Lindygroove DJs

Brian Abe (San Diego) has DJed at many events and clubs including the FireHouse in San Diego.

Hilary Alexander (Los Angeles) has been a vital part of the LA swing scene for over ten years, and is the creator of Camp Hollywood and the National Jitterbug Championships, as well as the vocalist for Jonathan Stout's Campus Five and The Jonathan Stout Orchestra. The daughter of a jazz pianist, Hilary was raised to have a great appreciation of the music of the swing era and a desire to spread the love of this music through her DJing, event, and band.

Some favorite tunes:

Boogie Blues - Gene Krupa & Anita O'Day

Jamaica Jam - Teddy Powell

Gang Busters - The Cats & The Fiddle

I've Found a New Baby - Sidney Bechet

Lavender Coffin - Lionel Hampton

Main Stem - Duke Ellington

Man From Mars - Artie Shaw

Dance of the Gremlins - Count Basie

Minor's A Muggin' - Duke Ellington & Tommy Dorsey

Love Me or Leave Me - Sammy Davis Jr version

Half Tight Boogie - The Campus Five (natch!)

Paul Almazan (Echo Park) His life has always been a reflection of his love for music. He has been a musician since the age of four and continues to fuel that passion for music through swing dancing and playing drums for Media Orphan. Paul possesses a large range of musical taste that will definitely be reflected in his DJ sets. At Memories in Whittier Paul began to DJ on Monday night’s open call to DJ’s and eventually took a monthly spot on Friday nights. He has also had the privilege to DJ at the Vegas Exchange the last two years, Swingin’ the New Year, The Sacramento Lindy Exchange, The 24 Hour Dance-a-thon, The Jam, Third Saturday Swing, and The Firehouse. Paul has been the guest DJ at Joe's Bar and Grill on Tuesday night. Paul lives in Echo Park.

10 Songs Paul Likes:
1. Anita O'Day/Nat King Cole-Rosetta
2. Jimmy Rushing-Sent For You Yesterday
3. Duke Ellington-(Otto Make That) Riff Staccato
4. Louie Jordan & His Tympani Five-Bounce the Ball (Do Da Dittle Um DAY)
5. Little Walter-Boom Boom Out Goes the light
6. Howlin' Wolf-Smokestack Lightning
7. Lou Rawls-The Girl From Ipanema
8. Etta James-Leap Of Faith
9. Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra-C Jam Blues
10. Count Basie-Moten Swing

Jeramie Anderson (Austin) has been Lindy Hopping for a little over three years obsessively and is one of the founders of austinlindyhop.com, one of Austin's newest dance companies. Jeramie currently DJs around Texas for The Austin Swing Syndicate (a non profit swing organization), San Antonio Swing Dance Society, and The Jazz Cafe (one of Austin's weekly LindyHop venues). He recently DJed for the Austin Lindy Exchange, New Orleans Lindy Gras,the Texas Swing Riots, Djed at Swing Break in San Diego, and at the Santa Barbara Lindy Exhange. Jeramie draws his musical interest from about seventeen years of drumming experience, the last eight or so in Big Band Jazz and Swing, Electric Blues, and Texas Blues.

Groovable Swing/Jazz:
Gene Harris - Concord Years
City Rhythm Orchestra - Swingin Blue
Oscillatin Rhythm - Greatest Swing Hits
B.B. King - Blues Summitt
The Big 18 - Live Echoes Of The Swingin' Big Band
Count Basie - En Concert in de 1960's
Ramsey Lewis - Finest Hour
Oscar Peterson - As Selected by Ray Brown
Dianne Schuur and the Count Basie Orchestra
Jeannie & Jimmy Cheatham - Concord Jazz Heritage Series
Ella Fitzgerald - Ultimate Ella
Lou Rawls- Lou Live! 1966 Capitol
Harry James - Still Harry After All These Years
Barrett Deems - Groovin Hard
Jennie Lobel - He Aint Got Rhythm
Victrola - Victrola
Carmen McRae - Here to Stay
Del Paxton - Time to Blow

Giselle Anguizola (San Diego) is a student and preservationist of classic Jazz. Her research has focused on the beginnings of Jazz through the swing era, where she has learned not only about the music of the time, but also about the lives of the musicians. As a dancer, she has a thorough knowledge of what Lindy Hoppers enjoy dancing to; and is also accommodating to peoples' tastes. She has traveled to numerous Jazz festivals and dejayed all over the world at several exchanges, camps, and events. As a passionate Jazz aficionado, Giselle believes that improvisation is the bind that holds Jazz music and dance as one entity.

Some Favorites:
Eddie Condon- "Madame Dynamite"
Django Reinhardt "At The Jimmy's Bar"
Django Reinhardt "Georgia on My Mind"
Fats Waller "The Moon is Low"
Fats Waller "Lulu's Back in Town"
Lil Johnson "Take it Easy Greasy"
Sidney Bechet "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me"
Sidney Bechet "Rose Room"
Jelly Roll Morton "Shake It"
Julia Lee "Sweet Lotus Blossom"
Billie Holiday "I Hear Music"
Billie Holiday "Swing! Brother, Swing!"

Kennly Asato (Seattle) likes music, bacon, and lindy-hop, but not necessarily in that order. She started DJing in Chicago back in 2003, and since then, has DJed in Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Hawaii. She has DJ'ed at various exchanges around the country and has most recently been a guest DJ at Third Saturday Swing in Pasadena, CA.

Some Faves
Gimme a Pigfoot - Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns
Dark Eyes - Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five
Clap Hands. Here Comes Charlie! - Chick Webb
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me - Sidney Bechet
Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge
That's It, I Quit, I'm Movin' On - Sam Cooke
Battle Hymn of the Republic - Monty Alexander
Take the A Train - George Gee & His Make Believe Ballroom Orchestra
Shake That Thing - Smoking Time Jazz Club
I'll See You When I Look At You - Luke Winslow King

Greg Avakian (Philadelphia) has been teaching Lindy Hop and West Coast Swing for over 10 years. Greg has taught or DJed in 9 Philly clubs and has taught workshops in 11 states as well as Europe and Canada. His local dance, The Philadelphia Lindy Project (PLP) is the most popular weekly dance in Philly and is dedicated to "Groove" Style Lindy.
This year Greg is invited to teach and/or DJ at: Bill Cameron's New Years Event (MA), The American Lindy Hop Championships (CT), Frankie Manning's birthday party (NYC), North Atlantic Dance Championships (NJ), Jitterbug Jam (CA), Montreal International Swing Dance Festival (Canada), Beantown (MA), Lincoln Center's midsummer night's swing (NYC), Boston Tea Party (MA) and more.

Some fav. tunes:
The great city - Les McCann
Smack dab in the middle - Gene Harris/Jack McDuff
Greasy sack blues - Woody Herman
Makin' bread again - Gene Harris & 3 sounds
Hard times - Houston Person
You're the one - Hank Crawford
C-jam blues - Lincoln Center Orch.
Jump Ditty - Joe Carroll
Take the A train - Oscar Peterson
2 O'clock jump - Harry James
Good rockin' tonight - Jimmy Witherspoon
Dat dere - Oscar Brown
September in the rain - Joe Williams
Kentucky Avenue - Duke Ellington

Some fav CDs:
BluElla - Ella Fitzgerald
Trumpet blues - Harry James
From the age of swing - Dick Hyman
Breakfast dance and barbeque - Basie
On the sunny side of the street - Ella and Basie
Swingin' live - George Gee
Down home blues - Gene Harris and Jack McDuff
The 'Spoon concerts - Jimmy Witherspoon
Legendary Lou Rawls - Lou Rawls
No regrets - Ernie Andrews

Grace Babbes was bitten by the Lindy Hop bug in 2012, and hasn’t stopped since!  She grew up loving jazz music and performing, but it wasn’t until she took her first Lindy class that she was able to put those two loves together.  Grace regularly social dances, teaches, performs, and competes around LA and Orange County, and is now bringing her musical style to DJing.  With a background in music theory, a love of big band, and an affinity for female vocalists, her DJing goal is to play classic danceable songs that get dancers of all levels to play and have fun, connecting to the music and each other. 

10 favorites in no particular order: 
Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now – Louis Armstrong
Jacquet in the Box – Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five
Exactly Like You – Carmen McRae
Won’t You Come Home, Bill Bailey? (Live) – Ella Fitzgerald 
Rose Room – Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
Momma’s In The Kitchen – Slim Gaillard Trio 
Shufflin’ and Rollin’ – Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra
C Jam Blues – Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra 
Honeysuckle Rose – Kay Starr
Fine And Mellow – Michael Gamble & The Rhythm Serenaders

Jeremy Barwick (a.k.a. JB) has recently spent way too much money buying CDs, in a desperate attempt to sate his gnawing hunger for swing dance music. Though he finds himself hopelessly addicted to groovy music, he loves classic swing and hopes that someday, more dancers in his hometown of San Diego will embrace the faster, old school music from the golden era of lindy hop. He also hopes to one day be a really good lindy hopper, but until then, he is content to stumble around the dance floor making a fool of himself. He readily accepts donations to the "Jeremy Barwick CD Collection Fund."

A few of JB's favorite songs (in no particular order):
Your father's mustache -- Woody Herman
Uptown Sop -- Gene Harris
Begin the Beguine -- Artie Shaw
Well, Git It! -- Tommy Dorsey
Happy Go Lucky Local (A.K.A. Night Train) -- Oscar Peterson
Jivin' With Jarvis -- Lionel Hampton
Let Me Off Uptown -- Roy Eldridge, Gene Krupa, Anita O'day
Organ Grinder's Swing -- Buster Smith
Cement Mixer -- Slim Gaillard
Down Home Blues -- Gene Harris
One O'Clock Jump -- Count Basie
For Dancers Only -- Jimmy Lunceford
Topsy -- Benny Goodman
Juke Box -- Sugar Ray's Flying Fortress

Flo Batu (Paris) discovered swing dancing in 2005. Not very comfortable at the beginning, she found support in the familiar universe of jazz music. She grew up surrounded by this music as her father is a huge jazz fan! Naturally she started a music collection. She discovered the famous Count Basie, Fats Waller, Bilie Holliday, Benny Goodman but also other greats like Charlie Barnet, Roy Eldridge and so much more…This soon became a passion and her goal is to share the emotions she feels about swing music with the largest number of dancers! Her motto : « Get Rhythm in Your Feet and Music in Your Soul ! » (B. Goodman)

Recommended songs:
The Gal From Joe's - Charlie Barnet
Out to Lunch - Coleman Hawkins
Let's Get Happy Together - Lil Hardin Armstrong
Harlem Bound - Veterinary Street Jazz Band
Midnight In Moscow - Chris Barber & Kenny Ball
Black Coffee - Wingy Manone
A Jumpin' Something - Earl Hines
Jesse - Harry James
Blue Drage - New Orleans Jazz Vipers
Jack and Jill - Count Basie
Get Rhythm in Your Feet - Benny Goodman

Katie Belsky (Los Angeles) started her love affair with dance back in 2004 when she fell head over heels for Lindy Hop. After training in a number of different dance styles, including West Coast Swing, Latin, and Ballroom, she discovered Blues in 2007. Her love of Blues cannot be contained, as she can be found organizing national Blues events as well as teaching and DJ-ing throughout Southern California. Katie loves to create a good time with music and adores all genres of Blues. Though her sets tend toward more traditional styles, she can bring some soul to the dance floor when needed. Katie hopes to spread her love of Blues faster than adorable kitten videos on YouTube!

Here are my current top 10 Blues picks:
In the Dark - Nina Simone That's a Pretty Good Love - Big Maybelle
St. James Infirmary - James Morrison
Blue Drag - Allen Toussaint
The Last Time - The Blind Boys of Alabama
Spoonful - Howlin' Wolf
Basin Street Blues - Sidney Bechet
Echoes of Harlem - Engelbert Wrobel, Chris Hopkins & Dan Barrett
I'm a Man - Bo Diddley
Honey Bee - Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

James Bianco started dancing in 2003. He dabbled in ballroom dancing until he was introduced to Lindy Hop later that year. The combination of energetic music and the unique feel of a good swing out had him hooked in no time. This shifted his dance focus to Lindy Hop. As a DJ, he prefers to play standards from the 1930's and 1940's - songs with a strong, four on the floor feel, from a time where the music was made for Swing dancing. James is the manager and head DJ at The Southland Strutters' Ball in Placentia. James and his partner, Irina Amzashvili, teach people how to Swing dance both at Strutters' and at ATOMIC Ballroom in Irvine.

Mindaugas Bikauskas (Lithuania) (aka DJ Deeb) started DJ’ing in local, Lithuanian swing dancing events, and in 2008 he started djing at 'Herräng Dance Camp'. In 2009 DJ Deeb was invited to be the official staff DJ 'Dance Camp Herräng'. In 2010 he kept his career being DJ Coordinator assistant and staff DJ. Going deep into jazz, not only on the computer screen, but with street swing ensemble "Rhythm Junkies', that was founded by himself, Mindaugas, increasingly known as DJ John Deeb, career continues not only in Lithuania but also abroad.

Ron Bloom (San Diego) has been spinning swing music for three years. He can be heard regularly at the Firehouse. He's also played at Swingout Northwest, and exchanges in Denver and Chicago. Ron tastes aren't limited to any one style of swing, he plays anything that will get a crowd moving, from Jump Blues to Big Band to groovy jazz. His swing CD review website features reviews of over 400 Swing CDs and is a well-known source of information, recommendations and links for swing music lovers.  

Ron's recent favorite CDs:
The Swing Session - Whispering Grass
Ramsey Lewis - Finest Hour
Count Basie - Breakfast Dance & Barbeque
Gene Harris - Best of the Concord Years
Stacey Kent - Let Yourself Go
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
Jennie Löbel - He Ain't Got Rhythm
Mary Stallings - Manhattan Moods

Ron's always favorite CDs:
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella & Basie
Benny Goodman - B.G. in Hi-Fi
Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra - Swingin' the Century
Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis - Live In Swing City
Oscar Peterson Trio - Night Train
Glenn Miller - The Secret Broadcasts
Maxine Sullivan and her Jazz All-Stars - A Tribute to Andy Razaf
Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues
Mighty Blue Kings - Meet Me in Uptown
Jellyroll - Hoo-Dee-A-Da
Indigo Swing - All Aboard
Various Artists - Oscillatin' Rhythm
Risqué Rhythms - Nasty 50's R&B - Various Artists

Ross Blythe (Chicago) has been dancing since 2009, happily attending lindy hop, blues, and balboa events wherever he can find them. He has also DJ’ed and taught around the midwest, including stints in Canada and Scotland. The past couple years he has been an organizer for Swing Dancing at Fizz-Chicago’s longest running weekly lindy hop event, a regional blues DJ and instructor for Bluetopia, as well as a local Balboa DJ. 

Top 10 Blues Songs:
It Hurts Me Too - Hound Dog Taylor
Hound Dog - Big Mamma Thornton, Eddie Boyd, Buddy Guy
I Ain’t Stranded - Buddy Guy, Junior Wells
Imagine My Frustration - Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie
Goin’ to Chicago Blues - Count Basie
Everybody’s Gotta Change Sometimes - Barrelhouse Chuck
Woke Up Screamin’ - Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland
Ain’t Nobody’s Business - Chelsea Reed & the Fairweather Five
St. Louis Blues - Etta James
Breaking My Heart - Robert Belfour

Brien Brown (San Francisco) is a well travelled dancer and DJ who has been a part of events all over the world as well as being a popular DJ among the locals in Seattle. Spinning all kinds of swing music, he doesn't claim to be a historian by any measure; just likes to play music that gets people dancing and having a good time. Favorite artists include Duke, Count, The Lionel Hampton Big Band, Ella, Carmen McraeFavorite Songs as of August 2004
1. Carmen McRae - Perdido
2. Love Letters - Les McCann
3. Kidney Stew - Lionel Hampton Big Band
4. Let's Do It - Ella Fitzgerald
5. Kentucky Ave. - Duke Ellington
6. Honeysuckle Rose - Fats Waller
7. Lester Leaps In - Lester Young/Basie
8. Give Me A Pigfoot - Nina Simone
9. Lady Be Good - Artie Shaw
10.Spirit is Willing - Count Basie

Reuben Brown (Los Angeles) specializes in 1930's Jazz, the music of Harlem, and an all around Duke Ellington fanatic, Reuben has been DJing Swing and Jazz Music ALL eras for over 3 years... and dancing to it for over 5. From Los Angeles, to Houston, to Minneapolis, to Seattle, he has spun for a wide variety of dancers at numerous venues and special events.

Top 10 "Classic" Albums:
-Count Basie and his Orchestra, The Best of Early Basie (Decca)
-Casa Loma Orchestra, Boneyard Shuffle (Hep Records)
-Charlie Christian, Genius of Electric Guitar (Giants of Jazz)
-Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, The Blanton-Webster Band (RCA Bluebird)
-Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, Classics (Jazz Archives)
-Earl Hines and his Orchestra, 1937 - 1939 (Chronological)
-Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy, Mary's Idea (Decca)
-Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra, For Dancers Only (Decca)
-Artie Shaw and his Orchestra, Begin the Beguine (RCA Bluebird)
-Chick Webb and his Orchestra, Spinnin' the Webb (Decca)
-Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra, Jumpin' For Joy (Hep Records)
Top 10 "Modern" Albums:
-Louis Armstrong, Satch Plays Fats (Columbia)
-Count Basie and his Orchestra, Atomic Swing (Roulette)
-Miles Davis, Birth of the Cool (Capital)
-Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, Complete at Newport '56 (Columbia)
-Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, Soul Call (Verve)
-Duke Ellington and Count Basie, The Count Meets The Duke (Columbia)
-Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, Reunion at Newport '67 (RCA Bluebird)
-Johnny Hodges, Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges (Impulse)
-Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Live In Swing City (Sony)
-Oscar Peterson Trio, Night Train (Verve)

Aaron Brown (Los Angeles) Aaron has been blues dancing for the last five years after falling in love with dance at the start of his time at Pomona College. He co-founded and ran Underground Blues, a blues scene at the Claremont Colleges, and currently teaches and DJs throughout Southern California. When he is not dancing alone in front of a mirror or surreptitiously finding new songs in an effort to maintain an air of omniscience, he is slaving away as an assistant to two Hollywood executives, hobnobbing with celebrities by scheduling their meetings and getting them coffee and desperately throwing himself in front of every official's car that comes out of a studio lot in an effort to get a sympathy promotion from one of them.

Some current Blues favorites (as of 5/2013) in no particular order:
1. Papa De Da Da - Bourbon Street Jazzband
2. Hard Times - Watermelon Slim and the Workers
3. St. James Infirmary - Jonah Jones
4. Son of the Seventh Son - Mud Morgenfield
5. 36-22-36 - Bobby Bland
6. Wild Man Blues - Sidney Bichet 
7. Your Wife is Cheating On Us - Little Milton
8. Nice and Sloe - Glenn Crytzer and his Syncopators
9. Bottom Blues - Brother Yusef
10. 3 O'Clock In The Morning Blues - Ike and Tina Turner

kristin buxton (Pasadena)  is one of the regular DJs in the Portland area. She started DJing early in 2001, not entirely voluntarily, but has
since decided that she really enjoys it. Besides DJing regularly at the Viscount Ballroom, she has made guest appearances in Seattle, Vancouver, and Denver.

