Nina Simone - Feeling good

"Feeling Good" sung by Nina Simone is a typical summer song for me. Don't ask me why, it just is.

Do you have any song that you associate with summer or another season?

What do you think of Nina Simone singing Feeling good? Please comment.

Hey Mr Jesse - July 2009

The July show of the podcast Hey Mister Jesse has just been released.

Hey Mr Jesse is a great monthly podcast where the swing djs Jesse Miner and Manu 'Spuds' Smith talk about swingin' music that matters to dancers.

Download the July 2009 episode of Hey Mister Jesse. (~50 MB, mp3)

I'm sorry that I haven't commented on the last couple of months when Hey Mr Jesse have been released, so if you use my blog to stay updated when the podcasts arrive you might have missed a few. In that case, just look at the Hey Mr Jesse archive and catch up.

This month I had a few tips on songs from some new album releases, first out was Ik Hou Van Je (I Love You) by Candye Kane from the album Superhero (available on AmazonMp3, iTunes Plus and eMusic),

Second tip was the song "Let's Misbehave" by Top Shelf Jazz from the album Fast & Louche.

My bonus tip for July was "Christopher Columbus" by Humphrey Lyttelton from the album Bad Penny Blues 1955-1956 (available on AmazonMp3, iTunes Plus and eMusic)

What do you think of Hey Mr Jesse podcast July 2009? Please comment.

The Real Group - It Don't Mean A Thing

It Don't Mean A Thing is almost the definition of a classic swing song. Here is a acapella version by the Swedish vocal group The Real Group from a concert at Stockholm Concert Hall in 2005.

I really like how the bass lines are sung and I'm also very fond of the way they layer their voices (starts at ~ 2:00 into the video clip).

What do you think of The Real Group singing It Don't Mean A Thing? Please comment.

Louis Jordan - Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby

According to Wikipedia, the musician Louis Jordan was born on July 8th in 1908. One of his most known songs that he performed was Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby.

Above you see him play and sing it in the movie Follow the Boys from 1944.

"Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" have been sung by many artists. Do you have a favorite version?

What do you think of the video clip with Louis Jordan? Please comment.

Easy virtue - Let's misbehave

While looking for versions of Cole Porter's song "Let's Misbehave" I stumbled across the film Easy Virtue that was released last year. "Let's misbehave" is the tagline of the movie and the song is also included in the film.

Easy Virtue is set in England in the early 1930's, where a young man marries an American which is not approved by his mother. The main characters are played by Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth.

There is also a soundtrack from Easy Virtue available.

I think the film look charming and would like to see it. Has anyone got it?

Read more about:

• Let's Misbehave
• 1930's
• Films and movies

Have you seen Easy Virtue? What do you think of it? Please comment.

Outdoors summer dancing in Uppsala

Tuesdays are dancing days in Uppsala during the summer. If you go down to the park by the river, you'll find lindy hoppers and balboa dancers all over the place from 18 o'clock and until we run out of batteries for the boombox or run out of dancers, whichever happens first.

Many people bring food and drinks and have a picnic while they rest for a while. Many other (not yet dancing) people pass by on the walking paths beside and stay for a while and look. This is a perfect opportunity to introduce your friends to the dance.



Nobody has yet fallen into the river by accident but last Tuesday one guy jumped into river all by himself.

The event has expanded to Mondays when tap dancer try their rhythms on the quayside.

The event seems to be getting some attention since earlier this week the local radio station phoned me and wanted to get in contact with some dancers.

There are also other outside dances in Uppsala, if you dance tango, go to Smultron at Svartbäcksgatan on Tuesdays between 19 and 23 and if dance Swedish Bugg, go to the river between Skolgatan and Eddaspången on Thursdays after 18.

The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license them.

What do you think of the outside dancing by the river in Uppsala? Have you been there yet? Please comment.

Midnight Serenaders - Portland

Midnight Serenaders is a band from Portland, Oregon that play 1920's and 1930's music.

There is a good segment from the show "Oregon Art Beat" from Oregon Public Broadcasting where they feature Midnight Serenaders playing and talking about their band.

[Found via Evrim Icoz]

What do you think of Midnight Serenaders? Please comment.