Seeing how I am supposed to pick up my taps again, thought I should inspire myself with an entry with the Nicholas Brothers from The Great American Broadcast (1941) with Ink Spots, a very popular back in the 1930s, whose influence would eventually form the roots of rhythm and blues as well as doo-wop. I’ve talked about the Nicholas Brothers in the 29/10/08 entry (“Stormy Weather”) so go check them out there as well. While this clip may not be as impressive as the stunts in the “Stormy Weather” entry, I think there’s a lot more creativity in the choreography. Off to tap now. F-lap f-lap, f-lap ball-change…
[OK, there used to be a video here, but embedding has been removed by request, so if you want to view the video, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnHG1JaqomU]
Here’s a clip of Cab’s famous song, Minnie the Moocher, first recorded in 1931, and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song is known for its call-and-response scats, that get more and more complex, as well as the many drug references (“cokey” and “kicking the gong around” referring to coccaine users and opium smokers, and “nickels” and “dimes” referring to $5 and $10 bags of marijuana).
The song was also featured in the cartoon “Minnie the Moocher”, where Cab’s Orchestra opens with him dancing to “St Jame’s Infirmary” – his movements reminiscent of “Snake Hips” Tucker’s dance sequence, complete with the break - before the cartoon begins, and the song beginning at 3:51 of this clip. Cab’s dancing appears again in the cartoon sequence with the ghost walrus.
The final video presented here shows Cab singing this song almost half a century later, in The Blues Brothers Movie (1980)
For those who are unaware, we have our regular social dance event at Love the World Bar and Bistro at the Singapore Flyer now. Every Monday, at 8pm, there’s a free taster class for absolute beginners, and social dancing after till 1030pm. We’ve been having quite a turn out for the free class, and it’s been good fun.
So, swing by and dance the blues away! A big thank you to all the regular supporters who make the event possible, and to those who come out of the woodworks to join us (always nice to see a few each week). Do check out the video with tons of beginners trying out what they’ve just learnt (kudos to them)!
