Swing Music

The Contender - Royal Crown Revue

Before there were khaki-pantsed swing dancers on TV and zoot-suited clubgoers in every major American city, Royal Crown Revue plied their proudly retro sound and look in underground L.A. nightspots. With "The Contender", RCR are back to claim their title as the Johnny Appleseed of swing.

I dare you to try to listen to this CD without dancing! My favorite track is the Jump, Jive an' Wail reamake. You've heard it on the great Gap commercial where the kids are Swing dancing. The rest of the CD has great stuff, too.

My favorite of the Swing bands! They have a swingin' sound and a smooth style. Catch them in the movie Swingers, playing at the famous Swing club, The Derby.

The Cherry Poppin' Daddies are bringing Swing back in a big way. Not too popular with the old-timers of Swing Dance and Lindy Hop, they have managed to capture the minds and feet of newcomers to Swing. I ran into a counter-culture teenage girl at a Swing class recently and asked her why Swing Dancing was getting so popular. She said she took the classes so she could show off to her friends on the dance floor. What do you know... I'm cool! ;-)

Indigo Swing is a hoppin, swingin bunch of smooth musicians who have brought music back to life. This is what music was meant to be! It's a beat that makes you feel alive and upbeat. Generation X comes head to head with the old Daddy O's and what a combo. These guys bridge the generation gap to bring a sound that music lovers of all ages are sure to enjoy.

The Squirrel Nut Zippers got their start just down the street from me in Chapel Hill. I saw them at the Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill on New Year's Eve 1996, before they got too big to play in bars. They're unique among the Swing bands in that they have a slower, more sarchastic sound.

This is the album that put the Squirrel Nut Zippers over the top. A must have CD!

If you like swing, this is a must have cd. From Cab Calloway to Duke Ellington to Glenn Miller, they're all here. A lot slower than BBVD and other contemporary swing bands, this cd offers up a nice change of pace and takes you back to the swing era.

This compilation was plugged by Scotty Morris himself of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on VH1's Swing Thing feature. It has the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue, and the cherry Poppoin' Daddies to name just a few.

A great compilation including the original Louis Prima version of Jump, Jive an' Wail. It has the Brian Setzer Orchestra, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Royal Crown Revue, and Lee Press-On & the Nails to name just a few.