Fats Waller – Be Kind

The movie Be Kind, Rewind got me thinking about Fats Waller and the importance he played in jazz piano in such a short yet productive life.  He was a vastly productive composer, including lesser known tunes like Minor Drag, Fractious Fingering, and Yacht Club Swing, alongside more popular tunes like Honeysuckle Rose and Ain’t Misbehavin’ which have been performed by Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Duke Ellington, and many more.

Classically trained and rent party experienced, his music is often characterized by its playful manner and lyrics.  A prime example of the stride tradition, Fats studied with James P. Johnson and Willie “the Lion” Smith; his songs reflect the brightness of strides’ ragtime roots with the complexity of jazz improvisation and swing rhythms.  He influenced a great number of jazz pianists, including Count Basie and Errol Gardner, and still influences pianists like Gordon Webster who regularly plays for dancers.

Most recently in the lindy hop community one of Fats Waller’s lesser known songs, Twenty-Four Robbers, was used for a choreography by Skye Humphries and Frida Segerdahl.  It was performed at ULHS (article here) and at ALHC.  The routine emphasizes the clarity of Fats’ piano, and an ease and happiness that is just as characteristic of their personalities as it is of Fats’.  They evoke the spirit of the song, dancing within the space created by Fats Waller’s piano and voice.

All too often as dancers we can forget the joy of dancing or as musicians that joy of playing, we get caught up in a technical perfectionism and bind ourselves with arbitrary rules which supposedly define our arts.  Fats Waller as an icon of playfulness and joy should not be forgotten and we should embrace that when we are on the floor or the bandstand.

Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2007 – The End pt. 2

The second to last competition, much anticipated and talked about, was the team competition. Four teams competed with members from Canada, France, Sweden, and the U.S. The stage set and the crowd ready, it was a spectacular show.

Let’s begin with the winning routine. 23 Skidoo from Denver, Colorado won with their theatrical routine to one of this years hottest tunes: Lafayette from the Kansas City soundtrack. Although from the video perspective it looks a bit chaotic, on the ground it had a clean and directed feel. The V of swing-outs was a strong opener after the tension building in the line. They had solid formations (which can be seen well from this angle). The spotlight of Dan and Tiffany’s slow motion was very well choreographed and executed, one of the better slow motion enactments I’ve seen. Overall a very well choreographed and executed routine.

Next on my list: the Ninjammerz with Max and Annie, Kevin and Jessica, Dax and Emily and Thomas and Alice. It was a two part routine, the first section to “Happy Go Lucky Local” by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the second to “The Last Jump” by Charlie Barnet. The beginning of the tune showcases groove lindy done exceptionally well and I almost prefer it to the second section. To make a slight comment on the song choice, the Silver Shadows used this same song at ALHC last year and it felt a bit cheeky in that some of the movements were parodies of the Silver Shadows routine. That said, the rest of the routine was quite excellently performed although I think less cascade and more ensemble movement would have brought more energy to the routine.

Next up: the Swedish Heroes including Sakarias and Frida, Mattias and Hannah, and Henric and Joanna. It was a routine with its roots firmly set in the authentic tradition of lindy hop and jazz. Although the routine kept the energy high and the feeling old school, with the level of routines they could have used more background work for those not spotlighting. Good points: the freeze in the lifts while Henric heelslides front, both the followers and leaders jazz steps starting at about 1:20 are spectacularly musical, and the ensemble Berry Lock was a great idea although the execution could have used a bit of work.

The last team under review is the Silver Shadows consisting of Skye, Andy, Todd, Peter, Nina, Naomi, Ramona and Frida. The song is “Rhythm Jam” by Gene Krupa. This team, in my opinion, has pushed the envelope of lindy hop and team choreography to a whole new level with their debut routine to “Rock & Rye” to last years stunning work “The Last Jump” and their work at Lindyfest, they have gone beyond the standards of choreography. With this said, I think this routine needed a bit more polish, which it had at ALHC this past weekend. The innovative use of space and spectacular musicality is matched with an almost avant garde choreographic style. The routine is less competitive and more orchestral. If you watch the dancers throughout they perform as band members involved in the orchestration of performance art.