Customer Reviews

Strictly Ballroom Series: Strictly Swing And Jive - The Best Of Dancesport

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Nothing wrong with this disc. I was looking for all East Coast Swing to practice dancing. A better disc (but you have to like old R&B) is "Everybody Dances Swing - series #1." Amazon couldn't find it (I waited about 8 weeks) so I got a perfect condition used copy from one of their partners within about 3 days.

The New 101 Strings Orchestra puzzles me in many ways. The "strings" seem to be synthesized. But since they have only minor background parts in this disc, this is not a huge drawback. And then a number of tracks are played by Johnny Cool & the Mobster Swing Band. They are pretty decent. The disc has tracks with three tempos: 44 measures per minute for jive, 36 mpm for swing, and 30 mpm for swing. Of course, 30 mpm is also foxtrot speed, and so dancers will have a choice between East Coast swing and foxtrot. Tracks 8 and 12 with clarinet solos by Buddy de Franco might be musically interesting, but they are miserable to dance to.

CAUTION FOR COLLECTORS: The Ballroom Dance Collection: Foxtrot & Quickstep, Swing & Jive, 2006, Produced by Mastertech in Australia lists this orchestra as the 101 Strings Orchestra, and provides much less information about mpm, vocals, etc. But these seem to be the same recordings. Beware of buying them twice.

Here are the titles, durations, suggested dance - measures per minute, performers:

Zoot Suit Riot, 4:02, Jive - 44 mpm, Johnny Cool & Mobster Swing Band
In The Mood, 3:52, Swing - 36 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra & Michelle Amato
All Of Me, 2:30, Foxtrot / Swing - 30 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra & Michelle Amato
Tuxedo Junction, 3:11, Foxtrot / Swing - 30 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra & Michelle Amato
Just A Gigolo, Ain't Got Nobody, 3:05, Jive - 44 mpm, Johnny Cool & Mobster Swing Band
Begin The Beguine, 3:51, Foxtrot / Swing - 30 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra
Don't Get Around Much Anymore, 2:39, Foxtrot / Swing - 30 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra & Michelle Amato
Why Was I Born, 2:26, Foxtrot / Swing - 30 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra & Buddy de Franco
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie, 2:58, Jive - 44 mpm, Johnny Cool & Mobster Swing Band
Pennsylvania 6-5000, 3:16, Swing - 36 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra
Chattanooga Choo Choo, 4:02, Swing - 36 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra & Michelle Amato
More Than You Know, 5:34, Foxtrot / Swing - 30 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra & Buddy de Franco
Take The "A" Train, 3:05, Swing - 36 mpm, New 101 Strings Orchestra
Jump, Jive And Wail, 5:08, Jive - 44 mpm, Johnny Cool & Mobster Swing Band

This CD is not what I expected. I thought it is one with fast pace swing dance music. Well, for those of you out there who wanted to get a CD, you need to try playing it first before placing an order.

As a competitive dancer, I found that only 4 of the tracks that had real jive enthusiasm. The others were very ho-hum. For novice dancers looking for distinct beats, tracks 6, 8, & 12 were more obviously more foxtrot tempo than jive. I wouldn't advise buying this CD unless you are looking for an eclectic CD that contains fast jive, slow swing, and even SLOWER swing/foxtrot timing.