Favorite Tunes (for today):
Pink Martini - Sympathique
Chris Connor - Summertime
Count Basie - Splanky
Jeannie & Jimmy Cheatham - Comin' Back to South Chicago
Hadda Brooks - Miss Brown to You
Barbara Morrison - Fever
Ray Charles - Hard Times
Oscar Peterson - Moten Swing
Lily Wilde - Mister Five by Five
Gene Harris - Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Jake Canon I was first inspired by seeing Lindy Hop at Disneyland in June 2001. Five years later, I stepped foot in Lindygroove for my first ever night of dancing. Since then I have danced in numerous venues and cities, but Lindygroove will always be my home. I got my first go at blues dancing in October 2007 and I've been hooked ever since. Bringing my desired blues tunes to LindyGroove was a longtime goal and a dream come true.

Recommended Blues songs as of 6/2016:
Love to Love you- The California Honeydrops
Come on in my Kitchen- Porterdavis
Mighty Tight Woman- none Raitt
St Louis Blues - Etta James
Goin Down the Road- Brother Yusef
It's Alright- Ray Charles
Gangster of Love- Johnny Guitar Watson Avignon Blues - Molly Johnson
Summertime - Gene Harris

Nicholas Centino (Santa Barbara) Nicholas "Niko" Centino began collecting old 78 and 45 RPM records as a teenager back in the 1990s. Since then, he has amassed a sprawling collection of music from the hot jazz, swing, R&B, and soul eras. A fixture in the “vintage” scenes of Los Angeles, Nicholas has a special ear for obscure but danceable tunes that are sure to be your new favorites.

Nicholas could dance all day to these songs and never get tired of ‘em:
Till Tom Special – Charlie Christian w/ Benny Goodman
Stampede- Fletcher Henderson
Any Old Time – Billie Holiday
Besame Mucho – Oscar Aleman
Loose Wig – Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra
Sugar Foot Stomp – Benny Goodman
Summit Ridge Drive – Artie Shaw
Jump Session – Slim & Slam
Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
Have Love Will Travel – Richard Berry

Erica Ying Chai (Taipei, Taiwan) has DJed at many events and clubs in Taiwan. She has been also happily attending lindy hop, blues, and balboa events since 2016. Her DJ style reflects her understanding of the music and the dance from the standpoints of both jazz lover and dancer. Erica's Favorite artists include Duke, Count, The Lionel Hampton, Ella, Lester and Young, Teddy Wilson. She will be sharing her collection primarily consists of traditional jazz from the late 1930 to late 1940's at Lindygroov

Vicky Chan (Los Angleles) began her Lindy DJing career in 2007 with the help of many great DJs like Jesse Minor and Manu Smith. Over the years, she has accumulated many, many, gigabytes of music, while learning to appreciate different flavors of Jazz. Her favorite artists range from Jonathan Stout to Una Mae Carlisle.

Benji Cherney (Los Angeles) hails from Los Angeles, and currently resides here, although he started lindy hopping in San Francisco in 1996. It did not take long before he was completely obsessed with swing and jazz. One form of swing or another has always been a part of Benji's life, seeing as he spends his days as a PGA golf professional teaching at Valencia Country Club. He has DJed at The Dog House, The Metronome Ballroom, and was resident DJ and instructor at Café Cocomo. He has also DJed in Herrang, at Hop The Millenium, the 100 Club in London, and on JazzFM in Ireland. Benji's upcoming appearance at Lindygroove marks his triumphant return to one of his passions. Fav. Cd's:
1. Oscar Peterson- Night Train
2. The Count Meets the Duke- First Time!
3. Slim Gaillard- Groove Juice Special
4. Jimmy Witherspoon- Singin' the Blues
5. Al Smith- Hear My Blues
6. Jimmy Smith-Verve 'Jazz Masters #29'
7. Joe Williams-Nothin' But the Blues
8. Lionel Hampton- You Better Know It!!!
9. Lou Rawls- Live!
10. Esther Phillips- Burnin'

Steve Conrad (Pheonix) has been teaching/performing Lindy hop and East Coast Swing for over 11 years. He has taught at the Desert Dance camp in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Carnage Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, Albuquerque, NM, and throughout Europe. He worked with the Mercury hip hop squad, the Phoenix Suns dancers, and the Arizona Sidewinders, teaching or performing at half time. He also performed with the Judds for the Millennium New Years Eve reunion (and taught Ashley Judd aerials backstage). Steve has taught more than 15,000 people how to dance through workshops and clubs, school districts, classes at Borders Books, and over 10 years of lindy hop classes in Arizona. He was also the promoter/DJ/instructor for the Bash on Ash for 5 years. In the past 11 years Steve has produced over 90 concerts including Indigo Swing, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue, Sam Butera (of Louis Prima fame), the Count Basie Tribute at the Biltmore Resort, and more. For 9 years he presented the "New Year Swing Jam" with Frankie Manning. Steve has been a jazz host on KJZZ 91.5 FM (NPR and Jazz ) for over 7 years and teaches jazz/dance history in schools.Top 11 songs as of 4/18/07
On Revival Day - LaVern Baker
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me - Sidney Bechet
Shout, Sister, Shout - Lucky Millender with Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Fine Brown Frame - Nellie Lutcher
Rockhouse - Big Maybelle
Fever - Jimmy Smith
If You Live - Mose Allison
Laff, Slam, Laff - Slam Stewart
Alright, Okay, you Win - Joe Williams (groovy trio version)
Count's Place - Ella Fitzgerald
Things Ain't What they Used to Be - Johnny Hodges

Jeremy Cook (OC)  (a.k.a.  J.C.) Has been dancing lindy hop since 1991 and teaching since 1997. Learing to dance first from
Jonathan Bixby and Silvia Sykes, he has also studied with PBDA, Steven Mitchell, Ryan Francois, The Rhythm Hotshots, Frankie Manning, and many others. J.C., though Savoy style at heart, dances a unique blend of different lindy hop styles. A vital dancer and
teacher in the Sacramento/Davis swing scene, J.C. taught and DJed at many local venues. In 1999, J.C. left Northern California to take a Lindy hop specialist/dancer position in the Broadway-style show, "Work That Skirt" at the Reno Hilton, which ran for the year 2000. Now back at home in LA, JC continues to teach and promote Lindy hop and DJ at clubs, camps and exchanges locally and nationally.

Swingin Live-George Gee and His Make Believe Ballroom Orchestra
Walk'Em-Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra
Jazz Me Blues-Jimmy Witherspoon
Getting Along All Right-Barbara Morrison
Stormy Monday-Lou Rawls with Les McCann
En Concert in Europe-Count Basie and His Orchestra
Satch and Josh-Count Basie with Oscar Peterson
Jacquet's Got It!-Illinios Jacquet And His Big Band
Live From Greenwich Village-Buck Clayton Live
My Baby Just Cares For Me-Nina Simone

Cat Cooper (San Luis Obisp) Bio coming soon...

Shawn Coyle (San Francisco) Bio coming soon...

John Croft Bio coming soon...

Jim Cruzen (San Diego) and Margie Adams have been dance partners for 3 years. They own 2toGroove Dance Instruction, teach full time, run one of San Diego's most popular venues "All Things Swing & More" and love it! These two can easily be described as extremely musical dancers and amazing teachers. As dancers, they're known for their creative style, effortless movement and incredible connection. As teachers, their patience, inspiration, and ability to "break it down" is well worth any dancers time. Together they have over 15 years of varied dance experience; 6 years of that in Lindy/Swing. Recognized as quality instructors, they have also taught on the national level over the past 2 years. Needless to say, they love it all. Their favorite dances include all styles of Lindy, Balboa, Carolina Shag, West Coast Swing and Argentine Tango. 
Additionally, Jim Cruzen deejays regularly in SD and loves to keep everyone on the dance floor. He also enjoys guest deejaying and looks to do more of it. From Big Band to Jump Blues, Dixieland to Funk, Groovie Blues to classic ol' skool... You never know what you're gonna get next! Whatever it takes to keep those happy feet movin'!  A Quick List of Favorites:
Lou Rawls
Ernestine Anderson
Slim Gaillard
Count Basie
Nina Simone
Ella Fitzgerald
Louis Armstrong
Charlie Christian
Oscar Peterson
Helen Humes
Sarah Vaughn

Juan Cuadra (Los Angeles) fell in love with swing music at the age of 10 and after being introduced to Lindy Hop that accompanied this music in college, he immersed himself in all things swing, including the tenor saxophone. He began dj’ing at Lindy On Sproul in Berkeley and soon started dj’ing at venues in San Francisco such as the 9:20 Special, Cat’s Corner and Dancer’s Den. Juan focuses on music with a prominent rhythm section and playful instruments and his collection primarily consists of traditional jazz from the late 1930’s to late 1940’s that swings to high heaven. 

Some Favorite Tunes: 1. Love You Madly – Ella Fitzgerald
2. Sent For You Yesterday – Count Basie
3. My Blue Heaven – Artie Shaw
4. It Must Be Jelly – Glen Miller
5. Don’t Be That Way – Chick Webb
6. Man from Mars – Artie Shaw
7. Roll Em – Benny Goodman
8. Full Dress Hop – Gene Krupa
9. Mr. Rhythm – Glenn Crytzer
10. Royal Garden Blues – Charlie Christian

Brett Dahlenburg fell in love with vintage swing music shortly after he started dancing in 2007. Since then he had the pleasure of being the house DJ of Albuquerque's weekly Lindy Hop dance for over four years and has been a regular DJ at events such as Albuquerque Lindy Exchange, 505 Stomp, and the Intercollegiate Swing Battle in Denver. As a DJ, Brett focuses on music with a prominent rhythm and high danceability. Brett is also an avid Lindy Hop teacher, competitor, and occasional MC.

Some recommendations from Brett:
1. A Viper's Moan by Willie Bryant and His Orchestra
2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love by Django Reinhardt
3. Six Appeal (My Daddy Rocks Me) by Benny Goodman Sextet
4. Dark Eyes by Fats Waller
5. When The Quail Come Back To San Quentin by Artie Shaw & His Gramercy Five
6. All the Cats Join In by Benny Goodman
7. The Minor Goes Muggin' by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra; Duke Ellington
8. Evenin' by Jones-Smith Incorporated
9. I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate by Clarence Williams
10. Rockin' in Rhythm by Earl Jackson and His Musical Champions & The Jungle Band

Bryson Daich started Djing for the Utah Lindy Hop and Blues scene. He has played at events in Sacramento, San Francsico , Denver, Seattle and more. He enjoys makng the floor move to his wide range of music.

Recommended Blues songs as of 8/2015
Temptation  - Kim Massie
Ice cream man - Tom Waits
I got the blues - Brother Youseph
Earned it - The weekend
Dirty low down and bad - Keb Mo 
When the lights go out - The black keys
I feel a sin coming on - Pistol Annies
The red rooster - Howlin Wolf
Superstition - Gypsy Soul
John the revelator - The Dustbowl Revival

Mike Dancel (Colorado Springs) has been teaching, DJing, and promoting swing since 1998. Mike founded Swing in the Springs  and recently co-founded Focus On Lindy.  Mike is constantly in search of new swinging jazz  tunes to keep the dance floor packed and has been a featured guest DJ at  the last 3 Denver Lindy Exchanges, Utah Lindy Exchange, and he regularly guest DJ's in Denver through out the year.

Here are Mike's must have albums:
Barbara Morrison - Live at the 9:20 Special
Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues
Gene Harris - The Best of the Concord Years
Buddy Johnson - Walk'em
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra - Live in Swing City
Frankie Manning's Really Swingin'
Joe Williams - Everyday: The Best of the Verve Years
Ernestine Anderson -- The Concord Jazz Heritage Series

Tina Davis (Dallas) started doing the DJ thang in 2003 in the great state of Florida and now calls Texas her home, splitting time between Dallas and Austin. Tina spins a mix of styles for her Lindy, Blues and occasional West Coast sets, but it's all gotta have a little "ass" to it. In addition to spinning her fave tunes in Texas, Tina has been a featured DJ at dance exchanges and workshops across the US and Canada and hosts her own monthly Blues dance called "The Back Room". She's also been known to help organize events like the Austin Blues Party and teach at Blues Boot Camp (Dallas) in her copious free time. She also has an unhealthy devotion to the University of Florida Gators and 80's music, but don't hold that against her. You can check out SweetTProductions for more info on her exploits.

Tina's Faves as of Right Now (January 2008)
In no particular order...
Songs
Damn near anything by Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald or Sam Cooke
Savoy Blues - Wolverines Jazz Band of Bern
New orleans Bump or Jungle Blues - Wynton Marsalis
Let There Be Love - Monster Big Band
Song of the volga Boatmen - Glenn Miller Orchestra
Half Tight Boogie - Jonathan Stout Orchestra
Souvenirs de la Nouvelle Orleans - Sidney Bechet
Four or Five Times - Kid Ory
Destination Moon - Topsy Chapman
One O'Clock Jump or Vine Street Rumble - Ernie Krivda Orchestra

CDs
Damn near anything by Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald or Sam Cooke
James Hunter - People Gonna Talk
Barbara Morrison - Live at 9:20 Special
Amy Winehouse - Back in Black
Christabel and the Jons - Love and Circumstances
Solomon Douglas swingtet - Swingmatism
Kansas City - Movie Soundtrack
Helen Humes - Deed I Do
Gotan Project - La Revancha del Tango or Lunatico
Anything by Sting or The Police

Morgan Day (Riverside) has been swing dancing since 1997, but his love for swing music began well before that. His grandparents loved "jitterbug music", and he grew up listening to big band greats like Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller. In 2003, after becoming president of the UC Riverside Swing Club, Morgan took up DJing responsibilities at the local weekly swing venue and has never stopped spinning music since. His musical taste is eclectic, playing a variety of songs that fill the dance floor, with a special interest in modern traditional jazz bands that can found at local jazz festivals.

Morgan's Favorite Tunes to Dance to:
Benny Goodman Quartet - Sweet Sue, Just You
Midiri Brothers - Cross Your Heart
Titan Hot 7 - Bye Bye Baby
Earl Hines - Rock and Rye
4 Beat 6 - South of the Border

 

Nathan Dias (San Francisco) is a swing dance teacher, DJ and performer in San Francisco where he puts on the weekly Cat's Corner Swing Dance Party. He DJs monthly at the 9:20 Special and is often a guest DJ at Lindy in the Park. He has also been a featured DJ multiple years at regional events including the San Francisco Lindy Exchange, Sacramento Lindy Exchange, San Luis Obispo Lindy Exchange, Boogie by the Bay and Le Hot Sauce. Nathan loves variety and mixing classic rhythms and soulful mordern recordings into his sets. His DJ philosophy is simple: make the dancer's present happy.

Recommended songs:
Solid as a Rock - Count Basie
Till Tom Special - Lionel Hampton
The Gal From Joes - Duke Ellington
On Revival Day - Lavern Baker
Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston Harris
Shoot the Sherbert to Me, Herbert, Harry James
Shufflin' and Rollin' - Buddy Johnson
Kansas City Riffs - Buster Smith
Hard Times - Ray Charles
Darktown Strutter's Ball - Alberta Hunter

Chris Do (OC) Bio coming soon...

Solomon Douglas (Toronto) is a musician, bandleader, and lindy hop instructor, whose three bands (Back Pocket, the Solomon Douglas Swingtet and Corner Pocket) have been among the most popular dance bands among lindy hoppers all over North America and worldwide since 2000. His DJ style reflects his understanding of the music and the dance from the standpoints of both musician and dancer.

Top 10 artist list:
Count Basie
Duke Ellington
Ella Fitzgerald
Erroll Garner
Dizzy Gillespie
Gene Harris
Diana Krall
Oscar Peterson
Joe Williams
Jimmy Witherspoon

John Dyer (Denver) has been regularly spinning in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs. He co hosts Pearl Street Swing and Blues in Boulder (with Shana Worel), has also DJ'ed at DLX for the past 6 years, and recently at the Denver Blues Summit. Colorado is host to some of the most awesome, yet diverse dancers, and John likes to spin for them all, keeping everyone on the dance floor and having a good time.

All time favorite CDs
-Buddy Johnson - Walk 'Em
-Louis Armstrong - Satch Plays Fats
-Count Basie - Live At Newport
-Lou Rawls with Less McCann - Stormy Monday
-Nina Simone - Bittersweet
-The Big 18 - (More) Live Echoes of the Swinging Bands
-Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues

Current Favorite CDs
-Hal Smith and His California Swing Cats - Swing Brother Swing
-Johnny Hodges - Proper Box Set
-Jonah Jones - I Dig Jonah
-Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five - Jammin' The Blues
-Duke Ellington, Private Collection Vol. 6 - 1956 California Dance Dates
-Artie Shaw - The Complete Grammercy Five Sessions

Mark Eckstein (New York) has appeared on Broadway in Gypsy of the Year, at Carnegie Hall in An Evening With Dudley Moore, and in the 2nd national tour of The Original Broadway Swing! He has also appeared in the first and second workshops of the new hit show Swango: The Fusion. Mark is a two-time American Lindy Hop Champion, North Atlantic Dance Champion, 3-time US Open classic finalist, and Phoenix Champions of Champions invitee. Though currently immersed in musical theater, with his free time Mark still enjoys teaching lindy-hop and hip hop around the country and in his hometown of New York City at Dance Manhattan, as well as DJing at various venues in his travels.
 

Some songs Mark likes:
You Send Me - Rachelle Ferrell
Just Sittin and a rockin' - Billy Strayhorn
Oh well oh well - the 3 sounds
Fly me to the moon - Paula West
Lady is a tramp - Count Basie
Cottontail - Benny Carter
Portrait of Louis Armstrong - Duke Ellington
Rockin in Rhythm - Oscar Peterson
Route 66 - James Cotton
Cheek to Cheek - Eva Cassidy

Kyle Ellison At his core Kyle Ellison is an old-time jazz aficionado. His musical passion lies with the tunes from the mid-teens through the 1930's. However, his DJ-ing style combines the best of all music from the first half of the twentieth century. When he DJ's you'll hear a blissful mix of jazz, western-swing, rockabilly, and jug bands. Kyle prides himself in seeking out obscure musical ditties of the past and resurrecting them on today's dance floor. Prepare yourself for an exciting sojourn into America's musical past!

Top Tracks as of 10/2013
The Boy in the Boat -- Charlie Johnson
Blue Drag -- Washboard Rhythm Kings
Original Jelly-Roll Blues -- Jelly Roll Morton 
You Look Good to Me -- Fats Waller
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me -- Sidney Bechet
Sugar Beet -- Moon Mullican
Tennessee Local -- Tennessee Ernie Ford
It's Only A Paper Moon -- Benny Goodman
Miss Brown to You -- Billie Holiday
Douce Joie -- Gus Viseur
Everybody's Truckin' -- Modern Mountaineers
E. St. Louis Toodle-oo -- Smoking Time Jazz Club

Natalia Eristavi originally a dancer from Orange County California, started DJing seriously when she moved to England in 2014. Since then, she has DJ’ed for many local dances as well as several sets at international Camps. Natalia has recently moved back to the OC and continues DJing at SoCal’s favorite social dances. Her DJing goals are to create a rich and fulfilling night of social dancing and keeping the floor packed!

