February 1, 2007
Gary Newvine
Gary Newvine
Posted by the editor on Thursday February 1, 2007
January 29, 2007
Noni Clarke
DJ Profile
Noni has loved music all her life and grew up listening to jazz. During high school she played double-bass and started swing dancing.
Noni loves all kind of music but has a passion for swing that has a ‘fat pocket’ and groovin’ blues.
She has DJed though-out Australia and also won the ‘Lismore Battle of the DJs ‘06”. Noni has also had the opportunity to DJ internationally at exchanges and events in America, Korea, New Zealand and at the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden.
Noni DJs regularly in Melbourne and usually keeps the floor going till the wee hours of the morning.
Contact details:
noni@swingpatrol.com.au
Words by Noni Clarke
Posted by the editor on Monday January 29, 2007
January 12, 2007
Andy Fodor
DJ ProfileAndy Fodor (a.k.a. DJ Fodies) was born in that snow covered country called Canada. Andy learned to dance in Victoria (Canada) in 2000 and took up some part-time DJ work in 2002. Since then he's spun tunes in Vancouver (Canada), Calgary (Canada), Seattle (USA), Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Geelong and of course, Melbourne. His style is influenced by blues, groove, jazz, big band, and anything else that swings since the 1920s.
Words by Andy Fodor.
Posted by the editor on Friday January 12, 2007
Keith Hsuan
Keith
Posted by the editor on Friday January 12, 2007
Sharon Callaghan
Posted by the editor on Friday January 12, 2007
Meaghan Sims
Posted by the editor on Friday January 12, 2007
Sam Carroll
DJ Profile
Sam is a big old music nerd. She loves swinging jazz from the 30s and 40s, but won't sneer at a little new testament action from the 50s or the twenty first century. And she keeps a special place in her heart for Ellington and Hamp.
She'll definitely scratch your itch, but she also has a secret passion for supergroove - but don't tell anyone.
Contact details:
sam@mjda.org.au
Words by Sam Carroll.
Posted by the editor on Friday January 12, 2007
April 11, 2005
Claudia Funder
DJ Profile:
Claudia has been in the Melbourne Swing Scene for the last 9 years. She currently DJs fortnightly at CBD on Thursday nights and believes the main task of the DJ is simply to keep the dance floor full. She DJ's from an ibook nicknamed "The Fruit" but does not use set lists, as she believes playing to the mood of the floor on the night, at that moment is the key.
The key to a great night's music? Variety and diversification.
Favourite swing genres? Big band swing, blues (that's a music form not a speed), lounge.
Favourite track? Anything Ella.
Pet hates? The belief that each swing dance has its own kind of music.
Contact Details: claudia@swingpatrol.com.au
Words by Claudia Funder.
Posted by the editor on Monday April 11, 2005
March 24, 2005
Sarah Farrelly
DJ Profile
Sarah Farrelly is one of Melbourne’s favourite dancers and DJs. Doing her bit to get women known for more than their swivels, she’s been a regular behind the desk at local events such as CBD, Funpit & other Swing Patrol events for a few years. More notably, Sarah was one of two finalists in the Lismore Dance Camp’s Battle of the DJs (2006). Add to this her International DJ experience at Camp Jitterbug (Seattle USA) and Carla Heiney’s Swing Central (San Francisco, USA) in May 2006 and you can bet your bottom dollar that swingin’ along to Sarah’s tunes is something that you don’t want to miss.
She likes to play a real mix when she DJs and is conscious of playing tracks that are going to get every dancer up on the floor and staying there! Her favourite artists to spin are Lucky Millinder, Chick Webb, Jimmie Lunceford, Kid Ory, Sidney Bechet, Jimmy Witherspoon and Count Basie, and loves to combine these with some great vocalists such as Ella, Carmen McRae, Barbara Morrison and Diane Shuur.
She’s a little bit crazy, is Sarah – so at times she’ll push the tempos up! What’s more, you can probably catch her dancing along with y’all from behind the DJ booth!
