Playlist for November 11, 2009 - Veterans' Day Pledge Drive Special!

Click HERE for the Swing Shift Shuffle playlist from last night's show.

Veterans' Day with the Memphis Belle

It seemed fitting to observe Veterans' Day (a/k/a Armistice Day or Rememberance Day) by posting a documentary about my home town's most famous aircraft, The Memphis Belle.  This film is not the 1990 feature of the same name, but rather an account of an actual bombing mission, using actual combat footage shot during the run, and directed by William Wyler (director of Mrs. Miniver, Ben Hur, Roman Holiday, and many other Hollywood classics). 

Lindy Hop Workshop This Weekend

Put on your dancing shoes this weekend.  In addition to the usual, weekly Red Hot Lindy Hop dance lesson and session this Friday at the Rumba Room, the Red Hot Lindy Hop presents Joel Plys and Evita Arce for a Lindy Hop Workshop in Memphis on November 14 and 15.  See full schedule and register at redhotlindyhop.com. 

This Friday, November 6, 2009:

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Free admission before 7:00 p.m., $5 after 7:00 p.m.
Free dance lesson at 7:00 p.m. with Becky and Mike, followed with music by DJ Becky until 9:30 p.m.  Salsa at 9:30 p.m.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main Street

Memphis, TN 38103

RAF Home Movies from World War II

The BBC reports about a British woman who discovered some amateur movie footage shot by her grandfather while he was as a Spitfire pilot in the RAF during World War II.  As we approach Veterans' Day (a/k/a Armistice Day or Rememberance Day) on November 11, this seemed like an appropriate item to post.  Note that the British historian interviewed in the piece is wearing his red, Rememberence Day poppy on his lapel.  Although the UK maintains that tradition, it was an American woman who actually started it. 

Red Riding Hood

If some of the early cartoons seem a little odd by today's standards, bear in mind that animation was a relatively new art form, so almost everything was an experiment of some sort.  In addition, the common presumption that cartoons were just for children did not yet exist, so some of these shorts were directed as much as adults as kids.  That might explain why several of the characters in this 1931 version of Red Riding Hood from the Internet Archive are smoking cigarettes.  Another interesting point is that the two primary characters are blatant, and I mean BLATANT, copies of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse. 

Lunch and Lecture on the Tuskegee Airmen

The historic, 157-year old Elmwood Cemetery, where many famous and infamous figures in Memphis history rest (including swing band leader Jimmie Lunceford), is hosting a lunch and lecture about the Tuskegee Airmen on Wednesday, November 11, 2009.  Admission is $10, and you can register at the Events page on Elmwood website. 

The Tuskegee Airmen refers to all those involved in the "Tuskegee Experiment", a program implemented by the Army Air Corps to train African Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft. Nearly 1000 men graduated from the program, and over 450 were deployed oversees with the 332 Fighter Group of the Army Air Corps. Overcoming segregation and discrimination, the Tuskegee Airmen became one of the most highly respected fighter groups of World War 2 and paved the way for full integration of the United States military. This program is presented by Mable Barringer.

Click HERE for the Swing Shift Shuffle playlist from last night's show.

Weekly Lindy Hop and Workshop Reminder

Remember, in addition to the usual, weekly Red Hot Lindy Hop dance lesson and session this Friday at the Rumba Room, there is an upcoming Lindy Hop Workshop on November 14-15. 

This Friday, November 6, 2009:

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Free admission before 7:00 p.m., $5 after 7:00 p.m.
Free dance lesson at 7:00 p.m. with Amanda and Jaredan, followed with music by DJ Alexis until 9:30 p.m.  Salsa at 9:30 p.m.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main Street

Memphis, TN 38103

Plus, Red Hot Lindy Hop presents Joel Plys and Evita Arce for a Lindy Hop Workshop in Memphis on November 14 and 15.  Cost $65 until November 6, with discounts for students.  See full schedule and register at redhotlindyhop.com. 

Soviet Paintings from World War II

Boing Boing recently introduced me to an interesting military history site called All World Wars, which features historic magazines, propaganda posters, training and weapons manuals, paintings, pamphlets, scholarly treatises and other historical artifacts ranging from an Italian Renaissance sketchbook on military art to photos from the 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza war.  The item that I first encountered was a collection of Soviet paintings from World War II.  Very powerful images, such as this one entitled Sister.    

Johnny Mercer and Artie Shaw on TCM

I know it may seem like I am a shill for Turner Classic Movies, but honestly, I just really like old movies, and TCM's uncut, no commercial format.  At 7:00 p.m. (CT) this Wednesday, November 4, TCM will air its original documentary Johnny Mercer:  The Dream's On Me, featuring archival footage and new clips that trace the career of the great American songwriter.  Just a little later than night, at 10: 49 p.m., TCM will air one of its "One Reel Wonders" entitled Symphony in Swing, in which Artie Shaw, his orchestra, and Helen Forrest perform five tunes.