Some Favorite songs as of 12/2016
Small Fry - Adrian Rollini
Splanky - Count Basie
Lover - Gene Krupa
Jitters - Lucky Millinder
Octoroon - Artie Shaw
When I Grow Too Old to Dream - Cats and the Fiddle
Jumpin’ Punkins - Duke Ellington
Lumby - Charlie Barnet
920 Special - Count Basie
Beaver Junction - Count Basie

Drew Fansler (Los Angeles) began Lindy Hopping in 1998 in his native Chicago and DJing in 2001 and has gone onto live and be involved in the Lindy Hop communities of Minneapolis and Nashville. Returning from a recent hiatus, he is excited to be venturing back into the DJ booth at LindyGroove. He has taken his DJing exploits from coast to coast to events such as DCLX, Cleveland Exchange, Music City Mini Camp, Midwest Lindyfest, Showdown, Windy City Lindy Exchange, Kansas City Lindy Exchange, Orlando Lindy Exchange, and the Binge in addition to being a fixture at University of Chicago's Java Jive, Chicago's Studio X and Fizz, and Late Night Swing at Tapestry in Minneapolis. As part of the Chicago Swing Dance Society, he art directed and helped co-produce the album Struttin' With Yoko by Yoko Noge and the Jazz Me Blues Band in 2001. Drew's foremost interest in jazz has long been the music of Kansas City. but he plays from a collection ranging from McKinney's Cotton Pickers to Oscar Peterson.

A few of Drew's favorite albums to dance to:
- The Legendary Buster Smith
- Jay McShann: Still Jumpin' the Blues
- Basie's Golden ’58: The Count Basie Band & Joe Williams on the West 
Coast, Summer 1958
- Slim Gaillard: Laughing In Rhythm: The Best of the Verve Years
- Vic Dickenson Story 1940/46
- Pete Johnson: Chronological Classics 1939-41, 47-49
- Duke Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Band, 1941-43

Other stuff Drew digs:
- The Come Ons: Hip Check!
- Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose
- The Detroit Cobras: Baby
- The Mooney Suzuki: Electric Sweat
- The White Stripes: Elephant
- Bob Dylan: Bringing it all Back Home

Neil Figuracion (Kansas City) was one of the first DJs in the Southern California Swing scene, spinning discs at the Hollywood Athletic Club and serving as the regular Late Night Lindy DJ at the original Memories. Always one to keep dancers on their toes, he won first place in the Best DJ competition at the Swing Kat's Ball, and is one of the perennial DJs at Camp Hollywood. He's mostly retired from playing the platters, but occasionally crawls out from under the woodwork to test drive new tunes and revive those classic favorites.Here are some albums that I dig:
Jimmie Lunceford: Stomp it Off
Risque Rhythm: Nasty 50s R&B
Spiked! The Music of Spike Jones
Jack Teagarden: A Hundred Years from Today
Nellie McKay: Get Away From Me
George Siravo: Swingin' in Studio A

I like to play tunes that make me dance:
Honeysuckle Rose: Who doesn't play this song?
A Porter's Lovesong to a Chambermaid: Bonebrake Syncopators
What You Feel: Sweet (from the Once More with Feeling soundtrack)
Savoy Blip: Jonathan Stout and the Campus Five
A Smooth One: Charlie Christian
Shave 'em Dry: Asylum Street Spankers

Peter Flahiff (Seattle) has been lindy hopping since 1994 and has since had the great fortune to teach and perform all over the world. With the exception of a one-year hiatus, Peter has been DJing swing venues EVERY SINGLE WEEK for TEN straight years. From the late, much-lamented days of Pointe 705 in Hermosa Beach to twice-weekly house DJ status at the amazing Atomic Ballroom in Irvine, Peter always packs the floors and moves the crowd. He has also been thrilled to DJ in Europe and across the United States at dance camps and venues. He prides himself on playing anything he feels SWINGS and does not limit his DJing to any particular style or era.Peter can never ever pick his top ten songs, since they change often. Sometimes hourly. But as of this writing (in a Starbucks in Orange County sometime in early 2006) he likes to play these ten songs:

Moten Swing -- Oscar Peterson (always. always and forever.)
I'll Always Be In Love With You -- Count Basie, Live at the Savoy Ballroom 
in 1938
Easy Does It -- The Big 18
A Smooth One -- Charlie Christian with the Benny Goodman Sextet
Temptation -- Artie Shaw and His Orchestra
Killin' Jive -- The Cats and The Fiddle
The Dicty Glide -- Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra
Half Tight Boogie -- Pete Johnson
King Porter Stomp -- Harry James
Money's Gettin Cheaper -- Jimmy Witherspoon

Peter's Favorites as of 9/2004:
Moten Swing -- Oscar Peterson
C-Jam Blues -- Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Wailing Interval -- Duke Ellington Orchestra
King Porter Stomp -- Kansas City Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Cheek to Cheek -- Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
East of the Sun -- Diana Krall
I'll Always Be In Love With You -- Count Basie Live at the Savoy 1938
Streamliner -- BIll Elliott Swing Orchestra
Everybody Get Together -- Teddy Johnson
Sent For You Yesterday -- Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers

Heather Flock (New York) is an avid social dancer, award-winning choreographer, beloved instructor and popular DJ. She discovered Lindy Hop in 1999 and quickly became a leader in the Lindy Hop community. In addition to teaching the "Cram Session" every Thursday night at Yehoodi's Frim Fram Jam, she is choreographer of Coney Island Mermaid Parade’s “Winningest Group in Parade History,” the Brooklyn Bombshells, which most recently won the highly coveted ‘Judges Choice’ award. She was also a member of the renowned troupe the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers for many years. Heather likes all kinds of swinging jazz, blues and trad jazz, but does favor female vocalists and has a soft spot for Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Johnny Hodges, Cozy Cole, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. Heather can be heard regularly at Frim Fram Jam in New York City, and has played around the country at Lindygroove, the 9:20 Special, Girl Jam and was recently the featured DJ on Yehoodi Radio.

Carl Flores (San Diego) has been dancing for nine years where his love for the music and dance of the swing era inspired him to add DJing to the mix over the last couple of years. He loves to spin tunes for his dance hometown of San Diego at various venues including the Firehouse, Lindy By The Bay and All Thing Swing. With his main goal to keep the dance floor swinging, Carl plays everything from standards to jump blues and big band. As for rumors of a wannabe crooner behind the mic, his reply was: “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”

A Sampler of Carl’s Favorite CDs:
Barbarra Morrison – Live at the 9:20 Special
Count Basie and Joe Williams – The Greatest!
Ella and Louis - Ella and Louis Again
Count Basie - Breakfast Dance & Barbeque
Campus Five- Jammin’ the Blues
Hal’s Angels – And the Angels Swing
Nat King Cole – The World of Nat King Cole
Cab Calloway – Are You Hep To the Jive?
Various Artists- Big Bands in Hi-Fi

10 of Carl’s Favorite Songs (as of early 2007):
Too Darn Hot - Ell Fitzgerald
Opus One – Mill Brothers
Four or Five Times - Joe Williams
A-Tisket, A-Tasket – Ella / Manhattan Transfer
I Love Being Here With You – Barbara Morrison
Bounce Me Brother With A Solid Four – Andrews Sisters
Everybody Eats When The Come To My House – Cab Calloway
Traveling Baby – Ernie Andrews with the Maxwell Davis Orchestra
Massachusetts – Campus Five
Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee- Hal’s Angels

Diedier Jean Francois (Montreal) was introduced to swing 1998 he is a founder and current  president of the Swinging Air Force Entertainment Group He also runs Canada's National Swing Competition, the ECSC. 

15 Songs that he really likes:
Hide Away -- Glamour Puss
Lock & Key -- Victrola
I Just Wanna Make Love to You -- Jimmy Smith
Big Spender -- Peggy Lee
Footprints on the Ceiling -- Mississippi Heat
Hymn to Freedom -- Oliver Jones
720 in the Books -- Jan Savitt
Louisiana Hay Ride -- Tommy Dorsey
Love for Sale -- Oscar Peterson plays Cole Porter
I Love Being Here with You -- Diana Krall
Song of the Volga Boatmen -- Glen Miller
When the Sun Sets Down South -- Sydney Bechet
I Thought About You -- Jeremy Davenport
On the Street where you live -- Marlena Shaw
16 Tons -- Tennessee Ernie Ford

Hurley Francois (Orlando) enjoys listening to "hot jazz" music, and those old syncopated rhythms.  He has been gradually building his collection of swing music, and likes to play whatever he thinks will keep people dancing- whether it's chunky, up-tempo, or even contemporary swing.  Some of his favorite artists include the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Chick Webb, Django Reinhardt, Mildred Bailey, Muggsy Spanier, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Coleman, Count Basie, Fats Waller (of course), Bob Crosby, as well as Wingy Manone.  His love for both the music and dance will make him an exciting DJ that dancers will appreciate.

 

Augie Freeman (Los Angeles) is originally from Texas and moved to California in 2001 when he joined the Marine Corps. During this time he stumbled upon a swing dance competition at Memories. Inspired by the music and the dance, Augie has been a swing fanatic ever since then. Augie currently teaches at Atomic Ballroom in Irvine and travels to various events across the country teaching or DJ'ing. His music collection mainly consists of vintage music from the late 1930's to the mid 1940's. As a swing DJ Augie has worked very hard to collect music for dancers that ranges in the lower, mid and faster tempos without sacrificing great rhythmic patterns and dynamic changes. He is always striving to inspire dancers and spectators alike and to bring the excitement of the big band and swing era for all levels of dancing. 

Among his favorite artists include:

Duke Ellington: Chocolate Shake
Benny Goodman: All the Cats Join In
Glenn Miller: Doin' the Jive
Lucky Millinder: Little John Special
Count Basie: Swing Brother Swing
Chick Webb: Jubilee Swing
Artie Shaw: When The Quail Come Back To San Quentin
Fletcher Henderson: Wrappin' it Up
Charlie Barnet: The Gal from Joes
Charlie Christian: Six Appeal

Mary Freitag (Los Angeles) began DJ'ing sweet sweet swing music in her college town of San Luis Obispo, CA. After graduating, she moved back home to LA and has been DJ'ing it up at bunches of venues in LA and dance events (both Lindy and Balboa) all over. Mary loves playing the music that inspires her to dance which consists of good old classic swing mixed with vintage blues, and gypsy jazz sprinkled on top - yummy.

Here are her top ten favorite albums (in no particular order):
Fats Waller - Ain't Misbehavin
Artie Shaw - The Complete Gramercy Five Sessions
Count Basie - The Count Basie Story (DIsc 1-3)
Jimmie Lunceford - For Dancers Only
Campus Five - Jammin' the Blues
Slim Gaillard - Laughing in Rhythm
Andy Kirk - Mary's Idea
Sidney Bechet - The Sidney Bechet Story (Disc 1-4)
Chick Webb - Spinnin' The Webb
Tommy Dorsey - Yes, Indeed!

David Frutos (Ventura) Along with his partner Kim Clever, are nationally known instructors, competitors and judges. They ran the famous Juke Joint on Tuesday nights at Paladinos in Reseda. As a DJ, David is known for playing a wide variety of music always geared to keep the dance floor moving. 

Some of David's favorite cd's are: 
Ruth Brown .....Miss Rhythm 
Charlie Christian......Genius of electric Guitar
Pete Johnson..... Pete's Housewarmin Blues
The Treniers....Best of The Treniers
Chick Webb..... Strictly Jive
Lionel Hampton.....Proper Box Set
Billy Jack Wills....Crazy Man Crazy
Little Willie John......Complete King Sessions
Count Basie.....Complete Decca
Joe Turner....Big, Bad and Blue
The Cats and the Fiddle ....Hep Cats Swing Vols. 1&2 

Some of his Favorite Songs 
Rockin' At the Record Hop.......The Ravens
Don't Be that Way......Teddy Wilson
Six Appeal......Charlie Christian
Blue Skies......Roy Milton
Fine Dinner......Coleman Hawkins
Goin' Back to New Orleans..... Joe Liggins
Green Goon Jive......Jan Savitt
Sweet Georgia Brown......Billy Jack Wills
Cavernism.......Earl Hines& Dean Mora
Minor Struggle.....The Fly Rite Boys
Opus One........ The Mills Brothers
Blow Top......Count Basie 

Christopher Gauntt has been a DJ for over a decade, specializing in social dancing within the swing, blues, and fusion scenes, but with a wide library for other styles and mix'n'match events. He was the house DJ for Do Something Blue in Los Angeles for its first year and continues to guest DJ there on occasion. He has also guest DJ'd several other venues in Los Angeles and Orange County, including the Blues room for Atomic Ballroom, the first ever Blues "Lab" at Lindy Groove, Joe's, and more. He has also guest DJ'd at international events, including the boogie woogie room at Herrang Dance Camp in '07 and the blues room at Copenhagen's first ever Lindy Exchange in '13.

George Gee (New York) celebrated his 30th year anniversary with The George Gee Swing Orchestra in 2010! One of legendary Savoy dancer Frankie Manning's favorite modern era swing big bands (featured at many of Frankei's birthday celebrations), you can always find dance diva Dawn Hampton at her regular table at the band's weekly show at SWING46 in the Big Apple. George Gee and his bands have performed for lindy hoppers all across the continental United States and abroad in both Asian and Europe, they have released six CDs and a 
a new one is due out in mid-2010, featuring the vocals of John Dokes. 
With three decades under his belt, George Gee is ready to embark on the future, continuing the tradition of big band swing music and swing dance!

Besides being an active working bandleader, George Gee has also developed a reputation as being a dance-friendly DJ of swing events, with experience in NYC at Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing, The 
NY Swing Dance Society, SWING46 and at Frim Fram. Besides his NYC 
hometown, lindy hoppers have also swung to his big band recordings (that his gimmick: "All Big Bands, All The Time!") at events in Ithaca, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Seoul, Tokyo, Yokohama, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Osaka and Zurich! George is excited about his 
debut at LindyGroove and seeing all his West Coast swing friends!

Top Ten CDs/LPs (in no particular order)
Count Basie/Duke Ellington "Duke Ellington Meets Count Basie: 
First Time"
2) Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans "Savoy Sultans 1938-1941"
3) Benny Goodman "Live at Carnegie Hall 1938"
4) Bill Elliott "Calling All Jitterbugs"
5) Chick Webb "Strictly Jive"
6) Count Basie "Atomic Swing"
7) Count Basie "Chairman of the Board"
8) Gene Krupa w/Anita O' Day "Uptown"
9) Duke Ellington "Jazz Party"
10) Lavay Smith "Ms. Smith to You"

Doc Mike Gentry began DJ'ing in 2000. My musical influences come from my parents and grandparents, who danced and played blues. Monk, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery, Sam Cooke, and Jackie Wilson were household names in my home. My DJ'ing tastes range from Cab, Ella and Duke, through Jack McDuff and Etta James to Sam Cooke, Booker T. and even some James Brown.

10 Songs that I dig:
Miser's Serenade - Chris Connor
The Vibrator - Jack McDuff
Rockhouse - Ray Charles
Movin' and Groovin' - Sam Cooke
For Dancers Only - Duke Ellington
I Don't Want No Woman - Magic Sam
Don't Let It Happen to Me - James Brown
Disappointed - James Moody
Last Night - The Mar-Keys
I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Ella Fitzgerald from the "At Newport" album

Discovery Gerdes (Pittsburgh) has been dancing for over 10 years nationally, beginning in ballroom but finding his true love and passion for dancing in the lindy hop. While studying Jazz music in college, he helped develop the swing scence in his
hometown of Pittsburgh. Disco has been DJing weekly in Pittsburgh for over 2 years and has also Djed at such events as the Denver Exchange, the Pittsburgh Exchange and the Austin Swing Riot.

Here's what Disco's listening to  (But not  necessarily playing)....
Wild Bill Davis - Blue Rabbit
Sy Oliver - Yes Indeed
Tribe Called Quest - The Love Movement
Count Basie - Straight Ahead
Dakota Staton - The Late Late Show
Brand New Heavies - Shelter
Duke Ellington - The Intimacy of the Blues
Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Joe Williams - Overwhelming Joe Williams
Johnny Hodges - Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges
Jamiroquai - A Funk Odyssey
Marvin Gaye - Tribute to the Great Nat King Cole

Michelle Giffin (OC) has been dancing lindy & blues since 2001 and djing blues events since 2006. She started Atomic Blues Lounge in Orange county in Aug of 2008 where she regularly djed with Chrissy Holt until 2012. She enjoys djing anything from traditional blues to soul and “not so standard” blues dance-able pop. If you can blues to it you may just hear it next time she djs.

A few of Michelle’s favorites artists to dance to:
Aretha Franklin
Asylum Street Spankers
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Glass Animals
Hozier
Hugh Laurie
Lou Rawles
Muddy Waters
Nina Simon
Ruthie Foster
Porterdavis
Rag’n’bones man
X Ambassadors

Mandi Gould (Toronto) can be found just about anywhere these days. Since her last hit at Lindy Groove she has been a DJ at Seattle's Camp Jitterbug, the Vancouver Lindy Exchange, Swing City Stockholm and the St. Petersburg Swing Dance Festival. She was head DJ in Herrang for four weeks and was the selected DJ for the 2002 World Lindy Hop Championships.

10 Current Favorite Tunes (in no particular order):
What I Did For Love -- Irene Reid 
Bye Bye Love -- Shirley Horn
Goin' to Chicago -- Lou Rawls
Jones - Duke Ellington
The Party's Over - Aaron Bell
Stormy Monday - Barbara Morrison 
Nature Boy - Johnny Hartman
Lotus Blossom - Jimmy Witherspoon
This Bitter Earth - Laverne Butler
Feeling Good - Nina Simone

Liz Henkels (San Diego) has been DJing for the last 3 years at all of San Diego's finest swing dance venues. She has been influenced by many great DJ's in the San Diego and Orange County areas. She plays music that is fun to dance to and keeps the floor full all night long. Liz looks forward to expanding her DJ repertoire and is excited to start with Lindy Groove.

10 fun songs:
Jump Session - Slim and Slam
Chant of the Groove - Fats Waller
I Like Pie, I Like Cake - Four Clefs
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me - Sidney Bechet
Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton
Stop It, Joe - Rosetta Crawford
Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho - Sidney Bechet
For Dancers Only - Jimmy Lunceford
One O'Clock Jump - Count Basie
Born to Swing - Lil' Armstrong

Christine Hensley Christine has been passionately dancing for over 16 years everything from lindy to blues, west coast, contemporary, tango, salsa, waltz and ballet. Her favorite is the slow and sexy music that ignites an expressive fire on the dance floor. She values creativity, laughter and positivity in the world of dance. Her motto is: Choose to find beauty in everyone and let the power of dance heal your heart. She teaches and organizes the blues room at Atomic every Friday night.

