Interesting information, as always, Steve! :cheers:
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West Coast Swing 1960s
- Thread starter Steve Pastor
- Start date
Interesting information, as always, Steve! :cheers:
Wanted to add a bit more about the history of shuffle. "Jazz historians" seem well aware of where shuffle started, while most of us dancers identify it with blues. (which it is of course associated with, that's just not the whole story)
The Rhythm
Pianist JACK PLEIS and drummer RUSS ISAACS were solid pluses in a rhythm section, the excellence of which was overshadowed by its famous (or by some -- infamous) Savitt Shuffle. The shuffle conveys a double-time or 8/4 rhythm and is, actually, played only by the piano -- the guitar, bass and drums working their usual rhythm roles.
The shuffle beat annoyed some critics and fans -- perhaps, because it was also employed by the sweet band (read schmaltz) led by Henry Busse. In time, however, this rhythm tool was used by Lionel Hampton and Louis Prima and by R&B and jump bands led by Fats Domino and Louis Jordan.
(my bolding SP)
Prominent music composer and scholar, Gunther Schuller, in his indispensable tome, THE SWING ERA 1930-1945 (Oxford 1989), perceptively noted:
Savitt's band played with such consistently impeccable ensemble and propulsive swing that it kept even its famous shuffle rhythm, constantly energized rhythmically, from becoming a stale cliché. Indeed, the Savitt band had achieved by early 1939 a 4/4 swing amalgam that was an interesting cross between Lunceford and Basie, the shuffle rhythm simply folded into it.
http://www.collateralworks.com/tr/savitt0071.html
If you want to dig deeply into the music of swing and jazz, you might want to look at Gunther Schuller's books on the subject. I haven't seen the one mentioned here, but will!
The Rhythm
Pianist JACK PLEIS and drummer RUSS ISAACS were solid pluses in a rhythm section, the excellence of which was overshadowed by its famous (or by some -- infamous) Savitt Shuffle. The shuffle conveys a double-time or 8/4 rhythm and is, actually, played only by the piano -- the guitar, bass and drums working their usual rhythm roles.
The shuffle beat annoyed some critics and fans -- perhaps, because it was also employed by the sweet band (read schmaltz) led by Henry Busse. In time, however, this rhythm tool was used by Lionel Hampton and Louis Prima and by R&B and jump bands led by Fats Domino and Louis Jordan.
(my bolding SP)
Prominent music composer and scholar, Gunther Schuller, in his indispensable tome, THE SWING ERA 1930-1945 (Oxford 1989), perceptively noted:
Savitt's band played with such consistently impeccable ensemble and propulsive swing that it kept even its famous shuffle rhythm, constantly energized rhythmically, from becoming a stale cliché. Indeed, the Savitt band had achieved by early 1939 a 4/4 swing amalgam that was an interesting cross between Lunceford and Basie, the shuffle rhythm simply folded into it.
http://www.collateralworks.com/tr/savitt0071.html
If you want to dig deeply into the music of swing and jazz, you might want to look at Gunther Schuller's books on the subject. I haven't seen the one mentioned here, but will!
So, you have to ask yourself, why did Butler list a Bill Black's Combo song, other than the fact that the group was quite popular?
This might be one reason.
By the early 60s, however, the shuffle rhythm had fallen out of favor. Jazz, swing and shuffle were associated with the previous generation. Dividing the beat into equal halves became the common practice in rock, and the same trend was occurring in rhythm and blues. [‘Funky Drummer’ : New Orleans, James Brown and the Rhythmic Transformation of American Popular Music. Alexander Stewart. Popular Music Vol 19. No 3 (Oct 2000) pp 293-318]
The people who continued to teach and dance various forms of swing were from that previous generation.
So, Black was unusual in continuing to play this slow swing rhythm, bringing him to the attention of someone looking for contemporary (for then) music that people might want to dance to. At least that seems pretty reasonable to me.
This might be one reason.
By the early 60s, however, the shuffle rhythm had fallen out of favor. Jazz, swing and shuffle were associated with the previous generation. Dividing the beat into equal halves became the common practice in rock, and the same trend was occurring in rhythm and blues. [‘Funky Drummer’ : New Orleans, James Brown and the Rhythmic Transformation of American Popular Music. Alexander Stewart. Popular Music Vol 19. No 3 (Oct 2000) pp 293-318]
The people who continued to teach and dance various forms of swing were from that previous generation.
So, Black was unusual in continuing to play this slow swing rhythm, bringing him to the attention of someone looking for contemporary (for then) music that people might want to dance to. At least that seems pretty reasonable to me.
This is the second writen record I've found that Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' music was used for what was still being referred to as Western Swing.
This one is dated 1966.
'The words rang out over Herb Alpert's scintillating Tijuana Brass as the director called out the steps for the western swing.'
Alpert's music was also mentioned in 1980, meaning that his music was seen as appropriate for WCS for at least 16 years, which is longer than the Swing Era lasted.
This one is dated 1966.
'The words rang out over Herb Alpert's scintillating Tijuana Brass as the director called out the steps for the western swing.'
