Archive for March, 2009

Swingology

March 27th, 2009 | Category: dances
It’s time for the fair winds of March to bid us adieu.  We will end the month with another Swingology, our most eclectic night of music!  It’s a concept we have developed to explore the question, “What swings?”, a topic of considerable debate among DJs.
 
Depending on who’s spinning, you may get a blend of classic swing (Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong) with favorite soul artists (Betty LaVette, Stevie Wonder), or maybe the best of Neo-swing (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Lavay Smith) and great swing-era divas (Ruth Brown, Peggy Lee). There’s sure to be some fantastic jump blues and hot jazz in the mix too! The idea of Swingology is to explore some of these boundaries while keeping the mix strongly rooted in familiar artists and songs we love to hear. You can expect a night full of good, solid, swing dance music from every corner of the kingdom of Swing and one thing’s for sure, the music will be like the weather in New England: if you don’t like it, just wait 5 minutes and it will change.
Kellian Adams and Brian Pletcher are our teachers for the evening!    

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

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Shawn Hershey Quartet

March 20th, 2009 | Category: dances
Tonight at BOSTON SWING CENTRAL we will feature the Shawn Hershey Quartet, a small combo Shawn Hershy of the Fried Bananas has put together to play for us.  After a similar group of his played a delightful, spirited set at the Union Square Farmer’s Market this summer, we asked Shawn to recreate the vibe for us.  We then had Shawn play a short set with this combo in January.  Tonight, he’s back for a full night of jazz that is guaranteed to keep you dancing! 
 
Lesson 8:00-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA
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Rocco & the Stompers, Beantown Swing Orchestra – Vintage Dress-up

March 13th, 2009 | Category: dances

Don’t forget!  We’ll be at our temporary venue – right around the corner at The YMCA (click to view a map).

BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is really excited to have Rocco and the Stompers, along with their parental unit, the Beantown Swing Orchestra, play for us tonight.  So, essentially we have a little big band and a big band.  And as an extra special treat, nationally renowned singer/ songwriter Erin McKeown will join the Beantown Swing Orchestra on vocals.  You won’t want to miss this!  This is going to sell out, so get there early!

We’re also going to do a Shim Sham for Frankie’s 95th Birthday Party!  “A What Wham?” you ask?  “And who’s this Frankie guy?”  Well, Frankie Manning is one of few surviving Lindy Hoppers from the Savoy Ballroom days in the 1930s, (and also one of our guiding lights!) and he turns 95 this May.  And he’s having a gigantic birthday celebration in New York.  And for his birthday, dance scenes from all around the world are performing the Shim Sham (Frankie’s favorite line dance) for him which will be edited into a video.  So Boston represent!  We are also encouraging everyone to dress vintage on this night!!

We’ll have a basic swing lesson from 8-8:30pm and a lesson on the Shim Sham from 8:30 -9:15pm, both taught by Tony and Aurelie Tye of Hop to the Beat dance studio!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm to 12 midnight
$15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

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Gordon Webster Quintet with Brianna Thomas

March 06th, 2009 | Category: dances

Don’t forget!  We’ll be at our temporary venue — right around the corner at The YMCA (click to view a map)..

Once again, BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is proud to welcome back Gordon Webster and his full quartet, including his super talented vocalist Brianna Thomas.  But since Gordon is making his second appearance at BSC this year, we asked him to change it up and throw us one of his curveballs…and this time he also brings Jesse Selengut, on trumpet and additional vocals. Jesse might be familiar to you if were at the packed Brookline Tai Chi show last Fall.  Anyhow, Jesse brings an added dimension to the Quartet and makes them now a Quintet!   Brianna, Jesse, Gordon, they are going to ROCK THE HOUSE!  This band creates an electric vibe like how we imagine it was back in the day, when people were packed into the Plug Nickel, the audience sitting on the edge of their seats with excitement.

This wildly popular group draws a big crowd, so come early to guarantee your spot on the floor!  If we’re at capacity when you arrive, check back in 30 minutes and we’ll likely be able to let more people in.  There are a lot of great bars, clubs, and a fantastic coffee shop right around the corner to keep you entertained in the meantime!

Ogden & Nicole of It’s All Swing Dance Studios will be teaching the lesson tonight.  If you haven’t seen them dance, you’re in for a treat! Ogden is known around these parts as “The Velvet Slinky”.  The cat is smooth.  And Nicole has been consistently winning every swing dance competition she seems to enter.  So we’re very excited to present them in all their dancing glory.
Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

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