My Top 5 Sidney Bechet songs for swing dancing
Here are my top 5 favorite Sidney Bechet tunes for dancing Lindy Hop and Charleston
- Favorite slow: “Egyptian Fantasy” 104 bpm
- Favorite midtempo: “Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho” 179 bpm
- Favorite fast: “When The Saints Go Marching” 252 bpm
- Favorite fast jam: “Shake It And Break It” 218 bpm
- Favorite all around: “Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me” 143 bpm
Let me know what you think of these songs, and which Sidney Bechet songs you would have put on this list.
Past Top Song posts: My Top 5 Count Basie songs, My Top 5 Duke Ellington songs
September 21st, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho is fantastic, good call! And of course, Naughty Sweetie is something special.
I can’t say I liked When the Saints Go Marching. Maybe just because 250 bpm still feels beyond me, and the song itself isn’t hurt by going slower… Personally, I like the slightly slower “I found a new baby” off the Bluenote recordings. Still faster than my feet can manage (yet) but it feels less demanding to me, even though it’s 243 bpm (near as I can gauge).
For the slow songs, can we have an honorable mention for “Stompy Jones” and “St James Infirmary?” I know there are a lot of different recordings of those two out there and I haven’t had time to compare, but they’re both great pieces.
The more I listen though, the harder it is to pick… Sidney Bechet is just awesome.
September 21st, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Sidney doing St James Infirmary is hot!!!! And yeah, I’ve got the Complete Bluenote Masters, the Proper Set, and The Fabulous Sidney Bechet… and I still can’t get enough of his stuff. My newest favorite is “Viper Mad”.
I like When the Saints because it’s fast and makes you want to Charleston. Check out this video of the Solo Charleston dance-off at Camp Jitterbug.
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Blame It On the Blues. Such a great, pounding song.
Incidentally, does anyone know the song Frida and Sakarias danced to in their charleston routine from Barswingona 2003? Could well be Sidney but I have no clue.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:40 am
Buddy Bolden Stomp by Sidney Bechet
November 8th, 2007 at 5:31 am
I’ve gotta agree with Par about Blame It On the Blues.
I also really like Muskrat Ramble. And everything else. haha
November 9th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Yes, I totally forgot about Blame it On the Blues. Great song!
And Muskrat Ramble is a classic. I remember my prof in university making it required listening in our history of jazz class.