Music suggestions please

[dancin_feet]

As you will all know I am performing a rumba routine in a little over a month (so close! :shock: ) and my attention is being drawn to what my next routine will be.

I want to do something that probably hasn't been done before and was thinking of a combination Foxtrot and Triple Swing (slower jive). The only problem is that choosing the music will be a bit tricky. I would be looking for something that more or less maintains the same rhythum, but starts softly (foxtrot) then has a change to it (triple swing) and then mix it up towards the end with both styles. Or it could even have a big band feel to it ..... ?

I am going through my CD collection and have found one that could be a possibility, if you have heard of it:

Hurricane - James Freud

Do you think I am getting a bit ambitious here, or is this going to be possible? Any other suggestions for music? I would rather keep it a bit funky / rocky rather than soft and sweet.

[Genesius Redux]

Hey dancin_feet--

I think your idea for a crossover sounds great. There are are a lot more possibilities for FT/ECS than you'd think. The first routine I ever did was a kind of crossover--we danced it to "Recipe for Love" by Harry Connick Jr. There's a kind of syncopated rhythmic pattern that starts it out, a swing feel to it, then the melody feels a bit more foxtrotty, but by the time the song jacks into the second shout chorus its pretty much an open swing feel. Nice tune.

I don't know the song you were looking at, but I'd like to see it.

One great performer for crossover tunes was Louis Prima. "Just a Gigolo/Ain't Got Nobody" kind of alternates between a foxtrot and WCS feel. Other tunes, like "Buona Sera" begin with an explicit tango, then fall into a quick ECS, then back into tango, and finally ECS again. My favorite, though, is the version of "Body and Soul" on his "The Wildest Album." A completely gorgeous vehicle for his trombonist, it starts as a kind of bolero, then breaks into what could be a medium swing, an uptempo foxtrot, or a slow quickstep, then into a Peabody, ending once more with the slow bolero feel!

Good luck with the music choice--that's part of the fun, isn't it?

Cheers,

Genesius

[dancin_feet]

Thanks for that GR, I'm never quite sure whether my ideas will work or not, good to be able to bounce ideas here. I'm thinking that the music has to be right, or the whole routine will just look wrong. If I can't find an appropriate piece of music, I'll probably just do a Triple Swing / Jive routine.

The above song Hurricane has a bit of a dirty big band sort of a sound to it and I thought it may be a good compromise between the two. Have done a quick google but can't find any examples on the web. It wasn't a particularly popular album.

The idea of "Just a Gigalo" is a possibility, probably the David Lee Roth version. I'll have a hunt around and see if I can find it. I can hear it in my head now .....

I thought about going really rocky like ACDC or something, but that would just look wrong in the foxtrot parts, I think??

[Genesius Redux]

The idea of "Just a Gigalo" is a possibility, probably the David Lee Roth version. I'll have a hunt around and see if I can find it. I can hear it in my head now .....

I thought about going really rocky like ACDC or something, but that would just look wrong in the foxtrot parts, I think??

Have you heard Prima's version? DLR is quite good, but check out Prima, too--you may really like him. He's a big influence on DLR (obviously!).

As for ACDC foxtrot--hey, if it works, I'm all for alternative music. A little while back, people were asking about alternative V Waltzes, and I suggested "I'm in Love with My Car" by Queen. So take a chance, if the song inspires! :D

[dancin_feet]

Just come across one that could be good.

Billy Idol - Mony Mony

It's got a bit of a big bandy rocky feel to it. I could imagine doing both foxtrot and triple swing to it. That one is definitely in the "possible" pile.

Still looking .......

[pygmalion]

Update? Have you chosen music? Have you talked to your teacher about the selection?

[samba ajr]

How about the Brian Setzer Orchestra's "You're the Boss", from the "Dirty Boogie" CD. I've always wanted to Foxtrot/West Coast (or slow EC) to that. There's a lot of good swing on there too.

[dancin_feet]

Haven't said anything to my instructor as yet. It is still a month to go to my current rumba presentation, so not going to hit him with it unless he raises the question. He has enough to worry about with 10 routines to remember, 5 of them he has only picked up in the last fortnight!

Actually found a foxtrot to an Aerosmith track over the weekend. Giving me some brilliant ideas! Need to try to remember to keep my focus on what I am doing now, though and not try to get too much ahead of myself. :lol:

[pygmalion]

Your instructor lets you pick the tunes for your routines? I've known a few who were very ... uh ... temperamental when it came to picking music.

[dancin_feet]

Your instructor lets you pick the tunes for your routines? I've known a few who were very ... uh ... temperamental when it came to picking music.

He sure does! My rumba routine is to "Unwell" by Matchbox 20.