Some of Christine's Blues Favorites:
Sinkin’ soon –Norah Jones
St James Infirmary –Hugh Laurie
Apologize- One Republic
If you love me –BB King
I just want to make love to you –Etta James
I’ve got dreams to remember-Otis Redding
Sideways - Citizen Cope
It’s a man’s world - James Brown
Is you is, or is you ain’t my baby- Blue Harlem
Gravity-John Mayer

Dax Hock (Los Angeles) is originally from San Diego and has been teaching, competing, DJing, and performing internationally for the past seven years.  Dax is now based in Osaka Japan. He is the 2003 US Open Swing Dance Champion, the leader of N'Back, and the founder of Mecha Kucha Swing.

Patty Holmes (Houston) has been wearing many hats in the Houston dance scene since 1998. There's the dancer hat, the organizer hat, the volunteer hat, the teacher hat, and of course the DJ hat. And she finally started those T-shirt quilts made out of T-shirts collected from all the dance events she attended all these years. Patty is excited to return to Lindygroove since her first appearance X years ago.

Patty's Updated Top 19 (as of 2011):
Sympathique - Pink Martini
Drop Me Off in Harlem - Victrola
You're Driving Me Crazy - Big Joe Turner
Famous - Lascivious Biddies
Evenin' - Count Basie
Mistreated But Undefeated Blues - Ray Brown Trio
Teardrops From My Eyes - Ruth Brown
Brotherhood of Man - Oscar Peterson
Little Liza Jane - Ramsey Lewis
Barn 12 - Harry James
A Smooth One - Claude Williams
At the Foot of Canal Street - John Boutte
Frieda - David Benoit
I want to be Famous - Camaros
Everybody Knows - Johnny Hodges
Your Mother's Son-In-Law - Charmin Michelle
That's the Guy for Me - Rhodes, Todd and His Toddlers
Coucou - Erin McKeown
Squatty Roo - Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five

As of 2002?

Patty's current Top 10:
Junior Mance (anything)
Dianne Schuur w/ Count Basie Orchestra
Betty Roche (Takin' the A Train)
Ella Fitzgerald (Bluella)
Diana Krall (Stepping Out)
Harry Connick Jr. (almost anything)
Early Count Basie
Carmen McRae (Concord Jazz Series)
Ernestine Anderson 
Blossom Dearie (Verve 51)

Soundtracks from -
Majestic
Metropolis (Japanese Anime)
Mona Lisa Smile
When Harry Met Sally
Kissing Jessica Stein

Just for fun-
Earth, Wind, Fire
Al Green
Marvin Gaye
Sinead O'Connor (Am I not your girl)
Basie Beatle Bag

Chrissy Holt (OC) Chrissy Holt has been dancing lindy-hop for more than 11 years where she met her dance/teaching partner and best friend Michelle Thissen who inspired her to start dj-ing after they started their dance venue “the Blues Lounge” at Atomic Ballroom. A fan of all types of music, you will usually find a wide variety of blues styles from this dj’s digital turntables. Michelle and Chrissy run a weekly friday night blues room at Atomic Ballroom in Orange county where they teach introductory classes and play sweet sweet blues music to the early hours.

Charlie Hull (Los Angeles) Bio coming soon...

David Jacoby (New York) regularly DJs, dances, and frequents jazz clubs. For 7+ years, he was the DJ coordinator and "House DJ" for Yehoodi.com's weekly dance, The Frim Fram Jam, the most popular weekly dance in NYC. He has also DJed at countless national events – both competitions, exchanges, and workshop / camp weekends, including the Sacramento Exchange, multiple SFLXs, Oakland Swing Dance Festivals, and other California events. David has helped introduce several great jazz musicians to the Lindy Hop community through his work with Jelly Roll Productions. In 2009, David was honored to be an executive producer of the historic Frankie’s 95th Birthday Festival in NYC, personally overseeing the 15+ plus live bands.

Some Favorite Songs:
Trios:
Down By The Riverside - Benny Green Trio
Don't Get Around Much Anymore - The Three Sounds
Shiny Stockings - Gene Harris
For Dancers Only - Junior Mance
Moten Swing - Oscar Peterson Trio
Moanin' - Bobby Timmons
You Are My Sunshine - Eddie Thompson Trio
Vocals:
Honeysuckle Rose - Eva Cassidy
Stormy Monday - Barbara Morrison
DB Blues - Lorez Alexandria
A Foggy Day - Chuck Brown
I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water - Lou Rawls
Evenin' - Joe Williams
Other:
Hard Times - Fathead Newman / Ray Charles
Rockin' In Rhythm - Duke Ellington
Blues in Hoss's Flat - Count Basie
Easy Does It - The Big 18
Kansas City Riffs - Buster Smith
Barn 12 - Harry James

Matt Jones (Austin) is a founding partner of Four on the Floor, the Austin, Texas dance studio which specializes in Lindy Hop and Jazz Era dances. Matt has been teaching Swing and Lindy Hop in Austin continuously since 1996. He, and his partner in Four on the Floor, Laura Malloy, have trained a large staff of teachers. Together, they run the Four on the Floor Tuesday night classes and 9:45 dance in Austin, in addition to the annual February Texas Swing Riot. Matt has been a guest instructor in San Antonio, New Orleans and Tampa, and was on staff as an associate instructor at Lindy U in 2001 and at the BeanTown mini-camp in 2002. Over the last two years, Matt has begun to deejay extensively in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. He deejayed at Lindy U, the Austin Lindy Exchange (2000 and 2001), the Great Southwest Lindy Fest (2002), the Albany Lindy Exchange (2002), the Eastern Canada Swing Championships (2002), BeanTown (2002), and the 2nd Anniversary of 411 in Tampa (2002). He has also been asked to deejay at S.O.N.H., the Cleveland Lindy Exchange and the Austin Lindy Exchange. For information on Four on the Floor, please go to www.fouronthefloor.com

My favorite CDs (as of today):
Count Basie - Breakfast Dance and Barbecue
Don Byas - Melody in Swing
Cats and the Fiddle - Killin' Jive
Coleman Hawkins and Chu Berry - Tenor Giants
Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra - Walk 'Em, the Decca Sessions
Etta Jones - Don't Go to Strangers
Louis Jordan - At The Swing Cats Ball
Jenny Lobel and the Swing Kings - He Ain't Got Rhythm
Jimmy Lunceford - Lunceford Special
Gene Harris & Brother Jack McDuff - Down Home Blues
Tom Mitchell & Kevin Wimmer - Double Scotch
Hot Lips Page - Jump for Joy
Django Reinhardt - All-Star Sessions
Artie Shaw - Self-Portrait
Dinah Washington - Volume 6 of the Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury
Lester Young - The "Kansas City" Sessions

13 Songs that you would hear in my set at the Fed BallRoom tonight:
Slippin' And Slidin' by Sidney Bechet
Melody in Swing by the Don Byas Quartet
Don't Knock It by the Delta Rhythm Boys
Let Me Off Uptown by Roy Ellridge ('75 Happy Time session)
Wings and Things by Duke Ellington 
Esquire Bounce by Coleman Hawkins & Feather's Esquire All-Stars
Shufflin' and Rollin' by Buddy Johnson and his Orchestra
Doug the Jitterbug by Louis Jordan
Your Mother's Son-in-Law by Jennie Lobel
The Party's Over by Jack McDuff
Topsy by Tom  Mitchell and Kevin Wimmer
Grabtown Grapple by Artie Shaw
Short and Sweet by Louis Armstrong

Trager Jonnes (OC) Trager started DJ'ing in San Francisco in late 2000, offering the groove-centric City by the Bay some LA/OC flavor. Unfortunately, he got corrupted by the northerners, and now plays as much groove as soul and swing.

Top 10 Albums (in no order)
1. Oscar Peterson, Night Train (Verve)
2. Harlem Swings (compilation)
3. Decca Anthology of Big Band Jazz
4. Duke Ellington, 1938 (Chronological)
5. Basie, 1936-1938 (Chronological)
6. Gene Harris, Best of the Concord Years
7. Ray Charles, Best of Ray Charles (Atlantic)
8. Sam Cooke, The Man Who Invented Soul
9. Oscar Peterson Trio w/Clark Terry, Plus One (Verve)
10. Pretty Much Every Badass Who Played Jazz and Didn't Die Before 1960,
The Greatest Jazz Concert In The World (Pablo)

Top 15 Cuts You're Likely To Hear When I'm Spinning:
1. Black and Tan Fantasy (Ellington '38, LCJO, or Ellington/Armstrong)
2. You Are My Sunshine (Ammons, Ray Charles, Gene Harris, or Henderson/OP)
3. Moten Swing (Bennie Moten Orchestra, occasionally OP Trio or Basie)
4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Sam Cooke)
5. Blues for Jezebel (Gene Harris)
6. Exactly Like You (Sam Cooke, Woody Herman, Basie, Simone, McKenzie-Condon Chicagoans or Harris/Brown)
7. Night Train (OP Trio, once in a while LCJO)
8. Daytrain (OP Trio)
9. Carioca (Artie Shaw)
10. Get the Mop (Henry "Red" Allen -- both half and full speed versions)
11. Minka (Spike Jones)
12. Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie (Barnet or Norvo. I don't have Basie yet)
13. Blues for Stephanie (George Gee or Monty Alexander)
14. Corner Pocket (Ellington/Basie, Basie, or Corner Pocket)
15. One Mint Julep (Ray Charles, Junior Mance, or Ernestine Anderson)

Andrew Jose discovered a love of vintage swing jazz when he started swing dancing.  A regular DJ at The Southland Strutters' Ball, Andrew focuses on finding that danceable feel that keeps everyone swinging out.  Andrew is also an active social dancer, competitor and teacher in LA, Orange County and events across the nation.

Some of Andrew's favorites:
Wailing Interval by Duke Ellington
Jacquet in a Box by Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five
Rockin' in Rhythm by Duke Ellington
Jamaica Jam by Teddy Powell
Go Harlem by Chick Webb

Larry Kang (New York) has been active in the lindy scene since 1998, when he was a founding partner of Yehoodi.com. After a spell in Denver, he's back in New York, where he currently spins Friday nights at Connolly's. A part of the Frim Fram rotation, he's played at the Basie Centennial and a variety of NY events.

CDs I like:
Jane Monheit - Taking a Chance on Love
Various Artists - Chiaroscuro Jazz - For Dancers Only! (2004)
Diana Krall - Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival (2004) (DVD rip)
Ray Charles - Ray! Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 
Joss Stone - Soul Sessions
Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
Various Artists - Lackawanna Blues Soundtrack (2005)

CDs I like: (As of 4/02)
Ella Fitzgerald : Sunshine Of Your Love (1969) 
Frank Sinatra : Sinatra At The Sands (1966)
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra : Live In Swing City (1999)
Stacey Kent : Let Yourself Go (2000)
Diana Krall : When I Look In Your Eyes (1998) 
Gene Harris : Best Of The Concord Years (2000)
Bobby Timmons : Moanin' Blues (1960)
Lou Rawls : Legendary Lou Rawls (1992)
Joe Carroll and the Ray Bryant Trio 
Slam Stewart: Slam Bam (Black and Blue Sessions)
Betty Roche: Take the A Train (1956)
Blossom Dearie : Once Upon A Summertime (1958)

Allen Kerr (San Francisco) has been DJing since 2006, loves sharing jazz music, and hates writing DJ bios. He cut his chops DJing in DC before moving to San Francisco, where he now resides. You can find Allen DJing major swing dance events including All Balboa Weekend, Lindy Focus, and The International Lindy Hop Championships. He's also is head DJ at the 9:20 special.

Songs:
Duke Ellington - Rockin in Rhythm (circa 1950s)
Lu Watters & His Yerba Buena Jazz Band - Pork & Beans
Artie Shaw - Cross Your Heart
Gordon Webster - Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
Kid Ory - Ain't Misbehavin'
Michael McQuaid's Red Hot Rhythm Makers - The Mooche 
Duke Ellington - Main Stem
Earl Hines - Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me
Benny Goodman Sextet - My Daddy Rocks Me
James P Johnson - Snowy Morning Blues

Peter Kertzner discovered the Lindy Hop when he was in college, and in almost no time he was consumed by the dance and the music of the 1930's. With the opportunity to teach the dance at both UCLA and Pepperdine University, Peter's mission was to promote the Lindy Hop to college students who could fall in love with its alternative lifestyle in the way that he had. After graduating from UCLA himself, he still continues to teach there, while also traveling across the country to compete and make new friends that also share his enthusiasm for the dance. As a DJ, Peter specializes in vintage 1930's music from big bands to small rhythmic vocal groups, finding their combinations of melodies, rhythms, improvisations, and spiritedness unparalleled for dancers that are striving to phrase their movements, achieve micro-musicality, or--most importantly--have fun with their partners! Peter aims at creating set lists that inspire dancers of all levels to connect to the music and each other. Some of his favorite artists include:

Duke Ellington: (Otto Make that) Riff Staccato)
Lionel Hampton: Fiddle Diddle
Count Basie: Topsy
Benny Goodman: Get Happy
Charlie Barnet: Cherokee
Chick Webb: Jubilee Swing
Django Reinhardt: Coucou
Ella Fitzgerald: Undecided
The Cats & the Fiddle: Gang Busters
Slim & Slam: Look Out

Morgan Lee Kestner (Atlanta) is often seen dancing behind the dj table because everyone is dancing! She truly enjoys watching dancers play with the music and has a great sense of what the crowd is wanting. Pulling sounds from different eras, she creates a fun environment with the variety of chug, horns, syncopation, and "I need to swing out now" feeling. With ingredients in her hands, she stirs up a bowl of goodness that is bottomless throughout the evening. Morgan Dj's regularly in Atlanta, Ga and throughout the Southeast, but will be making way in Los Angeles for several months! Some of Morgan's favorite musicians are Fats Waller, Count Basie, Palmetto Bug Stompers, and Gordon Webster. Morgan seeks out to make exciting memorable moments for all dancers!

Ten Songs I love (in no particular order):
"When I Get Low, I get High" - Gordon Webster
"Gonna Miss Me" - Tuba Skinny 
"There's Honey On The Moon Tonight" - Fats Waller
"Your Feets Too Big" - Fats Waller
"Pennies From Heaven" - Billie Holiday
"Stardust" - Blue Vipers of Brooklyn
"Blues I Like To Hear" - Count Basie
"Old Feeling" - Palmetto Bug Stompers
"Lady Bug Picnic" - Palmetto Bug Stompers 
"Swing Brother Swing" - Count Basie & Billie Holiday

Kia Kia Jo Jo Shabadoo (Los Angeles) has been dancing since 1996 and what keeps him with it is the music. He has helped promote 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica,  Suzy Q’s, Shorty George and  Satin Ballroom in LA.

Some of Kia's timeless favorites:
Duke Ellington - Cool Rock / Black Beauty
Eddie Reed / Duke / Lincoln Center Orch. C Jam Blues
Count Basie / Ella Shiny Stockings
Count Basie - Moten Swing / Corner Pocket
George Gee / Count Splanky
George Gee - Blues for Stephanie / Four Five Six
Eva Cassidy / Ella Blue Skies
Lavay Smith / Barbara Morrison / Joe Williams Going to Chicago
Oscar Peterson Summertime / Moten Swing
Steve Lucky - Play it Cool
Tiny Bradshaw - Soft

Chelsea Kirkpatrick first fell in love with Swing Dancing in a class with Jeremy Otth and Laura Keat at Camp Hollywood in 2012. She has been part of the creation and growth of the Pomona Lindy Hop community at Metro Swing where she both teaches and DJs regularly. She loves the art of djing. It is her goal to keep your dancing feet happy and your creative juices flowing. She likes to play a variety of music, from groovy/soul/boogie-type tunes to Kansas City style songs with swing choruses that make you want to swing out hard!

Some favorites as of July 2019:
Gimme a Pigfoot-Mono - LaVerne Baker 
5-10-15 Hours- Ruth Brown 
The Wallflower (aka roll with me Henry)-Etta James
Shake That Thing-Wynonie Harris 
Potato Chips-Slim Gaillard 
Hoodle-Addle-Ray McKinley and his Orchestra
Slidin’ and Glidin’-Michael Gamble, the Rhythm Serenaders 
I’m Livin’ in a Great Big Way-Naomi and her Handsome Devils 
Boog It- Cab Calloway 
Buzz Buzz Buzz-Jimmie Lunceford

Nikki Klaus has played music for dancers at Camp Jitterbug in Seattle, Lindy Binge in LA, OC Lindy Exchange, Sugar Foot Stomp in Alhambra, The Rhythm is Jumpin' in Pasadena, Lindy on the Rocks in Denver, Swingin' the Colony in Atescadero, and is the favorite DJ at Tia Juana's in Irvine. Her style is simple: Nikki plays music that she wants to dance to.

Favorite Songs:
Blues my Naughty Sweetie Give to Me - Sidney Bechet
Exactly Like You - Django Reinhardt
Jive at Five - Count Basie
Bug Them Dice - Fat's Waller
Let's Get Happy Together - Lil Hardin-Armstrong 
At Sundown - Artie Shaw
Honeysuckle Rose - Kay Star
Broadway - Count Basie
Darktown Strutters Ball - Chick Webb 
Summit Ridge Drive - Artie Shaw

Marcus Koch World of Swing

Some current favorites (random order):
Bill Haley's Decca Recordings
Stargazers - Back to Orbit/Rocket ship To The Moon
Dean Mora - Mr. Ghost goes to Town
Swing Session - Swing Session
Casey McGill and The Spirits of Rhythm
Red Caps - Red Caps
Bill Elliott - Call of a Jitterbug
Janis Martin - The Female Elvis (Bear Family)
Indigo Swing - All Aboard
Louis Jordan (Bear Family Box)
Chick Webb (I don't remember the CD title)
Mighty Blue Kings - Meet in uptown
Cab Calloway - Hep to the Jive
Jukebox Jamboree and Lindy Hop Jamboree (whole series 1-7)

Paolo Pasta Lanna began discovering the early social jazz dances while living in California in the early 90's. When he returned to New York City, he met Janice Wilson and shortly thereafter won the Showcase Lindy Hop division at their first American Swing Dance Championships together. He later had the great fortune to dance on tour with Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Swing Dance America, and has appeared on numerous TV programs since from CNBC’s Great Stuff to The David Letterman Show demonstrating The Lindy. Drawing inspiration from dancers such as Frankie Manning, Dawn Hampton, Dickie Harris, all who have storied experiences from the original Ballrooms of Harlem, Paolo continues to 
explore the roots of dance and still dedicates time to hosting dance events in NY such as his Central Park Swings. Paolo has been building his collection of jazz and swing for 25 years. A solid music provider for the New York Lindy crowd for over 6 years, he began his music consultant relationship at Swing 46 from their very first opening providing them with solid standards and unique collection spanning 60 years. Paolo has been in DJ rotation at the New York Swing Dance Society and Jacks Joint since the late 1990's and has also DJ'd Frim Fram, The American Lindy Hop Championships , MidSummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center, 92nd Street Y and more. Most recently Paolo took 1st Place "Open Routine" at the 2003 New York Lindy Hop Open but don't let that fool you. He's just a Italian Paesano at heart.

