Strictly Ballroom

[bellowbelle]

Yes, I'm glad I did decide to buy it. When I first picked it up and looked it over, I wasn't convinced that I'd manage to really do anything with it, thought maybe I shouldn't buy it.....

 

But, I could see that he was no ordinary chordsmith, and so I figured it was worth it!

 

Now I'm working on one of the songs, 'Get Happy' (though I am not and shall never be much of a jazz player), and I'm convinced I made the right choice.

[LDT]

Thought I'd add to this thread. Just started to go to swing jive (charleston, lindy hop, balboa etc.) classes. (Only been to 2 lesons?!?) Thought it might be fun to learn to play something I can dance to. But I can't find any dots for any tunes I know online for free.

Is there anything you would suggest as 'easy' enough?

[kevin toner]

Very pleased to hear people with this muse. I concur with all!

 

I am currently investigating Lawrence Wright Music published sheet music and the likes as I'd been passed a copy of "The 30s", from the Decades Series which dedicates its first-half to this publisher. It appears that his Co. was more than likely the most prolific in churning out the greatest standards of the time. A couple or so of his own songs (under different aliases) are also in the book.

 

I have long been able to sight-read the treble clef of each song within this. It indeed has some of the aforementioned songs among them. The publishers' excellent notation etc. means that you can enjoy simply the delights of the song through the excellently constructed treble clef notation, except frustratingly for a select few that necessitate bass clef attention before fully enjoying, which fortunately are few for those without the patience.

 

I have decided relatively recently to focus on merging the bass clef and the phrasing demands on each song to optimise my enjoyment of the songs including the full chords etc. that have been intended. It was the allure of [settling with] the treble for so long that I had to have more – like soft to hard/drugs perhaps.

 

You will find such sheet music in your local libraries and I'd be very surprised if there's no LWM published material there.

 

Enjoy!

 

However, for me, it’s a painstaking path en-route to accomplishing each of these, some of which are absolute gems that can't be ignored. As Wendy has said, setting some rules and disciplines makes for a good start. My problem is that I have to de-memorise the treble clef playing and start afresh, but again - it's to die for - thanks to the publishers who transcribed these pieces so brilliantly in the past.

 

[i accidentally heard on BBC radio that songwriter Jimmy McHugh decided to spare the publisher by doing his own notation. His "Lovely Lady", I think would also have been an excellent ballroom number, but one more thing I must get off my chest re McHugh, and it corroborates with the above BBC observation, is a curious note clash within one of the chords - I wouldn't even call it a dischord, sounding so off, and albeit with 2 remaining bass notes not being played, I was struck by it as the only chord in the whole book with a clashing sound, i.e. at the lyric [i]...crossed over...[/i], from "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and by the fact that this chord only comes together if the note A is replaced with B! I've long been thinking is this [misprint?] some conceited fun to express the crossing-over message - getting from A to B (?) If this were in any other key signature other than C then it would engender a totally different combination of notes other than 'A to B'. This is why it checks (cheeks) out for me. Sorry for veering off, but this shows some of the fun along the way that can be discovered (albeit I'll be revisiting this song soon in all its glory to confirm) for instance, there's one more curiosity that deserves a post in its own right that I will bore you with later, soon - but would be great to hear of others' experiences too]

 

Don't ignore the introduction pieces (usually comprising 2 verses) on the sheet music. So much recorded music has dispensed with this in the past, but these pieces are what make the whole experience worthwhile - and Blue Moon is far from an exception here. I heard such comments from the older generation of relatives and now know it’s true. I've not yet heard a recorded version of the standards that have dared to do both introduction verses though. At best in your search you may hear the artist select one of the intro verses.

 

That said; this isn't my only outlet (music choice), but one I can't recommend enough.

Edited January 26, 2012 by kevin toner

[wes williams]

Ah then, but some of us (including you Al!) are old enough to be able to remember "Come Dancing", Victor Sylvester, The Boston Two Step, etc.

 

You're beginning to get very near to a lot of material that Alexander Prince recorded late in his career. I'll see if I can't get some posted on the web.

 

With reference to Lawrence Wright Music: take a look at the 78s on ebay especially those on the Rex label. Many are pre-printed with the copyright at the top, and I'm especially fond of those by Val Rosing ( best known for the vocals on The Teddy Bear's Picnic)