I've been a DJ for over 15 years, specializing in in Shag style. I have finally gotten a club owner to dedicate one night to Swing Dancing.

I made contact with Swing DJs in NYC, Atalanta, Nashville, and Indianapolis and they were most hepful in supplying me with titles for West Coast Swing dancing.

I have obtained over 1200 songs listed as West Coast Swing music but Im being told that Im not playing West Coast music.

Can anyone give me some insight as exactly what this is and where is the best place to obtain it

Thanks much
Ron W

Hi Karl,
Although we're not as familiar with West Coast Swing, a key difference is that the tempo as W.C. Swing music is often slower than other forms of swing.

Here is an excerpt from wikipedia:

WCS was originally danced to sixteen count Blues music, rather than the Jazz from the early part of the 20th century. In practice, WCS may be danced to almost any music in 4/4 time. Such diverse musical genres as Funk, Rock and Roll and Disco may be found in a typical evening of WCS dancing. In recent years, most WCS venues have seen a greater proportion of contemporary music played as opposed to blues. While some may lament the departure of WCS from
its roots, others view this trend as another step in the continued evolution of the dance.

Music can be subject to "personal preferences" sometimes ... the people who mentioned you weren't playing West Coast Swing, are you able to ask them their favorite songs/albums/cds?

as I said I am an experienced DJ and have seen this before. I aked them what they would like me to play and of course they couldn't tell me. It happens a lot but rather than be upset with them I would rather please them. I'm working very hard to get every piece of WC type music that I can find been to a number of web sites that list titles etc. and have spent a ton of $$$ on it I'll keep trying tho

Thanks for you input

Yes people do have thier own choices. I have found 'the Wanderer', 'Mustang Sally' and 'Black Velvet' are a few good ones and the general public will dance to them too!

Here are my personal favorites to WCS to:

Man! I Feel Like A Woman! - Shania Twain
Get This Party Started - Pink
I Remember - Ron Sunshine
Shut Up - The Black Eyed Peas
Reconsider Baby - Eric Clapton
All She Wants To Do Is Dance - Don Henley
Lady Marmalade - Patty Labelle
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
All I Wanna Do - Sheryl Crow
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) - Big & Rich
Let Me Love You Baby - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Blues Before Sunrise - Eric Clapton
Love Me Darlin' - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Minnie The Moocher - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Mustang Sally - from The Commitments
Chain Of Fools - from The Commitments
Salt Pork West Virginia - Ron Sunshine
Bad To The Bone - George Thorogood
Take Me To The River - from The Commitments
Your Body Is A Wonderland - John Mayer
The Right Kind Of Wrong - Leann Rimes
Brooklyn Bridge - Ron Sunshine
Boot Hill - Stevie Ray Vaughan
On A Slow Boat To China - Renee Olstead
Natural Man - Ron Sunshine
Strange Brew - Cream
Tombstone Shadow - Creedence Clearwater Revival
How Long Blues - Eric Clapton
Destination Anywhere - from The Commitments
Do You Know - Ron Sunshine
Wrapping Paper - Cream
Can't Fight The Moonlight - Leann Rimes
Fever - Michael Bublé
Spoonful - Cream

Rom Sunshine CD's can be found at www.ronsunshine.com

HOPE THIS HELPS!!!

-Bri

Originally a Hustler. I find that WCS is very easy to transition from and to. But I have noticed 2 main tempos of music. Blues and Contemporary. That is not to say that one is better or more authentic/traditional than the other. I have noticed that their are some older quicker beat (almost never referred to as blues) tunes as well as some newer (almost never referred to as contemporary) slow tunes. Some what of a misnomer, I believe. Taught in Shag, WCS, Hustle, Balbao, Jive, Jitterbug, ECS it really is a matter of stamina, not "what is strictly" this or that. Some people will say that it has to have a particular Country sound to be WCS. Perhaps, Jazz even Blues but this is all malarky.... WCS is an incorporative dance. Some will say it must be done with an anchor step and many ballrooms insist on teaching only the coaster step... HA! Now they have to incorporate a Syncopation step that is a transition from the Hustle. Let me put it to you this way. aAmost any 4/4 music can be done to WCS. I have seen half a floor doing Cha-cha (Pussy Cat Dolls Don't Cha) and half doing WCS. I have seen the slowest NC2S (Jordan Sparks No Air) by at least 3/4ths the floor and the others still doing WCS. I DJ, Teach and do Tech Sound and Lighting. If you can Hustle to it. You can WCS to it. If its too fast to do a WCS then ECS seems to lend a helping hand. ECS can be done slow or fast but looks nature with a faster tempo. Try doing a Rumba to a Bachata see how many looks you get in a Salsa club.... Go to a Ballroom and half the people seeing a Bachata will turn away in discussed. There is no such thing as a strict WCS. WCS is supposed to accept more into it.