Some of Paolo's favorite songs
Laughing At Life - Etta Jones with Houston Person
Whack 'Em (Dance Mix)- Joey DeFrancesco 
Volare - Earl Grant
When My Sugar Walks By - Oscar Peterson
Won't Rock and Roll (Dance Mix) Nat King Cole
Sermonette - Ella Fitzgerald
You're Driving Me Crazy - Frank Sinatra
Hello Dolly - Bobby Darin
Irene Reid - I'm Walkin
Work Song - Sammy Davis Jr.

Jamie Leake Bio coming soon...

Chris Lee is a Jazz Aficionado that loves music that speaks to the people! He has traveled the globe and dejayed at dance festivals. As a passionate Jazz Dancer, Chris other interest are other dance forms such Tap, Modern, Jazz, Salsa and Martial Arts. In the past 9 years he has been working as a DJ for dance clubs and Jazz festivals. In 2005 placed 2nd at the World DJ Championships in England. Chris loves to play music for dancers!

Some Favorites:
Duke Ellington and the all star band- A Mellow Tone
Ella Fitzgerald - Lullaby o Birdland cote d'azure concerts
Helen Humes - Voo-It 1945
Willie Bryant and his Orchestra - Liza
Brother Jones - sweet GA Brown
Buddy DeFranco- Summit Ridge Drive
Count Basie- Jive at Five
Chick Webb- spinning the webb
Fats Waller- The Yacht Club Swing
Fletcher Henderson- Wrappin' It Up (the lindy glide)

Adam Lee (New York) started down his swing path in the 2nd grade when he started playing clarinet, and his grandmother bought him his very first record, which happened to be a Benny Goodman record. Growing up as a jazz musician, the addition of Lindy Hop to his life was a natural one. Adam started dancing in 1997 just a few months before the infamous GAP ad, and was dancing five nights a week. In 2001 he moved to Beijing, China where he started the Lindy Hop scene and led a 17 piece big band. In 2010 he returned to the USA to do a Master’s degree in Music Education at NYU and teaches music and swing dance lessons in New York City. His passion is for the music of the swing era, specifically that of the Kansas City sound from the 30s.  As a DJ he focuses on merging his expertise as a musician and a dancer to bring the best, most swingin' music from the heyday of swing and beyond.

Some of his favorite tunes to spin are, but not limited to:

Jumpin' at the Woodside by the Count Basie Orchestra
Savoy by Lucky Millinder
Goofus by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Music Makers by Harry James
Bear Cat Shuffle by Andy Kirk & Mary Lou Williams
Good Queen Bess by Duke Ellington
The Spinach Song by Julia Lee and her Boyfriends
Yacht Club Swing by Fats Waller
Groove Juice Special by Slim and Slam
Down South Camp Meeting by Benny Goodman Orchestra

Jeremy Lewis started his dancing career in the winter of 1998, although he had been a fan of jazz and swing since his teens. As of January 2003, he has taken over the role of DJ at San Francisco's well-known venue 9:20 Special.  He has DJed for several local venues in San Francisco, as well as DJing at ALX 2000, ALX 2003, SoFLeX 2003, SFLX 2001, and SFLX 2003. He has also guest DJed on Yehoodi radio. He was lucky enough to be surrounded by wonderful local DJs at the beginning of his career who turned him on to great song after great song- people like Paul and Sharon, Erik Hamilton, Marc D'Olympio, and Jesse Miner.

Most of Jeremy's favorite songs are covered in the rest of the bios here, so here's a list of a  few of his favorites not appearing on any other lists..
My Love Is- Little Willie John
School Days- Dizzy Gillespie (Joe Carroll singing)
Some of This 'N' Some of That [Studio Version]- Joe Williams
Things Ain't What They Used To Be- Count Basie (Basie In Europe)
Soul Shoutin'- Shirley Scott
Now Has Jazz- Louis Armstrong
Wade In The Water- The Soul Stirrers
Mary Don't You Weep- The Swan Silvertones
Shout and Feel It- Kansas City Soundtrack
Golden Earrings- Ray Bryant Trio

Joe Lin (Toronto) Hailing from the east side of Canada, Joe developed his musical tastes in cities with thriving live jazz and blues scenes and has been an avid lindy hopper and blues dancer for over 10 years. He initially honed his DJ skills keeping dancers up past the rising sun at late-night house parties. He has since had the privilege of DJ'ing at numerous swing and blues venues and events in various Canadian cities.

Some favorites:
Duke Ellington - Take The "A" Train Jelly Roll Morton - New Orleans Bump
Django Reinhardt - Daphne
Nina Simon - Backlash Blues
Chick Webb - Lindy Hopper's Delight
Big Mama Thornton - Life Goes On
Lavern Baker - Gimme A Pigfoot
Al Green - I want To Hold Your Hand
Sidney Bechet - Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights

Marlee Litzinger Bio coming soon...

Nathan Malone (Austin) has been DJing for several years. He has DJed at Lindy Gras (02' and 03'), the Houston Lindy Exchange, the San Francisco Lindy Exchange 2003, LOLX (Oklahoma Exchange), Frankie Manning's 89th Birthday cruise, and numerous venues in the Austin/San Antonio metro area. In addition, to DJing, he has served as one of the organizers for several Austin Lindy Exchanges and has held a variety of Officer positions for the Austin Swing Syndicate. He has been dancing since 1995 and owns over 3,000 CDs from a wide variety of musical genres (original CDs, not CDRs). (Bio and list as of 2003)

Ten recommended albums that he likes and often DJs from (not really a true top ten, since he finds it so hard to narrow things down to ten.
Jive Is Jumpin: RCA and Bluebird Vocal Groups 1939-52
Yoko Noge - Struttin' With Yoko
Live at 9:20 Special - Barbara Morrison
Baby, You Got What It Takes - Kevin Mahogany
Slim Gaillard - Proper Box
Ella and Duke - Live at Cote D'Azur
Ella Fitzgerald - Jukebox Ella
Ray Charles - Blues + Jazz
Nat King Cole - King Swings
Gene Harris and Jack McDuff - Down Home Blues
and any number of Basie and Louis Armstrong records, hard to pick just one.

Kenneth Mark Kenneth Mark became obsessed with swing dancing at The Derby in 1999. After years of being enamored with “Groove Style” lindy, he found a similar passion for blues dancing in 2005. His DJ career started while hosting LA’s first weekly blues dance venue “Speakeasy Blues”.  His DJ credits also includes Do Something Blue, The Atomic Ballroom, Utah Lindy Exchange, Blue Bella, Arcadia Blues Club, The Juke, and the 24 hr Dance-a-thon. Back now in 2015 from a 5 year hiatus, he is hoping to dance long enough to see “big leg pants” come back in style on the dance floor.

Favorite blues songs as of 4/2015:
Fine and Mellow - Deborah Cox
Something Stirring in My Soul - Lou Rawls
Evil - Big Bill Morganfield
Brand New House - Ottis Spann
West Side Baby - T-Bone Walker
Mr. Cover Shaker - Johnny Shines
Guide Me Home - Big Mama Thornton
Early In the Morning - Junior Wells
Empty Bed Blues - Lavern Baker
Crawlin’ Kingsnake - Buddy Guy

Melissa Marzigliano (Long Beach, CA) never thought much about swing dancing until a friend convinced her to attend her first dance event in 2011. Then she was hooked! Now an instructor, choreographer, and DJ, she helps to run Breezy Knees in Long Beach and loves to be involved in the local dance scene. Partner communication, creativity, and laughter on the dance floor are what inspire her the most -- especially when dancing to a great song. She hopes to be able to share some of the joy that dancing has brought her, and to play soulful, swingin' music that'll inspire sillyosity, smiles, and make it so you can't help but wanna dance!

10 Recommended Songs
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me – Sidney Bechet
How Could You? – Billie Holiday
Six Appeal (My Daddy Rocks Me) – Charlie Christian
St. Louis Blues – Benny Goodman
Love in My Heart – Rex Stewart & His 52nd St. Stompers
Tulip Or Turnip – Duke Ellington
Chocolate Shake – Duke Ellington
On Revival Day – LaVern Baker
Evenin’ – Count Basie & Jimmy Rushing
Vol Vistu Gaily Star – Tommy Dorsey

Ryan Mascaro is a music and dance dork. Ryan likes to play music for other dance dorks. He also likes to watch the girlies dance. Anyone got change for a Fitty?

Albums I Love:
Eddie Condon - Dixieland All-Stars
Lionel Hampton - Muskrat Ramble
Chick Webb - Strictly Jive
Jimmy Witherspoon - The ‘Spoon Concerts
Sidney Bechet - The Fabulous Sidney Bechet
Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson Trio +1 w/ Clark Terry
Louis Armstrong - Best of the Hot Fives and Hot Seven Recordings
Monty Alexander - Live at Montreux
Duke Ellington - Recollections of the Big Band Era
Roy Eldridge - The Big Sound of Little Jazz
Count Basie - Complete Decca

A Few Songs I surprisingly never get sick of:
I’ll See you in my Dreams (Any)
Oh, Lady Be Good (Artie Shaw)
Sweet Georgia Brown (Any)
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! (Chick Webb or Red Norvo)
Topsy (Basie)
Travel On (Della Reese)
Honeysuckle Rose (Fats Waller)
Evenin’ (Basie with Jimmy Rushing)
Viper Mad (Bechet/Williams)
Moten Swing (Oscar Peterson)
Frenesi (Shaw)
Merry F***in’ Christmas (Southparks own Mr. Garrison)

Thain Maurer (Austin) loves all kinds of swing music, and prides himself on playing a wide range of music when he djs. He has been spinning since 1999, and has enjoyed djing at events, competitions, and exchanges all across the country.

Some random favorite songs:
Fats Waller – The Minor Drag
Count Basie – Blues in Hoss’s Flat
Lionel Hampton – Ring Them Bells
Django Reinhardt – Topsy
Sidney Bechet – Egyptian Fantasy
Junior Mance – Yancey Special
Artie Shaw – Dr Livingstone, I Presume?
Oscar Peterson – Mumbles
Nina Simone – I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Duke Ellington – Festival Junction

Nathan McWilliams (Los Angeles) has been dancing for about 5 years, beginning with his first night out at Lindygroove. He has traveled the country to dance at events large and small while DJing at events along the way. He likes playing from a diverse catalog of swing music, but particularly, he likes music people can be goofy and playful with.

Some Favorite songs.... in no particular order:
California Honey Drops - Squeezy Breezy
Fats Waller - All That Meat and No Potatoes
Fats Waller - Yacht Club Swing
Fletcher Henderson - Christopher Columbus
Count Basie - Jumpin' at the Woodside
Ella Fitzgerald - Shiny Stockings
Indigo Swing - Ruby Mae
Jimmie Lunceford - Battle Axe
Jimmie Lunceford - For Dancers Only
Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Mr. Ghost Goes to Town
Benny Goodman - All the Cats Join in
Benny Goodman - Swingtime in the Rockies

Alfredo Melendez has fantastic examples of a variety of different blues styles and artists. His own preference ranges from early R&B from the mid late forties through the fifties, Chicago blues, and vintage blues. Alfredo's non-blues repertory is quite eclectic and enjoy exploring songs that inspire the blues mood and flow.

Jeff Meyer , an avid collector of fun and inspiring dance music, has been DJing blues and swing events around the country for the past decade. Originally from Denver, CO, he has spent many years in Chicago, IL, Ann Arbor, MI, Norman, OK, and he now lives in the L.A. area.

Some of Jeff’s favorite blues dance tunes you might hear him DJ are:
I Got the Blues - Brother Yusef
Temperature - Little Walter
I Love The Life I Live - Buddy Guy
Look On Yonders Wall - Pinetop Perkins
The Sky Is Crying - Elmore James
Algiers Hoodoo Woman - Dr. Michael White
Woman Across The River - Freddie King
When I Was Drinkin' - Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry
Trouble Blues - Sam Cooke
Tell Me More and More and Then Some - Nina Simone

Jesse Miner (San Francisco) is a Mpls-turned-San Francisco DJ who spins at the 9:20 special. His essential selections, in his words: "Showcase the variety of the music I most enjoy dancing to and DJing (as well as listening). They don't necessarily represent the entire range of my musical interests, but they do highlight a specific area. They each contain several songs which I enjoy dancing to and DJing.

Jesse's essential swing CD list:
Ernestine Anderson - Great Moments With Ernestine Anderson 
Count Basie/Duke Ellington - First Time! The Count Meets The Duke 
Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues: The Best Of Jimmy Witherspoon 
Ella Fitzgerald/Duke Ellington - Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Blues 
Harry James - Trumpet Blues: The Best Of Harry James 
Buddy Johnson - Walk 'Em: Decca Sessions 
Slim Galliard - Laughing In Rhythm: The Best Of The Verve Years 
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Gatemouth Swings 
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra - Live In Swing City: Swingin' With The Duke 
Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing 
Big 18 - More Live Echoes Of The Swinging Bands" 
Carmen McRae - Priceless Jazz Collection 
Ray Charles - Best Of Ray Charles (Atlantic) 
Joe Williams/Count Basie - Live at Newport 1957 
Dinah Washington - Best Of The Roulette Years 
Oscar Peterson/Count Basie - Satch And Josh 
Mary Stalling - Manhattan Moods 
George Gee and His Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra - Live and Swingin

Michael Mizgalski (Los Angeles) Has been a fixture in the So Cal Swing scene since the "Derby days" of the late 90's, and has been deejaying since there were these little round things called CD's. Co founder, along with his friend Tip West, of the legendary "traveling" swing club Swing Pit. It was at this club that many of the songs your favorite Lindy Groove deejays include on their playlist, were first played. He loves to spin all kinds of music, blues, R&B, Rock, 30's Hot Jazz, and big band swing of the 40's and 50's, and cooks it all up in a kind of "swing casserole" that will satisfy every swing dancers hunger for music that will keep them on the floor all the way till the last song.

Some favorites as of 4/2013
At Sundown -    Artie Shaw And His Orchestra    
(They Call It) Stormy Monday- Lou Rawls
Jam Session-Benny Goodman    
Jumpin' The Blues- Al Cooper & His Savoy Sultans    
Blow Top-    Count Basie And His Orchestra    
Marshall Plan -Al Sears
Jamaica Jam -Teddy Powell    
Second Balcony Jump -Al Cooper & His Savoy Sultans
Oh, Lady Be Good-Count Basie And His Orchestra    
Jumpin For Joy    -Teddy Wilson 
Barrel House Boogie -Sid Philips And His Band    
Shake That Thing -Kid Ory    
Bean Bag Boogie -johnny Hodges
One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer     -Little Willie Littlefield
Hellzapoppin- Louie Armstrong    
Jersey Jive- Ozzie & Harriet Nelson
Booty Swing- Parov Stelar

Lisa Montagne has been DJ-ing for dance venues for over eight years. She specializes in nuevo and traditional Argentine Tango, Swing, and Blues. Lisa has been drawn to Blues music since she was a kid when she listened to BB King, Muddy Waters, and Johnny Lee Hooker. Since 2016, she has been Dj-ing, teaching, and promoting Blues for Blues on the B-side (2016 – 2018), and for the OC Blues Collective since November 2021. She has been a guest DJ for Lindy Rock ‘n’ Soul, and she was the host, teaching assistant, and DJ for the Atomic Tango Lounge from 2014 to 201

Rob Moreland ( St. Louis, MO) has been DJing for lindy hop dancers since 2003, when he started a four year stretch DJing weekly at a local dance in Raleigh, NC.  Since then, he's DJd at local and national events across the US, including ULHS, ILHC, and Stompology. He's been the head DJ at several events, including Lindy Focus, Swing Out New Hampshire, and the Nevermore Jazz Ball. He was a member of the DJ teams at both the Basie Centennial in 2004 and Frankie 100 in 2015 and was Ryan Swift's featured guest on The Track podcast in January 2016.  Rob is known for playing a wide range of tempos and styles, with music chosen to keep the floor full and the dancers happy.

Rob's favorites as of 10/3/17
​Did You Mean It? - Benny Goodman w/Ella Fitzgerald (2:23, 154 bpm) Listen My Children And You Shall Hear - Count Basie (3:08, 161 bpm) Everybody Rock - Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orchestra (3:19, 184 bpm)
Let the Door Knob Hitcha - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra;  (3:08, 150 bpm)
Love In Swingtime - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra (2:37, 154 bpm)
Six Cats and a Prince - Kansas City Seven (Basie) (4:13, 214 bpm)
Slidin' and Glidin' - Michael Gamble & The Rhythm Serenaders (3:36, 156 bpm)
Southside - Earl Hines & His Orchestra (2:56, 170 bpm)
Stepping Into Swing Society - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra (3:7, 123 bpm)
Sun Valley Jump - Glenn Miller And His Orchestra (2:59, 160 bpm)
Sweethearts On Parade - Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra (3:1, 176 bpm)
Take It - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (3:13, 180 bpm)
Thanks A Million - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra (2:39, 131 bpm)

Rob's bonus list as of 10/3/17
St. Louis Blues - Dorsey Brothers (3:11, 237 bpm)
St. Louis Blues - Buster Bailey (2:46, 220 bpm)
St. Louis Blues - Kid Ory (3:23, 204 bpm)
St. Louis Blues - Buddy Bertinat (2:36, 190 bpm)
St. Louis Blues - Phil Ogilvie's Rhythm Kings (3:57, 180 bpm)
St Louis Blues - Artie Shaw (3:2, 173 bpm)
St. Louis Blues - Benny Goodman (Live from Camel Caravans) (3:36, 161 bpm)
St. Louis Blues - Django Reinhardt (3:04, 134 bpm)
Boogie Woogie On The St. Louis Blues - Earl Hines (2:45, 168 bpm)
St. Louis Blues - Benny Goodman (3:23, 137 bpm)

Rob's faves from 3/3/2011
Billie Holiday - No Regrets
Teddy Wilson - I'll See You In My Dreams, Don't Be That Way
Lionel Hampton - Fiddle-Dee-Dee
Artie Shaw - The Man From Mars
Benny Goodman - Stealin' Apples
Count Basie - Diggin For Dex, Vine Street Rumble
Duke Ellington - Ducky Wucky, Gal From Joe's
Charlie Barnet - Lumby
Fats Waller - Pantin' In the Panther Room, You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams
Mezz Mezzerow - Stop It Joe, Blues In Disguise
Django Reinhardt - Swing Guitars
Jimmie Lunceford - Baby Won't You Please Come Home, My Blue Heaven, Stomp It Off
Earl Hines - Ridin' and Jivin', Deep Forest
Ambrose and His Orchestra - Deep Henderson
Spike Hughes - How Come You Do Me Like You Do?
Chris Barber - Bohemia Rag
John Kirby - It Feels So Good
Hot Club of San Francisco - Tickle Toe
Engelbert Wröbel's Swing Society - Rose Room
Max Collie's Rhythm Aces - Willie The Weepers

Tonya Morris (Seattle) has been djing swing & jazz music for over 5 years and enjoys djing for dancers. Tonya is currently one of the house dj's at the beautiful Century Ballroom; Seattle's premiere swing venue. Also, Tonya was recently invited to dj at the famous Paramount Theatre in Seattle. She has also dj'd in several cities including Seattle, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Melbourne and Boston. She was a favorite in the Lindy Summit dj battle, and is looking forward to djing the whole night at Lindy Groove in Pasadena, CA!

