Playlist For December 31, 2014

The playlist for the December 31, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Hop Into The New Year

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Lesson by Jaredan and Jennifer, with music by DJ Jaredan.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions will be back in January at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here. 

Sunrise Serenade: Her Tears Flowed Like Wine

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" by Lauren Bacall and the Williams Brothers from the 1946 film The Big Sleep.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Ivy Benson And Her All Girl Orchestra

The words "Spice Girls" and "Swing Era" are not the most common association, but former Spice Girl, Melanie C, is making sure one story of the Swing Era is not forgotten.  She presented a BBC documentary on Ivy Benson and Her All Girl Orchestra, one of the leading acts in the UK during the 1940s, and will present a second documentary on the band in 2015. 

Fifty years before Victoria, Mel B, Emma, Geri and myself were talking about Girl Power, Ivy and the members of her all-girl band were risking their lives entertaining Allied troops in war-torn Europe, and fighting the battle of the sexes back at home.

While I missed the documentary, the item has made me start looking for recordings by Ms. Benson and her band.   

Sunrise Serenade: The Nutcracker Suite

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "The Nutcracker Suite" by Les Brown and His Orchestra.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.
  

Merry Christmas!

From everyone here at the SSS - Merry Christmas!  The young lady in this photo from the Library of Congress certainly seems to be enjoying her Christmas morning.  I'll wager she had a happy older brother as well, since I see an open Lionel train box on the left. 

I'm taking a quick break for the holiday, but I'll be back Monday.  Have a very safe and Merry Christmas!

Playlist For December 24, 2014 - Christmas Special Part 2

The playlist for the December 24, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

The Green Lama Merry Xmas

The Golden Age posted this holiday tale from the ghosts of comics past.  The Green Lama (with one "L"  - as in an eastern holy man - as opposed to an Andean pack animal) is Jethro (yes, Jethro) Dumont, a gentile scholar of Asian lore, who becomes the mighty Green Lama to fight evil.  In this episode, he must fight a Dickens-ish miser to bring a Merry Christmas to a fishing village in "The Turn of the Scrooge." 

Sunrise Serenade: The Christmas Song

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "The Christmas Song" by Les Brown and His Orchestra featuring Doris Day on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Boxing Day Hop

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Lesson by Brooke and Keenan, with music by DJ Brooke.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are taking a holiday break for December, but they will be back in January at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here.