I have been doing WCS since the 80's and dance a lot... but the music over the years has changed... if you want current stuff, go to youtube and watch some of the current WCS competitions videos.... this is the current popular music people want.

West Coast Swing has changed a ton in the past few years with the music emphasis leaning towards contemporary at most of the national events with a few blues standards that are always sure to please. Here's a list of current favorites from California to DC.

Blues
Slow Walk - Sil Austin (1956-Still Rockin)
Sittin on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Hush Hush - Etta James
I am the Only One - Melissa Etheridge
A Natural Man - Lou Rawls
Q Blues
Try Matty's - Aretha Franklin
September - Earth Wind & Fire
Soul Serenade
Alva's Baby Blues - Blue Caps
Sweat - Poppa Chubby
Heart Attack and Vine -Tom Waits
Whole 'Nutha Thang - keb Mo

Contemporary
Aht Uh Mi Hed - Shaun Escoffery
Free Fallin - John Mayer
Boom Boom Pow- Black Eyed Peas
I don't need it - jamie Foxx
She Will be loved - Maroon 5
After Tonight - Justin Nozuka
Give it to me Right = Melanie Fiona
Grown Man - New Kids on the Block
Get Involved - Ginuwine
Closer - Neo
Beggin - Mad Con
FOrever - Mario
I got a feelin - Black Eyed Peas
Masquearde - New Kids on the Block

Hope that Helps!

quote:

Originally posted by swingsoul:
West Coast Swing has changed a ton in the past few years with the music emphasis leaning towards contemporary at most of the national events with a few blues standards that are always sure to please. Here's a list of current favorites from California to DC.

Blues

Alva's Baby Blues - Blue Caps


Hope that Helps!

Hey Swingsoul, where can I download this track? "Alva's Baby Blues - Blue Caps"
Thanks
Ed

quote:

Originally posted by RonW:
Can anyone give me some insight as exactly what this is and where is the best place to obtain it

Thanks much
Ron W

Generally, WCS music is between 90 and 120 bpm. It's 4/4 time. The primary genres are pop, blues, R&B, and hip hop. Unfortunately, that's as specific as I can get, but I'll mention some stuff about music programming later. Check out my site for lists of WCS music that I play. West Coast Swing Music Lists I update my playlist every time that I DJ so there should be at least one new one each month.

In my locality, there are three main places to go WCS dancing and each plays distinctly different music though there is some overlap. There are also some people in each place who would say that the other places don't play WCS music. For a DJ, I say the best thing to do is primarily to play what is (or will be) popular. However, that can change from place to place. I don't even remember the last time I've heard Alva's Baby Blues which is a great WCS song, but I've heard Kesha's Blah blah blah which is a horrible WCS song 3 times within the last month. Heck, I'll probably play it tonight and I hate it.

Anyway, the two things to do is read the crowd and know your music. With 15 years of experience, reading the crowd should be natural for you. However, with 1200 new WCS songs, I'd be surprised if you've listened to all that music. What songs in your library are slow vs medium vs fast temp. How about rolling count vs straight, blues vs r&b vs pop vs hip hop, breaks vs no breaks, slides vs no slides, or complex rhythms vs simple. I actually keep a spreadsheet and multiple music lists to help me keep it all straight. Once you have your music organized, your experience with reading crowds will become much more useful.

Well, I hope that helped!