14 favorite albums:
Duke Ellington: Masterpieces 1926-1949 (box set)
Count Basie: The Complete Decca Recordings
Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra: Make Believe Ballroom 1935-1939
Sidney Bechet & Friends: Compact Jazz
The Hollwood Sessions: The Capitol Jazzmen
Lucky Millinder: Jumpin' at the Savoy
Lester Young: From a Cool Perspective
Small Groups Boogie Woogie
Hadda Brooks: I've Got News For You
Benny Goodman & his Orchestra: The Harry James years Vol 1
An Anthology of Big Band Swing
Larry Clinton 1937-1938
Cotton Club Orchestra
The best of Harry James: Trumpet Blues

Daniel Newsome (Denver) Do not miss this visit! Dan is a very popular nationally recognized DJ that we have been try to bring to LindyGroove for years. Get a taste of the weekly music of the vibrant Denver Lindy scene.

Jackie O'Neil (San Diego) was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and has had a love for Frank Sinatra & swing music since she was 7 years old. She moved to San Diego in 2006 & began swing dancing. There she met her husband Jeff Eldridge who encouraged her to play her music at a Lindy By The Bay. Ever since then she's been DJ-ing swing, blues & anything else that people have fun dancing to at various San Diego events and exchanges. She's well known for mixing up her sets and makin' you want to move those feet!!

10 songs Jackie likes:
Oooh! Look There, Ain't She Pretty? - Benny Goodman
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me - Sidney Bechet
The Gal From Joe's - Duke Ellington
Jump Through The Window - Roy Eldridge
Goodbye Paris - Sammy Price
Nature Boy - Johnny Hartman
You Was Right, Baby - Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five
I'm Walkin' - Ernestine Anderson
Why Don't You Do Right? - Natalie Cole
Who Will Comfort Me? - Melody Gardot

lani olsen has danced everything from Hula and Flamenco, but has settled into blues as the place her dancing feet truly belong. As a dancer, she seeks to find music that will inspire other dancers to move. A life-long musician, that same passion for sound is easily reflected in her sets. She’s had the privilege of DJing for events like LA Fusion and Blues Liberation Front, and is excited to share her music with you!

Some songs she likes:
Willis -So Nice to Meet You
Josh Garrels- Never Have I Found
Crooked Still - Come on in My Kitchen
Dr. John - How Come My Dog Don't Bark (When You Come 'Round)
Blue Eyed Blondes – Maneater
Dave Gross - Crawling The Walls
Chase The Sun - You Gotta Go
G. Love - Fixin' To Die
Leftover Cuties - You Are My Sunshine
Kari Kimmel - Black

Paul Overton (San Francisco) and Sharon Ashe have been teaching and performing Lindy Hop in the Bay Area and around the globe for the past eight years. In that time they have built an extremely successful swing dance program based on their unique and effective style of teaching and have toured the U.S. and Europe spreading the joy of Lindy Hop. In San Francisco Paul and Sharon regularly teach over two-hundred students per month and run one of the largest weekly dance parties in town called the 9:20 Special. They have had the good fortune to teach and perform at some of the biggest and most well respected dance camps in the world including Swing Camp Catalina, Swing Out New Hampshire, and Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. Currently, they live happily in Oakland, California with their dogs Boyde and Pete.

Great Moments with/Best of Ernestine Anderson 
Count Basie & Joe Williams (Verve) 
Slim Gaillard - Cement Mixer Putti Putti 
Mary Stallings - Manhattan Moods 
The Best of Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues 
Barbara Morrison - I'm Gettin 'Long All Right 
Johnny Otis & His Orchestra - Spirit of the Black Territory Bands 
Dinah Washington (Best of) on Roulette 
Betty Roche - Take the A Train 
Basie's Golden '58 on Phontastic ("The best Basie!")

Mikey Pedroza (Orange County) Started dancing in 1998 and fell in love with all things Jazz and Swing related. I used to have a collection of CDs, remember when those were popular? And even now I find a lot of music from the classic Swing/Jazz era.

Lottie - count Basie
Honeysuckle Rose - Kay Starr
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives Me - Sidney Bechet
Scattin' at the Kit Kat - Duke Ellington
Easy Does It - The Big 18
Kansas City Riffs - Buster Smith
Wailing Interval - Duke Ellington
Living in a Great Big Way - Cassidy and the Orleans kids
Hot Sauce - Tommy Douglas
Savoy - Lucky Millinder

Jon Perry is one of the Arizona's best swing DJ's, plays an assortment of music ranging from the sweet grooves of the Duke with Ella, to funk with Lionel Hampton, to hip hop fusion of Jurasic 5. He has attended numerous events and exchanges accross the country constantly taking notes of amazing music from some of the best DJ's around. His musical selection influences come from Peter Loggins of LA, Jesse Minor of San Francisco, Manu Smith of New York and Tom Frazier of Rochester. Phoenix dancers used to be able to groove to Jon's music every Thursday at the Bash on Ash, and he can now can be heard monthly at the Tuesday Bash on Ash and at Jitterbugz.

Top 10 Albums:
Lionel Hampton - For the Love of Music
Coleman Hawkins - The Genius of Coleman Hawkins
Duke Elington & Ella Fitzgerald - Ella At Dukes Place
R&B of 1949 (2 disc compiliation)
Risque Rhythms
Count Basie - Atomic Basie
Eddie Thompson Trio - Ain't She Sweet
Count Basie & Milt Jackson - Best of the Big Bands Vol. 2
Claude Williams - Swingin' The Blues
Wycleff Gordon - Slindin' Home
Gene Harris - The Concord Years

Nick Peterson has been lindyhopping for nearly four years. Having competed for the last three, he recently placed first in the ALHC Pacific Regional Qualifier with his partner Shannon. He currently DJs at Vegas' two local events, as well as having DJed at Tip and Mike's SwingPit, AZ's New Year's Swing Jam, The Lindy Cruise, the Desert Lindy Dance Camp, The Binge, Phoenix Exchange, and of course the Head DJ for SCX!

Top 10 songs you will most likely hear in Vegas:
1. I'm Outta Love - Anastascia
2. Speak Softly Love - Harry Connick Jr.
3. Let's Get Together - Duke Ellington
4. Jumpin' At The Woodside - Duke and Basie
5. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning - Lou Rawls
6. Frankie and Johnny - Sam Cooke
7. Bad Mood - Lonnie Gordon 
8. Scotch and Soda - Lou Rawls
9. Baby, Workout - Jackie Wilson
10. Cry To Me - Solomon Burke

Abdel B Présumé (Tampa) is the man with the music, Tampa's (and arguably Florida's) leading swing DJ. He began DJing in 1999 and has become one of the nation's most popular DJs. His music collection currently spans 9 decades and over hundreds of artists. Abdel's style focuses on being a conduit between the dancers and the music, establishing connections between each of the songs that keep the dancers anticipating each new development in an evening. By maintaining both a variety and a flow of music, Abdel ensures that the dancers remain invigorated and excited, inspiring them to adapt as at the music evolves over the course of an evening. You might have heard him recently spun at Herrang 2005, ALHC 2005, Southern Bells Swing, WMNF 88.5 Radio & Lindy Focus IV.

Some Favorite Songs (As of 1/2006)
Charlie Barnet - The Right Idea
Count Basie - Every Tub
Benny Goodman - Scarecrow
Buddy Johnson - Opus Two
Bunny Berigan - Troubled
Duke Ellington - Jubilesta
Lionel Hampton - Down Home Jump
Erskine Hawkins - Big Fat Sam
Johnny Hodges - Peckin'
Teddy Hill - King Porter Stomp
Andy Kirk - Mess-A-Stomp
John Kirby - The Turf
Jimmie Lunceford - I Need A Lift
Jim McVea - Jam Boogie
Lucky Millinder - Who Said Shorty Wasn't Coming Back
Django Reinhardt - Minor Swing
Stuff Smith - Onyx Club Spree
Tab Smith - Dee Jay Special
Artie Shaw - One Foot In The Groove
Buddy Tate - Two Left Feet
Fats Waller - The Yatch Club Swing
Chick Webb - Breakin' 'Em Down
Dickie Wells - Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea
Teddy Wilson - Spreading Rhythm Around
The Big 18 - Swingtime IN The Rockies

Some Favorite Albums (As of  3/2003)
Ernestine Anderson Concord Jazz Heritage Series 
Louis Armstrong 16 Most Requested Songs 
Lavern Baker Lavern Sings Bessie Smith 
Charlie Barnet Clap Hands, Here Comes... 
Count Basie Atomic Swing 
Count Basie The Best Of Early Basie 
Cab Calloway King Of Hi-De-Ho 1934-1947 
Natalie Cole Unforgettable With Love 
Larry Clinton The Uncollected 1937-1938 
Duke Ellington First Time Count Meets Duke 
Benny Goodman Sing, Sing, Sing 
Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Sides (Jazz Masters 46) 
Erskine Hawkins Riff Time 
Billie Holliday The Silver Collection 
Illinois Jacquet Jumpin' At Apollo 
Jimmie Lunceford Lunceford Special 1939-40 
Renée Manning As Is (hard to find) 
Lucky Millinder Back Beats 
Oscar Peterson Night Train 
Risqué Rhythm Nasty 50's R&B (Compilation) 
Buster Smith The Legendary Buster Smith 
Sam Taylor Swingstation 
Chick Webb Strictly Jive 
Ben Webster Cotton Tail 
Cootie Williams Do Nothing Until You Hear... 
Joe Williams The Best Of (Blue Note)

Favorite Albums by Category: (As of  3/2002)
Small Jazz Combos: 
Erroll Garner - Jazz Portraits
The Three Sounds - Black Orchid
Bjork Guomundsdottir & Trio - Gling Glo
Eddie Thompson Trio - Ain’t She Sweet
Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Monk (Prestige)
Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Boy Named Charlie Brown 
Jazz & Big Band Vocalists: 
Slim Gaillard - Laughing in Rhythm: Volume 1
Various - Pure Jazz (Verve)
Natalie Cole - Unforgettable: with Love
Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald - Blue Ella
Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie - Ella and Basie
Ernestine Anderson - Concord Jazz Heritage Series 
Jump Blues & Blues Vocalists: 
Alberta Hunter - Amtrak Blues
Jazz Moods - Groovin’ The Blues
Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues
Lou Rawls - The Legendary Lou Rawls
Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown - Gate Swings
Wynonie Harris - Bloodshot Eyes-The Best of 
Big Band Jazz: 
Count Basie - Count Basie At New Port
Count Basie - LIVE at the Sands (before Frank)
Ray Anthony Orchestra - Swingin' Back To The 40's
The Big 18 - Live Echoes Of The Swingin' Big Band
Buddy Johnson Orchestra - Swingin' the Blues
Cab Calloway - Are You Hep to the Jive 
Current Swing Bands: 
The Hotfoot Club - Don't Ever Say Goodbye
Yalloppin' Hounds - Ghetto Swing Extreme!
Lincoln Center Jazz Orch. - Live In Swing City
Lily Wild & Her Jumpin Jubillée Orch. - Insect Ball
Lavay Smith - Everybody's Talking' 'bout Miss Thing!
Yoko Noge & the Jazz Me Blues - Struttin' with Yoko

Shaheed Qaasim (Los Angeles) Bio coming soon...

Tony Quach (Los Angeles) started DJing at Pointe 705 with Peter Flahiff who got him hooked on Jazz history and introduced him to his favorite piano player, Oscar Peterson. He has DJed at San Diego's Fire House, Café Savoy and for their 2002 New Years Exchange. Tony was an after-hours DJ at Swing Camp Catalina 2002 and is the house DJ at Lindy Groove.

Favorite Songs:
Moten Swing - Oscar Peterson
Blues For Pres, Sweets, Ben & All The Other Funky Ones - Oscar Peterson & Sonny Stitt
I love Being Here With You - Diana Krall
My Love Is - Diana Krall
Easy Does It - Most Versions Especially Oscar Peterson’s
Perdido - Carmen McCrae
Sassy’s Blues - Sarah Vaughan
Money’s Getting Cheaper - Jimmy Witherspoon
Lets Fall In Love - Louis Armstrong And Oscar Peterson
C-Jam Blues AKA Duke’s Place - Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington

Caitlyn Raines Bio coming soon...

Meeshi Ravi Anjali (San Diego) has been running the Firehouse Swing Dance, San Diego's longest running Swing venue, since 1998. His goal at the Firehouse is to make swing dancing accessible to everyone and inclusive of all swing styles (Lindy, Charleston, Balboa, West Coast and Blues). As one of the regular Firehouse DJs, his musical taste covers practically every jazz-inspired swing genre. If it's a happy, jazzy song that makes you want to jump around and dance, then he'll probably play it.

Current Firehouse Favorites as of 10/1/10:
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me -- Sidney Bechet
8, 9 and 10 -- Slim and Slam
Kansas City Riffs -- Buster Smith
Sixteen Tons -- Lipbone Redding
La Complainte de Mackie -- Laura Fygi
Love Me or Leave Me -- Lily Frost
I Just Want to Make Love to You -- Etta James
Another Day -- Jamie Lidell
My Bombombomb -- Mo' Horizons
Stompin' at the Savoy -- Ken Peplowski

Some of Meeshi's past  favorite albums (as of 2002) (in no particular order):
Theolonious Monk Trio with Art Blakey (self-entitled debut album)
US 3 - Hand on the Torch
Buck Clayton and Buddy Tate - Swingville
Eddie Miller with the Johnny Varro Trio - Street of Dreams
Count Basie and Oscar Peterson - Satch and Josh
The Ken Peplowski Quintet - The Natural Touch
Jonah Jones - Jumpin' with Jonah
PeeWee Russell - PeeWee's Song
Galactic - Crazyhorse Mongoose
Jim Cullum Jazz Band - Live from New York

Spencer Roberts (Denver) started his swing dance adventure in Lawrence, KS winter of '99. In '01 started running the local dance, teaching and DJing Sunday night each week. In '03 he was accepted to Savannah College of Art and Design where he started and ran the local swing scene until graduating '07. After a short break he returned to teaching and DJing in Fort Collins, CO in '09 until his '11 move to Los Angeles, CA. Spencer  is constantly looking for a new songs that can get ya to shake your lindy in ways you never thought possible.

Top 10 Favorite Songs to Dance to:
I Want A Little Doggie - Lena Horne
Potato Chips - Slim Gaylord
Lollipop - Mika
Lady Madonna - The Beatles
Don't Stop - Patrick & Eugene
Brick House - Commodores
Gimme A Pig Foot - Bessie Smith
13 Step Boggie - Martin Sexton
Papers in Order - The Old Ceremony
Sweet Hunk Of Trash - Billie Holiday & Louis Armstrong

Lorenzo Rossi Bio coming soon...

Roy Rydbeck (Chicago) has been dancing Lindy Hop for 8 years and DJing for 6 years. Roy started his Lindy Hop life in San Francisco and shortly thereafter moved to Tampa where he is a founding member of the Tampa Bay Lindy Hop scene. In June of 2000 Roy moved to Chicago where he continued dancing and DJing. In June of 2005 Roy moved back to where he started dancing in San Francisco. Roy has DJed at WCLX2, WCLX3, WCLX4, WCLX5 , WCLX6. Black and Tan/02 and 05, LindyU, Fizz, StudioX and LBTL, Frim Fram, Lindy Groove, Friday Night Blues (SF),SoFlex/02 through 06, LindyGras 03 & 05, SFLX05, CLX03, and 04, and the St. Petersburg Swing Dance Festival. Roy likes to mix a variety of swinging music styles most of what he plays tends to be groove, swinging blues, Big Band, and pre-45 small jazz combo's.

Some of Roy's favorites:
Ray Brown Trio-Soular Energy
Roy Eldridge-Happy Time
Gene Harris and the Philip Morris Superband-World Tour 1990
Duke Ellingtong/Johnny Hodges - Side by Side
Duke Ellington-Dance Concerts California-1958 vol.2
Franz Jackson-The Fabulous
Budd Johnson-Budd Johnson and the 4 Brass Giants
Earl Hines - 1934-1937 
Charlie Christian-Genius of Electric Guitar
Eddie Condon-Chicago Style
Lucky Milannder-Appolo Jump
Sam Price and his Texas Blusicians-1929-1941
Fats Waller-A Career Perspective
Count Basie-America's #1 Band
Earl Hines & Jimmy Rushing-Blues and Things
Louis Armstong-Tribute to Fats Waller

Syed Sadaqathullah (Los Angeles) spins at various house parties and special events in Los Angeles. He is currently the backup DJ for salsa nights at Club Zabumba in West LA. He enjoyed DJing for dancers at 'Funky Tuesdays' in Herrang, Sweden and is excited to DJ for LindyGroove.

Some of the recommended songs and albums(not in any order)
Rock me baby --- Miss Mickey Champion
Love me or Leave me ---Nina Simone
Kansas city riffs ---Buster Smith
Frost Bite -- Albert Collins
It dont mean a thing ---Wycliffe Gordon
Special delivery Stomp --- Peter Davis and lindy hop heaven
Great Summit master takes ---Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington 
Ella And Basie 
Al Grey featuring Arnett Cobb and Jimmy Forest
James Brown (anything)

Jenn Salvadori (Orange County) and Justin Zillman have been dancing together since December of 1997. They are the 1999 Pacific Regional, American Lindy Hop Champions, organized the first Los Angeles/Orange County Lindy Exchange and have DJ'd across America from Hawaii to New York City.

Top Ten Favorite Songs... in no particular order...
1) Cottontail - Duke Ellington and his Orchestra
2) Stomp it Off - Jimmie Lunceford 
3) Moten Swing - Bennie Moten 
4) Moten Swing - Oscar Peterson
5) Frankie and Johnny - Sam Cooke
6) Stormy Monday - Gene Harris and Jack McDuff
7) Jimtown Blues - Fletcher Henderson
8) Lunceford Special - Jimmie Lunceford
9) Squatty Roo - Johnny Hodges
10) Swing Out - Henry Red Allen and his Orchestra

Nate Sartain (San Diego) is one of San Diego’s favorite DJs.  He is an avid collector of early jazz, swing, western swing, and rhythm & blues. He began his DJ career back in 1998 where he was the house DJ for BeBop Burgers - a  1950’s themed restaurant.  He has Dj'ed at national dance events such as Camp Hollywood, Bal Rendezvous, San Francisco Bal Fest and more. Since then he has DJ'ed at several other events across Southern California including weddings.  You can find him spinning tunes as a guest DJ at the Firehouse, and at Corner Boogie/ Ciao Bella - where he is the resident DJ every Sunday.

