Songs/CD's you can't live without?

[Jmatthew]

I've been DJ'ing a swing dance for a few months and I'm a huge swing freak, so I have a TON of swing and my swing dancers have come to expect a certain level of quality and quanitity in dance music from me. In a few weeks I'm taking over an all-dance venue (the complete lists of dances is roughly: Lindy, Foxtrot, Waltz, American Tango, Argentine Tango, Cha Cha, Salsa, Rumba, Samba, Nightclub 2 step, West Coast and Hustle). Needless to say, I'm not nearly conversant with all of these musical styles as I am with swing, although I do have a passing familiarity with all the dances in question and dance to some extent them all.

So I was hoping the rather large mix of dancers here could toss out some bands, CDs or individual songs that they just couldn't live out, so that I can have a go out and buy some CDs and increase my mix of non-swing dance music. :) I already have a couple of hundred (and growing) swing CDs, so I'm not really hurting there, but I'm happy to hear swing suggestions too. :)

[dancin_feet]

Pretty much anything Santana. And the track "Smooth" that he did with Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20 is my favourite.

[Sagitta]

We do have several threads on songs. Have you checked them out?

[pygmalion]

Pretty much anything Santana. And the track "Smooth" that he did with Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20 is my favourite.

Yes. That whole CD has some good tunes on it. What's it called? Supernatural, maybe?

And, as far as dance music, what are you looking for? Contemporary music that's good for dancing, or classic danceable music? For example, Moon River (there are a bunch of versions) is a nice slow waltz, but it came out on the Breakfast at Tiffany's soundtrack, whenever that was, I think. A long time ago.

So do you want classic (read: old LOL) or do you want top 40/recent stuff?

[etchuck]

I've been DJ'ing a swing dance for a few months and I'm a huge swing freak, so I have a TON of swing and my swing dancers have come to expect a certain level of quality and quanitity in dance music from me. In a few weeks I'm taking over an all-dance venue (the complete lists of dances is roughly: Lindy, Foxtrot, Waltz, American Tango, Argentine Tango, Cha Cha, Salsa, Rumba, Samba, Nightclub 2 step, West Coast and Hustle). Needless to say, I'm not nearly conversant with all of these musical styles as I am with swing, although I do have a passing familiarity with all the dances in question and dance to some extent them all.

So I was hoping the rather large mix of dancers here could toss out some bands, CDs or individual songs that they just couldn't live out, so that I can have a go out and buy some CDs and increase my mix of non-swing dance music. :) I already have a couple of hundred (and growing) swing CDs, so I'm not really hurting there, but I'm happy to hear swing suggestions too. :)

Congratulations, as one who has co-DJ'ed a multi-dance party before (and apparently I will again! :) ). I don't have a huge collection of music to date, but I do have my preferences of ballroom and swing and salsa music on my computer which I use for my dances. I would say after you check the various threads, hear samples of the music [I go to Dancevision dot com]. It's too bad one cannot just listen to ballroom CD tracks individually and buy them/download them. If you can, tell me.

Aside from that it depends on your style. If you want conventional, unconventional, or whatever. There are certain albums and brand names that I'm slowly starting to like myself, but I know I'm open to more suggestions.

P.S. I do need a few good bal and "jam circle" suggestions.

[Sagitta]

Oh, yes. Congrats on the dj gig!! I had an opportunity to learn how to dj and then helping out djing a swing show on Saturdays, but since I work Saturdays half the year I couldn't take it. This is a topic hijack, but do you know of some way that I could learn how to do this myself?

[cocodrilo]

Pretty much anything Santana. And the track "Smooth" that he did with Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20 is my favourite.

I love Matchbox 20 and adore "Smooth" as well!

I can't do without ANY of my CDs as I select them for whatever mood I'm in, be it Korean hip-hop, Parisian reggae, Chinese ballads or Mexican merengue! It's nice to have an auto CD-changer(& MD player) in the car!

[etchuck]

I can't do without ANY of my CDs as I select them for whatever mood I'm in, be it Korean hip-hop, Parisian reggae, Chinese ballads or Mexican merengue! It's nice to have an auto CD-changer(& MD player) in the car!

I'm going to have to hit you up on some suggested groups and tracks. I dare the westies to dance to Korean hip-hop... heck, I already have ballroomers dancing to a Chinese cha-cha. :twisted:

[cocodrilo]

I can't do without ANY of my CDs as I select them for whatever mood I'm in, be it Korean hip-hop, Parisian reggae, Chinese ballads or Mexican merengue! It's nice to have an auto CD-changer(& MD player) in the car!

I'm going to have to hit you up on some suggested groups and tracks. I dare the westies to dance to Korean hip-hop... heck, I already have ballroomers dancing to a Chinese cha-cha. :twisted:

Then try Kim Gun Mo's albums, the earlier one('96?) was the absolute best! AT the discos, everyone went WILD!