Help finding "danceable" gypsy swing songs

therealguyfi

I would say first and foremost you should listen to more of this music in it's original (non GJ) form to get the sounds and vibe in your ear. I don't think it's the tune so much as one's interpretation of it. A lot of tunes that are standards on the GJ scene were once popular music of the the swing era and weren't originally played so fast. Look at Summertime for instance, this has been played in every conceivable style. Around 140 it sits in a nice pocket for dancers. Listening to singers is good. If playing tunes slower makes them feel to you like they're just creeping along it's probably because you don't have enough reference point yet for mid tempo music.

I've played a lot of swing dances and the dancers seem to love the pulse of gypsy jazz, but then again it's about rhythmic feel. The music needs some bounce. There some fabulous GJ artists who I very much enjoy, but their music doesn't make me want to get up and dance.

I'm by no means an authority on swing music but perhaps spend a couple weeks listening to people like Count Basie, Nat King Cole Trio, Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington.

Jazzaferri

Try singing the words, if they sound odd, well....'nuff said.

In the words of a wonderful musician friend of mine "just because you can, doesn't mean you should"

IMO Some melody lines are pretty flexible in tempo, others not.