There are so many more I would like to add. But that is a good, fun batch of songs:
Miss Martingale - Hot Lips Page
Swing Brother Swing - Count Basie/Billie Holiday (live from Savoy Ballroom) 
Hoy Hoy- Little Johnny Jones
I'se a Muggin- Django Reinhardt
Wednesday Night Hop - Andy Kirk
A Gal From Joe's - Duke Ellington
Buckin' the Dice - Fats Waller  
Love me or Leave me - Pat Flowers  
Oh, Lady Be Good - Benny Goodman  
Fiddle Diddle - Lionel Hampton

Riff Saurous (Boston) has been dancing Lindy Hop for 3 1/2 years, and DJing around Boston for over three years. For the last year, he's been DJing a
weekly jazz and blues show on WMBR 88.1 FM in Cambridge (catch it online http://wmbr.mit.edu), and DJing and teaching lessons at MIT's weekly dance. He recently competed at the North Atlantic Dance Championships with the Lindy group Hopology. He enjoys playing and dancing to a wide range of music, from classic swing era recordings to modern jazz.

Favorite Tunes:
Hard Times - Ray Charles/Hank Crawford OR Houston Person OR Jimmy McGriff
You Are My Sunshine - Bill Henderson w/Oscar Peterson OR Ray Charles OR Gene Harris
St. James Infirmary - Lou Rawls OR Junior Mance OR Doc and Richard Watson OR Benny Goodman
On The Sunny Side of the Street - Illinois Jacquet OR Billie Holliday
In A Mellow Tone - Oscar Peterson OR Betty Roche
D & E - Oscar Peterson 
Under the Lowest - Nina Simone
Chilly Winds Don't Blow - Nina Simone
Blues Jam - Otis Spann
Sherry - Hank Crawford
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted - Junior Mance
Perdido St. Blues - Louis Armstrong
Imagine My Frustration - Ella Fitzgerald
Late Date - Ben Webster 
Midnight Blues (Red Shirt) - Jimmy Witherspoon
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Nina Simone
Moten Swing - Count Basie
Smooth Sailing - Ella Fitzgerald
Duke Ellington - Back Room Romp (A Contrapuntal Stomp)

Favorite Albums:
Count Basie - Breakfast Dance and Barbecue
Kenny Burrell - A Generation Ago Today
Laverne Butler - Blues In The City
Johnny Hodges - Everybody Knows
Ernestine Anderson - Great Moments With Ernestine Anderson
Junior Mance - Harlem Lullaby/I Believe To My Soul
Hank Crawford - Heart and Soul
Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Songbook
Jimmy Witherspoon - Singin' the Blues
Otis Spann - Best of the Vanguard Years
Ben Webster - Soulville
Jay McShann (w/Duke Robillard + Maria Muldaur) - Still Jumpin' the Blues
Lou Rawls w/Les McCann - Stormy Monday
Betty Roche - Take the "A" Train
Gene Harris - Best of the Concord Years
Joe Turner and Count Basie - The Bosses

Stephen Sayer (Los Angeles) likes to dj what he likes to dance to, which is a lot. He began dancing in Ohio and all over the midwest in the late 90's and he was influenced by the styles of each city and scene he visited. He get into hot jazz, gypsy jazz, western swing, all kinds of blues, soul, rockabilly, doo wop and so on...

10 Recomended Songs:
WPA Rag-Big Bill Broonzy
Summertime-Sidney Bechet
Black and Tan Fantasy-Louis Armstrong
Bouncin' Around-Django Reinhardt
A Porters' Love Song-Julia Lee
Lonely Avenue-Ray Charles
Old Grandad-Fats Waller
I'm Gettin' Tired-Robert Nighthawk
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-(Sad Song)-Otis Redding
The Come Back-Joe Williams

Robyn Schwartz (LA) Bio coming soon...

Gary Sharpe "I started swing dancing in 2002 in a small bar in Davis, California.  I was tall, lanky, very awkward, and not the least bit talented or trained.  For at least the first year or two, I could only dance a few songs in a row before getting dizzy and nauseous enough that I would have to sit down for several songs to recover.  I loved everything about the dance, though, and spent countless hours watching videos, practicing, taking lessons, and travelling to weekend events around the country.  Fifteen years later, and I still love to take lessons, to train, to teach, to DJ, and to share everything about the dance with anyone who will listen.  I look forward to dancing and being active in this community, one way or the other, for the rest of my life."

Top Ten (in no particular order)
Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home - Ella Fitzgerald
So Good - Buddy Johnson
2 O'Clock Jump - Harry James
I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James
Who's Sorry Now - Bob Crosby, Andy Kirk, June Richmond
Jumpin' At The Woodside - Count Basie
Cross Your Heart - Artie Shaw & His Gramercy Five
Sweet Sue, Just You - Benny Goodman
Sent For You Yesterday - Count Basie
Big Butter and Egg man - Louis Armstrong & Velma Middleton

 

Andy Shih This guy started his love affair with swing music at an early age. His parents exposed him to many of the greats when he was young. He joined his high school jazz band as a pianist and played many of the songs from the swing era. And when he discovered swing dancing in the late 90s and started dancing seriously in 2003, the progression to DJ was natural. The songs that he most appreciates are the ones that make you want to swing out. So he prefers vintage songs from the 20s, 30s and 40s. Having a music and dance background gives him a unique perspective. In the meantime, he is searching for the perfect come around.

10 Great Songs!
​Moten Swing by Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy 
Moppin’ and Boppin’ by Fats Waller and his Orchestra 
Feedin’ the Bean by The Metronome All-Star Band 
Lindyhopper’s Delight by Chick Webb and his Orchestra 
Honeysuckle Rose by Count Basie and his Orchestra 
Exactly Like You by The Benny Goodman Trio 
Judy by Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five featuring Hilary Alexander 
Rose Room by Artie Shaw and his Orchestra
Jamaica Jam by Teddy Powell and his Orchestra 
Jumpin’ at the Woodside by Count Basie and his Orchestra​

 

 

Doug Silton (Los Angeles) began swing dancing in 1992 and for the past seven years, he has been teaching, competing, and performing internationally. Doug is a two-time American Lindy Hop Champion (2001 Strictly Division and 2002 Classic Division) and is the co-founder of LindyGroove.

Top Albums (in no order)
1. Ernestine Anderson, Be Mine tonight
2. Kenny Burrell, Midnight Blue
3. Solomon Burke, The Very Best Of...
4. Sam Cooke, The Man Who Invented Soul (4 CD Box Set)
5. Mose Allison, Greatest Hits
6. Wycliffe Gordon, Slidin Home
7. Carmen McRae, Priceless Jazz Collection
8. All Aboard: The Beach Boogie Train
9. Paris Combo, Living Room
10. Lionel Hampton, For The Love of Music
11. Corner Pocket, Easy Does It
12. Shirley Scott, Legends of Acid Jazz
13. Saturday Night at Ducks
14. Hampton Hawes Trio, Vol. 1

Matt Smiley has a little confession: He's not really a DJ, he just plays one at Lindygroove. Matt really is just a poor dance bum from Washington DC. Matt can't write whole novel-length posts on swing forums about why some music swings and why other music does not swing. Matt doesn't know anything about music theory. All Matt know is what Matt like.

Top 10 Songs:
1. "After You're Gone" - Gene Krupa
2. "Down, Down, Down" - Count Basie
3. "Frenesi" - Artie Shaw
4. "This Bitter Earth" - Laverne Butler
5. "Cottontail" - Duke Ellington
6. Anything by Slim & Slam
7. "I Got Rhythm" - Django
8. "And the Angels Sing" - Artie Shaw & Helen Forrest
9. Anything by Cats & the Fiddle
10. "Easy Does it" - Basie

Jack Smith Bio coming soon...

Mike Smith (Boston) has been a lindy hop DJ for over five years. He is one of New England's favorite DJ's and is based in Boston where he DJs at the Monday Night Practice Session and is a house DJ for Swing City. His other DJ credits include: Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden, North Atlantic Dance Championships, Swingin' New England, New England Swing Dance Championships, Yehoodi Y2, Yehoodi Y3A, Frankie Manning's 87th Birthday, and the Beantown Lindy Camp. He is also a popular late-night lindy DJ at various lindy hop exchanges around the country. Mike currently teaches Lindy.

Manu Smith (New York) has been dancing Lindy Hop for 4 years. During that time he has performed with the award-winning Lindy Hop performance troupe, The Grit Grinders, has placed 1st in Dance Pro’s Summer Hummer Jack & Jill Contest, Midsummer Night Swing Jack & Jill, NADC 2002 Pro-AM and Strictly Lindy divisions and The Swing! on Broadway dance contest. He's made Lindy Hop appearances on CBS's Good Day New York, NBC's Garth Brooks Christmas Special and PBS's Swingin' With Duke with Wynton Marsalis. Manu teaches Lindy Hop at Dance Manhattan Dance Studios in New York and many workshops around the globe including the North Atlantic Dance Championships 2002 and the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden.  He has DJ’d many places and runs the Tuesday night “Frim Fram Jam” at the Swing46 Jazz & Supper Club in New York.  You can find his web-master-handiwork at the premier Swing and Lindy Hop website catering to the United States' "Hard-Core Hep-Cat community.

Top 10 Playlist (in no particular order)
1. Aaron Bell - Kumquat
2. Jo Jones - Jive at Five
3. Count Basie - Splanky
4. Carla Cook - The Way You Look Tonight
5. Slim & Slam - (Pretty much anything they play)
6. Basie & Peterson - Buns Blues
7. Cab Calloway - (All his hep-cat tunes)
8. Nat King Cole - (Too many titles to list)
9. Charles Earland - More Today Than Yesterday
10. Erroll Garner - That's My Kick
11. Ella, Ella, Ella!!! *one more for good measure

Kyle Smith (Orange County) has DJ'ed at popular LA clubs such as Suzy Q's, The Swing Pit, Memories, and Tia Juana's, as well as larger events such as The Lindy Summit, Camp Hollywood, San Francisco Lindy Exchange, and The Los Angeles Lindy Binge. Kyle enjoys spinning a large variety of music from the 1930's all the way through the present, and any where from Ambrose and his Orchestra to Jimmy Witherspoon.

10 Favorites as of 7/07 (in no particular order)
Are You Sticking - Duke Ellington
Sweet Sue, Just You - Dickey Wells
Sugarfoot Rag - Ella Fitzgerald
Mint Julep - Jelly Roll Morton
Loveable And Sweet - The Charleston Chasers
Celery Stalks At Midnight - Will Bradley
Two to Tango - Lester Young & Oscar Peterson
Keep on Churnin' - Wynonie Harris
One O'Clock Jump - The Metronome All Stars 
Yacht Club Swing - Fats Waller

14 Favorite Songs (in no particular order):
1. Tomaschevsky's Laundry - Teddy Powell
2. C.C. Rider - Little Ester Phillips
3. We'll Git It - Tommy Dorsey
3. Man From Mars - Artie Shaw
4. Pig Foot Pete - Ella Mae Morse
5. Thing's Aint What They Used To Be - Count Basie
6. Cavernism - Mora's Modern Rhythmists
7. I Hear You Screaming - Glenn Miller
8. Madhouse - Benny Goodman
9. The Beast - Milt Buckner
10. Comes Love - Billie Holliday 
11. Vine Street Rumble - Count Basie
12. Sweet Home Chicago - The Blues Brothers
13. Hallelujah, I Love Him So - Ella Fitzgerald
14. Little John's Special - Lucky Millinder

Favorite Album: Any album that has a Count Basie song on it.

Jonathan Stout (Los Angeles) Beside being the guitarist and bandleader of the Campus Five, the Rhythm Busters, and the Jonathan Stout Orchestra, Jonathan has been swing dancing since 1997, and has had the honor to learn from such original masters Freda Angela, Hal Takier, Ann Mills, and Bart Bartolo. Because of his experience as both a dancer and musician, Jonathan is uniquely suited to understand the interaction between Swing music and dance. As a DJ, Jonathan is admittedly a partisan, focusing on playing music almost entirely from the Swing-Era (or modern bands in the style) to prove that there is still amazing, floor-filling, un-hackneyed, un-played-out, real Swing music out there, and that there is no better music for Lindy Hop or Balboa. He views every DJ gig as a chance to try to convince dancers of this point the only way he knows how - by keeping the floor jumping all night with the music he loves.

10 Favorites:
One O'Clock Jump - Basie (Live, 1944)
Saint Louis Blues - Goodman (Live, 1937)
Cross Your Heart - Artie Shaw and his Gramercy Five (1940)
Saint Louis Blues - Bechet (1944)
Fiddle Dee Dee - Hampton (1940)
G-Men - Cootie Williams (1941)
Jacquet in the Box - Jacquet (1946)
Tunis In - Sir Charles Thompson (1947)
F Blues - Russ Reinberg, Jonathan Stout, John Reynolds and Mike Earls (unreleased, 2005)
Ridin' and Jivin' - Hines (1939)

Ryan Sweeney (San Francisco) has been dancing and collecting jazz music for four years. He also doesn't like talking about himself in the third person (doing so is only fun when speaking in incomplete sentences and using a zombie voice - "Want...brains!" for example), but oh well. Come on, what  would a bio about Ryan be without something totally weird like that in it? Anyway, at this point, he really doesn't have much else to say about himself, so thus endeth his bio.

Ryan's top 10 list:
Jungle Nights in Harlem - Duke Ellington
The Hornet - Artie Shaw
A Viper's Moan - Willie Bryant/Mora's Modern Rhythmists
Four or Five Times - Jimmie Lunceford
Till Tom Special - Lionel Hampton
G. T. Stomp - Earl Hines
Wild Mab of the Fish Pond - Charlie Barnet
Queer Notions - Fletcher Henderson
Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong
The Minor Goes Muggin' - Tommy Dorsey

Ryan Swift (Rochester) began swing dancing in 1998. He has since immersed himself in both Lindy Hop and jazz music, establishing himself as a well-regarded dancer and deejay. As a deejay, he has had the privilege of visiting places such as New York City, Denver, San Diego, & Toronto, among others. He has spun at national events such as ALHC, ULHS, the Rhythmic Arts Festival & the Basie Centennial Weekend.
He continues to express his love for Lindy Hop and its music through regular deejaying and as a member of the group Groove Juice Swing. Ryan enjoys (and spins) a wide variety of swing, jazz & blues.

Ryan's Must Have CDs:
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington, The Great Summit - The Master Takes
(2CD) - Classic Duke & Louis at their best. Also available as a one-disc version.
Count Basie, The Count Basie Story (4CD) - Awesome Proper Box set that covers ~100 "Old Testament" Basie tunes. Great liner notes too, if you ever see a Proper Box set, grab it. See Hamp below.
Count Basie, At Newport - One of the best examples of "New Testament"
Basie, with a who's-who of supporting players: Jimmy Rushing, Lester Young, Jo Jones, Illinois Jacquet, Roy Eldridge, Joe Williams, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Freddie Green...
Cab Calloway, Are You Hep to the Jive? - Vintage Cab hits with nearly all of the 22 tracks fit for dancing.
Ray Charles, Blues + Jazz (2CD) - Nice compilation of Ray's stuff, nice for groove/blues flavor.
Duke Ellington, The Blanton-Webster Band (3CD) - I'm trying to pick just one or two from each artist, and it's hard picking my favorite Duke stuff. The B-W band is considered by many to the the highlight of Duke's recording career & this has it all.
Ella Fitzgerald, Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Blues - Another compilation, Ella on some great blues tunes, includes "Smooth Sailing," "Duke's Place," "I'm Walkin'" & "Basella" - also features great backing bands (incl. Basie's).
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Best of Ella & Louis - Collects the best of Ella & Louis and Ella & Louis Again. I've got both original albums, but for a starter this is a great option.
Benny Goodman, Sing, Sing, Sing or B.G. in Hi-Fi - My two favorite Goodman CDs, it's hard to pick between the two.
Lionel Hampton, The Lionel Hampton Story (4CD) - Another Proper Box set, runs the gammut of great Hamp tunes & again has fantastic liner notes
Buddy Johnson, Walk 'Em: The Decca Sessions - Buddy's was a house band at the Savoy in the 50's. Great tunes with some early R&B feel.
Jimmie Lunceford, Lunceford Special or Swingsation - Two nice compilations of Lunceford stuff with very little overlap as I recall.
Incedentally the "Swingsation" series is a nice primer on any artist they covered.
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Live in Swing City - Wynton Marsalis & the gang cover Duke in fine fashion, recorded live at The Supper Club in NYC. You've probably heard all of these recordings a million times but they're still awesome.
Lucky Millinder, Jumpin' at the Savoy - Great stuff from 1941-1947, with Sister Rosetta Tharpe. You've undoubtedly heard "Shout, Sister, Shout" and "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well," but the rest of the album is nice too.
Barbara Morrison, Live at the 9:20 Special - You've probably already got this but I've still got to mention it. Full of dancers' favorites & you can't beat the passion for the music that flows through Barbara's vocals. I just love that you can tell she's having fun at this performance.
Joe Salzano & The Blue Devils, Savoy Nites - I have no idea if you can still find this anywhere, but the whole album is great. Plus it's the first band I danced to live.
Buster Smith, The Legendary Buster Smith - The producer dragged Buster out of semi-retirement in the 50's in Texas to record this gem. It's a shame it's all he recorded on his own, and it's only 7 tracks, but they are all out-of-this-world. Buster played with Basie very early on in K.C.
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, One Hour Mama - Great voice, phenominal band, and good song selection from what some still call a "neo" band. It's too bad they got clumped in with BBVD & CPD since they are all great jazz artists.
Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five, Crazy Rhythm - Just came out a couple of months ago, but already one of my favorites. Great song selection & great reproduction of the Swing Era sound.
Various Artists, An Anthology of Big Bang Swing 1930-1955 by the Decca Label, in my opinion the best compilation out there.
Fats Waller, A Handful of Keys- I sure do love me some Fats and this is probably the best compilation of his stuff. I could listen to "Yacht Club Swing" all day long.
Jimmy Witherspoon, Jazz Me Blues - Yet another "Best Of" compilation.
The title pretty much says it all, not straight-forward swing but dancers love the jazz/blues/R&B mix.

Kevin Tamura (Seattle) has been a fixture in the Seattle lindy hop community as a dancer, performer and DJ since 1998. He enjoys spinning a variety of swing tunes from the 30s to contemporary jazz.

11 Favorite CDs (in no order):
Definitive Columbia Best Recordings - Count Basie
Newport - Count Basie
Genius of the Electric Guitar - Charlie Christian
Yes Indeed - Tommy Dorsey
Blanton Webster Band - Duke Ellington
...and His Mother Called Him Bill - Duke Ellington
Everybody Knows... - Johnny Hodges
Jumpin' for Joy - Teddy Wilson
Soular Energy - Ray Brown Trio Featuring Gene Harris
A Fine Romance 2 - Billy Holiday and Lester Young

15 songs I'm likely to spin lately:
Jumping on the Black and Whites - Teddy Wilson
Stormy Monday - Ernestine Anderson
Shiny Stokings - Gene Harris
Mirror Goes Muggin' - Tommy Dorsey
Feeding the Bean - Count Basie
Sometimes I'm Happy - Lester Young
Saboo - Erskine Hawkins
Pick Side - Billy Strayhorn
Such Sweet Thunder - Duke Ellington
King Porter Stomp - KC Band
Harlem Airshaft - LCJO
When the Quails Come Back to San Quentin - Artie Shaw
310 Blues - Johnny Hodges
Up-n-Adam - Lester Young
Back Room Romp - Widespread Depression Orchestra

Tomo Tanaka (Brooklyn) has been djing for 5 years in and around NYC. She's dj-ed at Frim Fram, SONH, LindyGras and exchanges in Dallas Philly, Denver Montreal and even more exotic places like Hawaii, Sweden and Tokyo!