Alpert's music was also mentioned in 1980, meaning that his music was seen as appropriate for WCS for at least 16 years, which is longer than the Swing Era lasted.
And, in spite of Western Swing being renamed "Sophisticated Swing" and "West Coast Swing", in 1963 one encyclopedia referred to it (West Coast Swing) as a “sectional teen-age dance” including the flea hop and Jersey bounce in that vein.
I somehow ended up on the Steel Guitar Forum. There are musicians there who wrote that they were playing Western Swing at CW places in the Los Angeles area in the 60s and beyond. Yes, it seems that it was still popular at places like the Green Lantern, Elks clubs, etc. "We played a lot of Western Swing which was still popular." They list a whole bunch of places I've never heard of. If you've been to an Elks (Skippy Blair's first studio was right beside the one in Downey), or if you know someone who has, you might know that it is in general an older, pretty conservative crowd.
And, speaking of conservative...
I'm pretty sure that earlier in the thread I wrote about doing what was then still called Western Swing to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. I now have a another? (I'll have to check and see if this is a different article.) written source.
You might remember that Alma Heaton learned Western Swing while working for an Arthur Murray studio in LA, (There were many, and I now have a count from 1955.) and took it with him to Utah in 1953, including it in his dance books beginning in 1958.
The article promotes dancing "so that good taste is exemplified", and asks young people to "avoid the current trend of what to many of us, appears to be vulgar dancing." Of particular concern were the then "new fad dances", "a free style of dancing in the solo position, and individual type of movement that had resulted in hip shaking contortions and shoulder movements."
Western Swing (aka West Coast Swing) was, however, being taught. Guess back then it wasn't a sultry, sexy partner dance.
The article is dated 1966.
I'm pretty sure that earlier in the thread I wrote about doing what was then still called Western Swing to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. I now have a another? (I'll have to check and see if this is a different article.) written source.
You might remember that Alma Heaton learned Western Swing while working for an Arthur Murray studio in LA, (There were many, and I now have a count from 1955.) and took it with him to Utah in 1953, including it in his dance books beginning in 1958.
The article promotes dancing "so that good taste is exemplified", and asks young people to "avoid the current trend of what to many of us, appears to be vulgar dancing." Of particular concern were the then "new fad dances", "a free style of dancing in the solo position, and individual type of movement that had resulted in hip shaking contortions and shoulder movements."
Western Swing (aka West Coast Swing) was, however, being taught. Guess back then it wasn't a sultry, sexy partner dance.
The article is dated 1966.
Interesting history... :cheers:
When I checked in at the Santa Monica History Museum, hoping to find information about the Western Swing bands on the Santa Monica pier, they weren't very helpful. They did however suggest I could perhaps check in with Lawrence Welk's family about what went on at the Aragon Ballroom, which was on the Lick Pier in Santa Monica. Earlier in the thread, I posted a link to Bobby and Barbara dancing to Calcutta on the Laweence Welk Show.
Here's more Western Swing / West Coast Swing (albeit mixed with a bunch of other stuff!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYhU0BvNdSE&feature=related 1962
"String of Pearls" was one of the songs Laure Haile listed in her writings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYOaoCi6qmU&feature=related
Mack the Knife - 1961
"Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife", originally "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer", is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their music drama Die Dreigroschenoper, or, as it is known in English, The Threepenny Opera. It premiered in Berlin in 1928 at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. from wikipedia
Here's one more (I suspect there are many!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67FG0h-zXzc&NR=1
"Temptation" is a popular song, published in 1933, with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed. The song was used in the film Singin' in the Rain (1952) and later in the 1983 musical based on the film, and is prominently featured in Valerio Zurlini's Violent Summer (1959). - wikipedia
I guess it's safe to say the WS/WCS was a staple of this couple's repertiore.
Here's more Western Swing / West Coast Swing (albeit mixed with a bunch of other stuff!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYhU0BvNdSE&feature=related 1962
"String of Pearls" was one of the songs Laure Haile listed in her writings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYOaoCi6qmU&feature=related
Mack the Knife - 1961
"Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife", originally "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer", is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their music drama Die Dreigroschenoper, or, as it is known in English, The Threepenny Opera. It premiered in Berlin in 1928 at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. from wikipedia
Here's one more (I suspect there are many!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67FG0h-zXzc&NR=1
"Temptation" is a popular song, published in 1933, with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed. The song was used in the film Singin' in the Rain (1952) and later in the 1983 musical based on the film, and is prominently featured in Valerio Zurlini's Violent Summer (1959). - wikipedia
I guess it's safe to say the WS/WCS was a staple of this couple's repertiore.
Danced there on a couple of occasions, but primarily to the B/room type bands .
March 30, 1946
Spade Cooley, whose Western band has reigned at Riverside Rancho for three years, leaves this week end to state a stanza at the Western Palisades on Santa Monica Pier. (Note didn’t debut set up until Sept 8. See Billboard Sep 28, 1946)
Cooley moved from Riverside Rancho because it only held 2,000 patrons. According to one source, the Santa Monica "terpery" held 10,000 patrons.
