing In Rhythm: The Best Of The Verve Years
• Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Gatemouth Swings
• Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra - Live In Swing City: Swingin' With The Duke
• Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing
• Big 18 - More Live Echoes Of The Swinging Bands"
• Carmen McRae - Priceless Jazz Collection
• Ray Charles - Best Of Ray Charles (Atlantic)
• Joe Williams/Count Basie - Live at Newport 1957
• Dinah Washington - Best Of The Roulette Years
• Oscar Peterson/Count Basie - Satch And Josh
• Mary Stalling - Manhattan Moods
• George Gee and His Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra - Live and Swingin

Paul Overton

Paul and Sharon are two of the best Lindy Hoppers in the world today.  They won the 1998 American Lindy Hop Championships and currently teach over 400 students a week.  Paul and Sharon have taught at Herrang and Catalina.  Paul is known for his musical acumen and DJs his own regular dance night in SF, has DJ'd in Herrang and Catalina.

Paul has suggested the following as good for swing dancers:

• Great Moments with/Best of Ernestine Anderson

• Count Basie & Joe Williams (Verve)

• Slim Gaillard - Cement Mixer Putti Putti

• Mary Stallings - Manhattan Moods

• The Best of Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues

• Barbara Morrison - I'm Gettin 'Long All Right

• Johnny Otis & His Orchestra - Spirit of the Black Territory Bands

• Dinah Washington (Best of) on Roulette

• Betty Roche - Take the A Train

• Basie's Golden '58 on Phontastic ("The best Basie!")

Also see his more recent recommendations on his website.

Josie Say

Josie Say is one of the best follows in the world!  We are lucky to have her here in Southern California to teach and inspire us in our Lindy Hop.  Josie's favorites (and she likes more than just swing music) include:

• Maxine Sullivan- A Tribute to Andy Razaf

• Diana Krall- All for You

• Count Basie- I don't know which one to choose, though!

• Lauryn Hill- The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

• Crystal Lewis- Best of the Harvest

Peter Schumerth

Peter Schumerth is one of the most exciting and musical Savoy style Lindy Hoppers dancing today.  Based in Orange County, Peter and his partner Tamara's favorite CDs include:

• Steve Lucky and the Rumba Bums (for swing'n fun)

• Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk Soundtrack (for tap)

• Lauryn Hill (for break dancing)

• Rent Soundtrack (for love and passion)

Lavay Smith & Chris Siebert
Added 30 May 2000

Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, based in San Francisco, are one of the top swing and jump blues bands in the world. Their debut CD, "One Hour Mama", was a smash independent hit, selling over 40,000 copies to date. Their new CD, "Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing!" is currently climbing the Billboard Jazz Charts. "Miss Thing" features 6 original tunes, 10 classics covers, and arrangements by David Berger, arranger for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincolon Center Jazz Orchestra. Lavay's soulful and sultry vocals, combined with an all-star band, have been praised in important publications including Downbeat, Blues Revue, Jazziz, Time Magazine, Living Blues, and Billboard. For an extensive listing of great jazz, blues, and other music, as well as music samples, cool photos, and news & gossip, check out Lavay Smith's website at www.lavaysmith.com.

Lavay and Chris' essential swing CDs are:

• Fats Waller-Anything on RCA Victor!

• Count Basie-The Complete Decca Recordings

• Count Basie-The Essential Count Basie, v. 1(Columbia)

• Count Basie-The Essential Count Basie, v. 2 (Columbia)

• Count Basie-The Essential Count Basie, v. 3 (Columbia)

• Count Basie-The Complete Roulette Recordings (or the Atomic Basie on Roulette)

• Duke Ellington-The Blanton-Webster Years (RCA Victor)

• Duke Ellington-Black, Brown, and Beige (RCA Victor)

• Lester Young-The Complete Alladin Sessions (Capitol)

• Charlie Christian-Genius of the Electric Guitar

• Benny Goodman-The Benny Goodman Sextet Featuring Charlie Christian (Columbia)

• The Nat "King" Cole Trio-Complete Capitol Recordings (or Best of the Trio on Capitol)

• Coleman Hawkins-Hollywood Stampede (Capitol)

• Illinois Jacquet-The Black Velvet Band (RCA Victor)

• Jay McShann-Blues From Kansas City (MCA/Decca)

• Bessie Smith-The Complete Columbia Recordings (Columbia-this is pre-swing, but it's swingin' and raunchy!)

• Billie Holiday-The Essential Billie Holiday, v. 1-9 (Take your pick!) (Columbia)

• Ella Fitzgerald-Sings the Ellington Songbook (Verve)

• Dinah Washington-The Complete Mercury Recordings (Take your pick!) (Mercury)

• Dizzy Gillespie-The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (RCA Victor)