The Great Gatsby - Charleston dancing

Here is a fun video clip from the film The Great Gatsby where people are dancing Charleston at a wild party and jumping into the fountain.

I would have liked to been at that party in the roaring 20's!

The film The Great Gatsby is from 1974 and has Robert Redford and Mia Farrow in the leading roles.

I think this might be where the director for the music video of Come To Me by Koop got some of his ideas.

What do you think of the video clip with charleston dancing from The Great Gatsby? Please comment.

Enoch Light & The Light Brigade: Charleston

Here is a version of the song Charleston performed by Enoch Light & The Light Brigade from the album Big Hits of the 20s from 1971.

Enoch Light was one of the first musicians to really take advantage of stereo recording. He recorded all kinds of music but to me the most interesting music is his recordings of songs written in the 1920s-1940s.

Some of his other recordings are *cough* a bit obscure. Just listen to "I want to be happy cha cha", its very far from how the young Ella Fitzgerald sung it.

Take a look at this site to learn more about Enoch Light.

What do you think about the version of Charleston by Enoch Light? Please comment.

Royal Garden Blues: Oscar Peterson & Count Basie

Just to honor Oscar Peterson, who died last week, I thought I'd post a video clip with Oscar Peterson playing Royal Garden Blues together with Count Basie.



Wow. Two of the greatest jazz pianists together at the same time. They recorded together at a few occations and one favorite album of mine is Satch & Josh. I really like the first song on the album: "Buns Blues" which is very playful.

Royal Garden Blues is such a great song, composed by Clarence Williams and
Spencer Williams in 1919. Spencer Williams also (co-?)wrote the song "Everybody loves my baby".

What do you think of Oscar Peterson & Count Basie playing Royal Garden Blues? Tell me.

Splanky - Count Basie - Montreux Jazz Festival

Splanky played by Count Basie is one of the classic swing songs you should know of. Here is a excellent up-tempo version of Splanky by Count Basie at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1977.



Splanky is written by composer and arranger Neal Hefti.

Watch other classic swing songs like Corner Pocket with Count Basie and In the Mood with Glenn Miller.

What do yoy think of the video clip with Count Basie playing Splanky? Tell me.