Fav Tunes:
George Gee The Push
Ron Sunshine Them There Eyes
Ray Charles Carrying the Load
Joe Williams Some of this 'n' some of that
Sam Cooke Shake Rattle Roll
Terra Hazelton The Spinach Song
Count Basie Splanky
Bill Doggett Night Train
The Cats & The Fiddle Gang Busters
Duke C-jam Blues

Erendiz Tarakci (also known as Dizzy) fell in love with Lindy Hop when she joined Lindy on Sproul at Berkeley in 2014. Her time there became a sort of lindy bootcamp where she learned to teach, choreograph, and DJ for the local scene. She went on to teach and DJ at The Breakaway in Oakland and is now she is excited to return to DJing at Lindygroove! Erendiz loves music that gets you itching to dance and play with the musi

Blake Thiessen  started dancing in Orange County in 2014 and quickly became obsessed with the music. Discovering music through dances, podcasts, and slipping down the online music "rabbit hole", big band quickly became the only thing he listened to. As a DJ, he focuses on keeping dancers on the floor with lyrical and powerfully swinging tunes.

1. Sweet Sue - Artie Shaw
2. Zaggin with the Zig - Ziggy Elman
3. Jive at Five - Count Basie (Old Testament)
4. Stompin at the Savoy - Jimmy Dorsey
5. Cherokee - Charlie Barnet
6. Corner Pocket - Count Basie
7. Two O'Clock Jump - Muggsy Spanier
8. King Porter Stomp - Glenn Miller
9. Just Kiddin Around - Artie Shaw
10. I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James

Pavel Tsinberg has been DJing and teaching Lindy and Blues all over San Diego since 2011. He has been a DJ and DJ coordinator for Friday Night Jam, a house DJ at Firehouse, as well as multiple other venues. Pavel DJs Lindy, Blues, Fusion and Balboa.

Cierra Tunquist first became interested in DJing when she was introduced to the world of dance - specifically blues. She has been DJing for the past 2 years, and started in her home scene of UC Irvine. As a previous leader and organizer of the scene, Cierra has had many opportunities to build up her library and develop her DJ style. She has DJed at a variety of venues, including house parties, weekly dance venues in OC and LA, and "Blind Folded Blues" in Herrang. Her music preferences range from traditional-old style blues to new age fusion. She is particular about the beat so you can rest assured that she will keep your booty moving all night long.

Recommended Blues songs as of 6/2017:
Heartbreakin' Woman - Marva Wright
Hip Shakin Mama - Irma Thomas
I Want A Little Sugar - Nina Simone
People Grinnin' In Your Face - Ruthie Foster
Go Down, Moses - Louis Armstrong
I Don't Hurt Anymore - Dinah Washington
My Handy Man - Alberta Hunter
Black Rattler - Carl Sonny Leyland Trio
Night Train - Tandoori Le Noir
Tombstone Blues - Ronnie Magri & his New Orleans Jazz Band

Michele Turner (Perth, Australia) has been been Lindy Hopping for 11 years and DJing for 8. Her love for swing music began well before she began dancing as her dad played in a big band  so she grew up hearing great tunes. She has been a major part of the Perth and Australian swing scene since 1999 and was a founder of the Perth Swing Dance Society has played a huge part in the running 'Hullabaloo - The Perth Lindy Exchange' for the last 7 years (www.perthswing.com). and also manages all the DJs for PSDS events and Hullabaloo.
She has DJ'd all around Australia at the major exchanges and camps since 2002, at the Frim Fram in NYC and All Balboa Detroit in 2006 and ALX in NZ.  She has a passion for 30s swing tunes and loves to see the floor pumping full of people dancing to original swing tunes from the day. She strives to inspire all levels of dancers. She says "If the Floor aint full - I'm not doing my job"

Some of her fav tunes to spin are:
When the Sun Sets Down South - Sidney Bechet
Shufflin' and a Rollin' - Buddy Johnson
Savoy - Lucky Millinder
Lunceford Special - Jimmy Lunceford
Coleslaw - Jesse Stone and his Orchestra
Blackstick - Sidney Bechet
Jack the Bear - Duke Ellington
Big Fat Sam - Erskine Hawkins
Segue in C - Duke Ellington
Just Kiddin' Around - Artie Shaw
Bitset has his day - Les Brown
Bechet Paradies the Blues - Sidney Bechet
I like my baby's pudding - Wynonie Harris
Harlem Stomp - Louis Armstrong
In the Bag - Lionel Hampton
Jump through the window - Roy Eldridge

Dave Uejio (Santa Barbara) has been Lindy Hopping for 2 and a half years now, and is a regular at Lindygroove. He is the house DJ for Club Jitterbug in Santa Barbara, the areas most popular regular venue and is on the planning committee for the Santa Barbara Lindy Exchange. He spun recently at the San Diego Lindy Prom, Utah Lindy Exchange, Sacramento Lindy Exchange and the San Diego Sleepover, as well as at the Santa Barbara Exchange. He is an unabashed groover, and is best known for his bluesy swing sets.

10 of Dave's current favorite songs:
1. Makin' Whoopie - Gene Harris
2. Day is Done - Charlie Hunter Quartet feat. Norah Jones
3. Moanin' - Ray Charles
4. Just a Closer Walk With Thee - Howard Alden
5. The One - Tracy Chapman
6. Charmed Life - Diana Krall
7. St. James Infirmary Blues - Lou Rawls
8. Trouble in Mind - Aretha Franklin
9. C Jam Blues - Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington
10 Don't Stop Movin' - S Club 7

Melissa Varriano (San Diego) has been residing in San Diego for the past 7 years and was introduced to the wonderful world of Lindy Hop in September of 1998. Since that day she has dedicated herself to traveling all over the United States and Europe taking workshops from numerous talented instructors, teaching classes in several locations, competing at various events, and dancing the nights away whenever possible. She co-organized her first exchange in the spring of 2000, Swing Break San Diego, and found a passion for event organization which lead the way to the next SD exchange, the 2001/02 San Diego New Years Exchange. In the past 2 years she co-founded LindyDreams.com with her amazing dance partner, Chance Bushman, and together they have organized various workshops and events in San Diego, including their most recent exchange, the Lindy Prom. Djing is a passion Mel found one day when a popular local venue, Lindy by the Bay, needed some tunes played. Since then she has djed at many of the other regular SD venues and entertained her largest crowd during the Lindy Prom.

Some favorite songs:
Blues for Stephanie George Gee
Love Me or Leave Me both the Nina Simone and the Sammy Davis Jr. versions
Lavender Coffin Lionel Hampton
Muddy Water Lou Rawls
Stormy Weather Barbara Morrison
Moten Swing Oscar Peterson
C-Jam Blues
Never Make Your Move Too Soon Ernestine Anderson
Exactly Like You Nina Simone
Hallelujah, I Love Him So Ella Fitzgerald
Comes Love Billie Holliday
Lunceford Special Jimmy Lunceford
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie Chick Webb

A few favorite albums:
Barbara Morrison Live at the 9:20 Special
Jimmy Lunceford For Dancers Only
Ella Fitzgerald Blue Ella
Oscar Peterson Night Train
Jimmy Witherspoon Jazz Me Blues
Harry James Trumpet Blues
Cab Calloway Are You Hep to the Jive
Lou Rawls w/Les McCann Stormy Monday
Ernestine Anderson Best of
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Live In Swing City

A few other favorites:
Dirty Dancing Soundtrack Cry to Me
Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel
Prince - Kiss
Queen Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Blues Brothers Soundtrack Sweet Home Chicago

Nando Velasquez is originally from NYC where he started his Lindy Hop career in 1999. He has become one of local favorites in his scene, and is among the DJ rotation at most of the major NY events and venues including Frim Fram, Swing Remix, The NYSDS, and Lincoln Center's Midsummers Night Swing. Nando had also helped develop NYC's blues scene as one of the house DJ's for "Jook Joint Shimmy Blues." Over the years, Nando has had the honor to play around the country and at exchanges in Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and most recently has been one of the featured DJs at SoFlex for the past two years.

Among Nando's wide variety of recommended music:
Oscar Aleman - Swing Guitar Masterpieces
Louis Armstrong meets Oscar Peterson 
Andy Kirk & Mary Lou Williams - Mary's Idea
Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings
Chick Webb - Spinnin' The Webb
Ella Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday - Live at Newport
Preservation Hall Hot 4 - with Duke Dejan
Slim & Slam - Complete Columbia Master Takes
Jimmy Witherspoon with Jay McShann - Going to Kansas City Blues
David Ostwald's Gully Low Jazz Band - Blues in Our Hearts

Jerry Warwick (Dallas) was first attracted to swing and jazz in the mid 90’s with the personal discovery of a Diana Krall CD at a Border’s book store. Dancing started in 1998 during the fad period. Over the last 9 years my musical tastes have ranged from classic swing, Rat Pack, swingin’ blues and even the occasional Neo Swing song. My DJ musical selections are usually big and brassy with lots of vocals. I love playing fun music for the dancers. I make no pretense of being a classic lindyhop DJ. I just play fun music for dancers having fun.
I hope you enjoy my set…….Jerry “Wheresmygravy” Warwick

My Current Favorite Swing/ Lindyhop Songs / CDs
Sounds Like True Religion - Arlington Jones
More – Bobby Darin
Kansas City – Joe Williams
Lounging at the Waldorf – Ron Sunshine
Never Make Your Move Too Soon – Chuck Brown
Pennies From Heaven – Ben Webster
Route 66 – Bette Roche
Jive at Five – Count Basie

More CD’s
Esther Phillips – Confessin’ The Blues
Various – Wild, Cool and Swingin’
Barbara Morrison – Live at the 9:20 Special
Joe Williams – Best of Joe Williams
Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington – The Great Summit

Anna Washenko honed her musical chops in Chicago, where she was co-founder and house DJ for 50Fifty, a monthly blues and lindy dance. She’s also been behind the decks at national events such as bluesShout, Blues Muse, Steel City Blues, Winter Blues, and Red Hot Blues & BBQ. Anna loves and spins all genres in the blues family, but she’s a real sucker for anything with piano. She’s loving her new home in Los Angeles, and is excited to be spinning at Do Something Blue and LindyGroove.

Favorites as of 9/2015:
Stormy Blues - Billie Holiday
I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog - Bobby Bland
Oh Red - Howlin Wolf
Serves You Right to Suffer - John Lee Hooker
Voodoo Woman - Koko Taylor
I’m Ready - Muddy Waters
Otis in the Dark - Otis Spann
Breaking My Heart - Robert Belfour
Honey Do That Voodoo - Shemekia Copeland
Blues in the Air - Sidney Bechet

Tip West (Los Angeles) has guest DJed for Monsters of Swing in Ventura, Camp Jitterbug in Seattle, Laughlin Desert Dance Camp, The Slab at Swing Camp Catalina, 3rd Street Promenade, Canada, Virginia Beach, and San Diego. He is known for playing an eclectic mix, with everything form the early 30’s to late 50’s. His goal is to make sure all styles of dance and music preferences get their play.

Some favorite Artists and their songs are:
Sidney Bechet - Battle of Jericho
Oscar Peterson - Molten swing
Barbara Morrison - Being here with you
Dean Mora - Rigmarole
Smiley Luis - Big mamou
Alberta Hunter - Dark town stutters ball 

Jim Wheatley (Atlanta) has been actively DJing and dancing in the Atlanta area for more than 10 years. He regularly spins at Hot Jam, Atlanta's primary weekly Lindy dance event, as well as dances sponsored by the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association (ASEDA) and the Georgia Tech Dance Association. He has also DJed at such major events as Beantown Summer Camp, Lindy Focus, Atlanta Varsity Showdown and Swing & Soul, and at Lindy exchanges in Austin, Chicago, San Diego, Knoxville, Orlando, Charleston, St. Louis and South Florida. He was also a co-founder of the Atlanta Lindy Exchange (ATLX) in 2003–2004, and has been a part of many ATLX committees (and has DJed at every ATLX) since. Jim enjoys spinning and blending a variety of musical styles, including classic jazz, swing, blues and soul, according to the needs of the dance floor.

Rayned Wiles started dj'ing the practice dance at the Avalon Studio in Baltimore in the mid 90's. Then started a swing night with friends first at the 94th Aerosquadron in College Park MD and then at K2 Dance in Beltsville MD. Subsequently started dj'ing at weekend events, dance camps, and National competition events such as the Southwest Lindy Fest, Beantown, and the North Atlantic Swing Dance Championships. Continues to dj at local and national events. Upcoming events include Swing Fling in DC, the Harlem Jazz Festival in New York City, and Summer Hummer in Boston.

top 10 playlist:
Songs:
One O'clock Jump
Roll 'Em Pete
Duke's Place/C Jam Blues
Lullaby of Birdland
Blue Monday Blues/Going to Kansas City
On The Sunny Side of the Street
Moten Swing
Shining Stockings
For Dancers Only
I Wanna Little Girl
Night Train

Albums:
Count Basie Complete Decca
Count Basie Jazz Profile
Ernestine Anderson Concord Jazz
Ella Fitzgerald, Bluella
Jimmy Witherspoon, The 'Spoon Concerts
Johnny Hodges, Everyone Knows Johnny Hodges
Duke Ellington, The Duke: The Columbia Years
Jimmy Lunceford, Rhythm Is Our Business
Harry James, Trumpet Blues
Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart_Slim & Slam, 1938-1939.
Various Artists, Swinging at the Savoy: Home of Happy Feet 1937-45
Lionel Hampton, Tempo and Swing

Nick Williams has been cutting a rug since '98. His love for dancing is driven by the music. Good swing music. Give him a follow, good dance floor, and great swing music and he'll be perfectly happy. "I don't consider myself a DJ as much as I do a connoisseur of great dance music." He believes that a good mix of different types of swing music will make for a great night of dancing.

Here's a few of his favorites (at the moment).
Artie Shaw - Everything's Jumpin'
Ella Fitzgerald - Mack the Knife
Chick Webb - Strictly Jive
Teddy Powell - Jamaica Jam
Harry James - Two O'Clock Jump
Jan Savitt - Blues in the Groove
Count Basie - Every Tub
Charlie Barnet - The Right Idea
Ella Mae Morse - Tennessee Saturday Night

Count Basie - Blues in Hoss' Flat
Duke Ellington - Jack the Bear
Artie Shaw - The Man From Mars

Shana Worel (Boulder) started playing and listening to jazz in her early teens and was thrilled when she found a hobby that took advantage of her love of this music. She teaches several weekly lindy hop classes and DJs at the Hootenanny in Boulder, CO. She has played at several national events including: Boston Lindy Exchange, Montreal International Swing Dance Festival, Bill Cameron's New Year's Extravaganza, the San Francisco Lindy Exchange, and the Denver Lindy Exchange.

Some favorite albums:
Best of the Nat King Cole Trio (Vocal Classics 1942-46)
Lionel Hampton - Tempo and Swing
Diana Krall - All for You 
Jimmy Witherspoon - Jazz Me Blues
Count Basie - Breakfast Dance and BBQ
Ella Fitzgerald - First Lady of Song
Dizzy Gillespie - School Days
Slim Gaillard - Laughin in Rhythm
Bill Henderson - Please Send Me Someone To Love
Oscar Peterson - Night Train

Julius Yang is perceived to know a lot about jazz. We regret to inform you that it is all book learning. He does not listen to his miniscule jazz collection nearly enough. When he DJs you and he will undertake a voyage of discovery together because he doesn't know what the hell he's playing either.

10 randomly selected albums:
1. Count Basie Proper Box
2. Lester Young Proper Box
3. Teddy Wilson, His Piano and His Orchestra (with Billie Holiday)
4. Laverne Butler, Blues in the City
5. Artie Shaw, Concerto for Clarinet
6. Gene Krupa, Drummer Man
7. Lavay Smith, One Hour Mama
8. Maxine Sullivan, Tribute to Andy Razaf
9. Ella and Louis
10. Sweet and Lowdown Soundtrack

10 other randomly selected albums:
1. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
2. Lorraine Feather, New York City Drag
3. Karrin Allyson, Collage
4. Getz/Jobim/Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto
5. Gene Harris, A Little Piece of Heaven
6. Bud Powell, Bud Plays Bird
7. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, Krupa and Rich
8. Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall 1938
9. Benny Carter, Further Definitions and Additions to Further Definitions
10. Lester Young, Complete Verve Sessions

Ben Yau (Pasadena) and Sheri Kang, both started dancing during the Spring of 1998 and met (and started partnering) since the Summer of 1999. Together, they took third at the 2000 American Lindy Hop Championships (American Showcase) and fourth at the 2000 World Lindy Hop Championships. Their goal is to promote the goodwill and joy of swing dancing through both their teaching and social dancing.

CURRENT FAVORITE SONGS
Moten Swing (just about any version, but preferably Oscar Peterson)
Easy Does It (Oscar Peterson)
C-Jam Blues
Night Train (Back To The Future soundtrack)
My Baby Just Cares For Me (Nina Simone)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
For Dancers Only
Shiny Stockings
Shout And Feel It (Swing Kids Soundtrack)
It Had To Be You

Daniel Young Bio coming soon...

Kelly Young found lindy hop in 2012 and fell head over heels in love with swing music. She loves the power that music has to inspire us to swing out hard or try something new and unprecedented. 

Some of her favorites include:
1. Rose Room - Benny Goodman
2. Tia Juana - Bud Freeman
3. Blow Top - Count Basie
4. Air Mail Special - Charlie Christian
5. Swing! Brother, Swing! - Billie Holiday
6. The King - Count Basie
7. Jamaica Jam - Teddy Powell
8. Wailing Interval - Duke Ellington
9. Afternoon of a Moax - Charlie Barnet
10. Sing You Sinners - Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orchestra

Kalman z (Dallas) has been hitting the magic green button throughout the southwest for several years. He has been an organizer, officer and president of the Dallas Swing Dance Society and still runs their events schedule. In addition, he has DJed many different dances and exchanges throughout the country, including the Atlanta, Austin (2 years), Dallas (2 years), Houston, Philadelphia, DC, Las Vegas & New Orleans Lindy Exchanges (2 years) as well as two stints at NYC's Swing 46.

Top 10 ~
A Tribute to Andy Razaf - Maxine Sullivan
Krazy Kapers - Duke Heitger
Breakfast Dance & BBQ - Count Basie
Blues & Things - Jimmy Rushing, Earl Hines
Satch & Josh - Count Basie, Oscar Peterson
The Columbia Master Takes - Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart
Never No Lament - Duke Ellington
Complete Decca - Count Basie
Roll 'Em - Buddy Johnson
Satch Play Fats - Louis Armstrong

Justin Zillman Bio coming soon...