by Alain Wong

Today’s song of the week comes to us from Lucy Falkner, founder of Rhythm City in Vancouver, Canada. Lucy has taught Charleston, Vintage Jazz, Lindy Hop, and Blues across Canada and the Pacific Northwest, and at the world-famous Herräng Dance Camp, in Sweden.

I had a difficult time choosing my song of the week. I set aside about 12 songs and listened to them incessantly for a week, vacillating between this one and that one as the one to choose. In the end, I went with my original choice, “Keep the Rhythm Going,” by The Mills Blue Rhythm Band.

Some songs make me want to swing out hard and do lots of big swingy long and loose movements, and some songs make me want to do lots of fussy and complex shapes and rhythms. This one gives me good doses of both. I love songs that build in energy, have strong rhythm, and a lot of texture (what some people think of as layers). Plus, I like chewy trumpet (that’s the best way I have to describe that particular sound). I guess I use food and eating metaphors a lot with regard to music. Never noticed that before. Well, then this song feeds me, but like a good appetizer: it leaves me wanting more. You can purchase this song from Amazon MP3 Download’s here: Keep The Rhythm Going.

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Song: “Keep The Rhythm Going”
Musicians: Mills Blue Rhythm Band
Album: Chronological Classics, 1933-1934

Personnel (for the album, not sure about the song)
Baron Lee, Lucky Millinder, leader
Wardell Jones, Eddie Mallory, Sheldon Hemphill, Ed Anderson, tpt
George Washington, arr, tbn
Henry Hicks, J.C. Higginbotham, tbn
Crawford Wethington, sax
Gene Mikell, cl, sax
Joe Garland, cl, sax, arr
Edgar Hayes, p
Benny James, bjo, g
Hayes Alvis, b, brass b
O’Neil Spencer, d
Adelaide Hall, Chuck Richards, voc
Lawrence Lucie, g
Elmer James, b
Alex Hill, arr

Thanks Lucy! You can find her teaching and judging this weekend at Lindybout, the Lindy Hop Championships in Western Canada.

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