June 1948 Cooley begins hosting Saturday night variety show Hoffman Hayride on Channel 5 KTLA-TV (broadcast initially from the Santa Monica Ballroom). The show became a mainstay of Southern California TV. Frank Sinatra, Bob Wills, Bob Hope and other major stars routinely from the area stopped by appearing along with acrobats, comics, singers, athletes, and actors.
As a KTLA ad put it, "Spade Cooley's formula for a show with top musical entertainment, a dash of western flavor, and a good sprinkling of comedy has proven to be just what the viewers ordered."
Oct 30, 1948 Cooley still doing terrific business at Santa Monica Pier Ballroom.
Feb, 1952
At present, three pop danceries, three h.b. and Western terpalaces and three independent bands are vying for interest of the dancers among the 1,250,000 TV set owners in the vicinity covered by seven local TV outlets.
Newest rustic dancer to pitch a local TV-er is Marty Landau’s Riverside Rancho, from where KNBH will do a one-hour coverage Saturday nights, starting February 16 (9:30 p.m. PCT), featuring Spade Cooley’s band with a girl singer.
Cooley’s Decca recording crew still remains the topper in the dancer-TV competition. Cooley, who pioneered the Saturday videocast from his own Santa Monica dancery, remains among the top five preferred rating shows in the area. Larwence Welk, from the near-by Aragon Ballroom, Lick Pier, Ocean Park, has. Like Cooley, a fully sponsored show Friday nights over KTLA-TV. Horace Heidt and his band on KLAC_TV from Heidt’s Tianon Ballroom, Southgate and Cliffie Stone and his Western entourage from El Monte dancery Saturday over KLAC-TV.
La Monica (yet another name for the same place, far as I can tell) hosted many national radio and television broadcasts in the early days of networks before it was turned into a skating rink in 1958. The largest skating rink in Southern California, if not the entire state, it entertained thousands of skaters for the next five years. However, in 1963, the building was suffering from so much structural damage, it had to be torn down.
Not sure when exactly Cooley left. I seem to remember he had a seven year lease?
Spade Cooley, whose Western band has reigned at Riverside Rancho for three years, leaves this week end to state a stanza at the Western Palisades on Santa Monica Pier. (Note didn’t debut set up until Sept 8. See Billboard Sep 28, 1946)
Cooley moved from Riverside Rancho because it only held 2,000 patrons. According to one source, the Santa Monica "terpery" held 10,000 patrons.
June 1948 Cooley begins hosting Saturday night variety show Hoffman Hayride on Channel 5 KTLA-TV (broadcast initially from the Santa Monica Ballroom). The show became a mainstay of Southern California TV. Frank Sinatra, Bob Wills, Bob Hope and other major stars routinely from the area stopped by appearing along with acrobats, comics, singers, athletes, and actors.
As a KTLA ad put it, "Spade Cooley's formula for a show with top musical entertainment, a dash of western flavor, and a good sprinkling of comedy has proven to be just what the viewers ordered."
Oct 30, 1948 Cooley still doing terrific business at Santa Monica Pier Ballroom.
Feb, 1952
At present, three pop danceries, three h.b. and Western terpalaces and three independent bands are vying for interest of the dancers among the 1,250,000 TV set owners in the vicinity covered by seven local TV outlets.
Newest rustic dancer to pitch a local TV-er is Marty Landau’s Riverside Rancho, from where KNBH will do a one-hour coverage Saturday nights, starting February 16 (9:30 p.m. PCT), featuring Spade Cooley’s band with a girl singer.
Cooley’s Decca recording crew still remains the topper in the dancer-TV competition. Cooley, who pioneered the Saturday videocast from his own Santa Monica dancery, remains among the top five preferred rating shows in the area. Larwence Welk, from the near-by Aragon Ballroom, Lick Pier, Ocean Park, has. Like Cooley, a fully sponsored show Friday nights over KTLA-TV. Horace Heidt and his band on KLAC_TV from Heidt’s Tianon Ballroom, Southgate and Cliffie Stone and his Western entourage from El Monte dancery Saturday over KLAC-TV.
La Monica (yet another name for the same place, far as I can tell) hosted many national radio and television broadcasts in the early days of networks before it was turned into a skating rink in 1958. The largest skating rink in Southern California, if not the entire state, it entertained thousands of skaters for the next five years. However, in 1963, the building was suffering from so much structural damage, it had to be torn down.
Not sure when exactly Cooley left. I seem to remember he had a seven year lease?
The music is so ridiculous, it's weird how the music has evolved that we dance WCS to.
Our patterns are not nearly as naive or innocent, but they are very similar.
I wouldn't mind women dressing like that. Instead we get blue jeans and pants. Oh well, this is 2011!
The only WCS appears at 2.08.. Its primarily a " Show dance " piece based on ECS.
A very good friend of mine was Bobbys' teacher, She was the D.Director at the Hollywood A/M.
Remember, Welk was the number one show on TV , and catered to an adult audience ( most teachers NEVER used his music ) .
TT, I think you've shared that name before (if I go back through all of our exchanges, maybe!). Could you tell us again who the Hollywood DD that taught Bobby was?
Thanks.
Thanks.