Contact details:
Sarah@swingpatrol.com.au
Words by Sarah Farrelly
Posted by the editor on Thursday March 24, 2005
March 22, 2005
Brian Renehan
DJ Profile
Overview:
Brian has been DJing in Melbourne now for over 3 years. To him, there is no dance without the music. Brian's passion lies in the hard swingin' big bands from Harlem and Kansas City of the 1930's.
He sees himself as one of the DJs in Melbourne who is providing the scene with the greatest Jazz artists who ever lived. From this love of music he has been the key DJ involved in some of the only specialised swing music events in Australia: 'The Savoy Ballroom house band night'; the 'Swingin' with Count Basie night; 'Dancing at the Australian War Memorial' - Swing music of WWII) and 'Vote for the King of Swing' night (Count Basie vs. Benny Goodman vs. Chick Webb).
He has been an active member of www.swingdjs.com (world swing DJs discussion board) since June 2003 which has allowed him to gain experience with some of the worlds best. In March 2003, Brian founded the yahoo email group SwingDJsAustralia, whose goals include promoting the standard and awareness of swing DJing in Australia.
He knows how important it is to play for the dancers, and has learned to mix the music up and read the floor, to allow the dancers have the excitement of their old favourites mixed in with some lesser known recordings to add that freshness to the dance.
Some other highlights of Brian's DJing were coordinating the music for the Australian Jitterbug Competition 2005 (Australia's largest swing competition), and being the Guest DJ on Yehoodi Internet Radio in January 2005.
Music Collection:
Brian's swing collection is now over well over 400 CDs spanning from 1920's recordings to date. His specialisation is the original Swing Era in America - the 1930's and 40's - of which over 3/4 of his collection is drawn. This collection includes all the available Chick Webb studio and radio recordings, as wall as a very extensive set of recordings from other prominent as well as lesser known artists. He is currently spending a lot of his time seeking out modern recordings of bands playing in the 20's and early 30's jazz styles in order to make this type of music more audible to dancers.
A student for Life:
One of the fantastic things about DJing and having knowledge about dancers and the music is that it is a constant learning process. Brian lives by this and treats DJing - the study of music and music history - as an everyday commitment. He believes that you will never know everything, but more knowledge is the key to improvement.
Brian strongly believes there is no point in doing something, if it's not an improvement on the previous time.
Contact Details:
Telephone: 0405 400 651
Email address: brenehan@ireland.com
Words by Brian Renehan
Posted by the editor on Tuesday March 22, 2005
March 21, 2005
Anthony Wheaton
DJ Profile
Now a grumpy old man of the swing scene, DJ 'Chocko' originally began spinning tracks as an excuse to stand around and drink. That was some six years and countless beers ago. In that time he’s been a regular DJ across all of Melbourne’s social dancing venues while also building up extensive experience at both interstate and international events.
Set in his ways and too old to change, Anthony’s taste for music extends from the early Charleston era, through the big band bash of the 30's and 40's into select items of later years. Favourite artists include Chick Webb, Ernestine Anderson, Sidney Bechet, Jimmy Witherspoon and Eddie Condon, As a lover of Charleston and fast dancing, he’s not opposed to throwing the occasional speedy track into his sets. Similarly, he has a great range of cruisy, bluesy numbers to cover off the slower tempo's. Put simply, there's always something for everyone when Anthony is on the decks.
Contact details:
anthony@swingpatrol.com.au
Words by Anthony Wheaton
Posted by the editor on Monday March 21, 2005
Di King
DJ Profile
Way back in early 2000 Wendy started dragging Dianne along to classes and got her completely addicted. Then after opening her home to a visiting Irishman (Brian)she discovered a musical soul mate, one who liked looking through numerous shops searching that elusive cd not yet in their collection. After amassing a vast collection she felt that the best way to justify buying any more music was to share it with the unsuspecting public.
Since then she has DJ'ed at Ballyhoo, Canberrang 2003 & 2004, MLX 2004, Hullaballo, Funpit, was a regular Guest DJ at Diga Diga Doo and to anyone that asks :)
Dianne loves all forms of swing music and has a wide range of artists and styles in her collection. From Blues to Balboa, Charlston to Groove and everything in-between. She is currently researching women in swing in the 20's-40's.
Contact details:
dianne@sweethotblue.com
Words by Di King.
Posted by the editor on Monday March 21, 2005