Retro-Swing

The 90's have brought a much needed revitalization to the jazz world and one of those areas that have seen the effects is the return of the conventional "swing" band. Generally referred to as "retro-swing", this 90's movement has garnered quite a large national following along with some major press for some of its top performers. Retro- swing incorporates the same bouncing, swinging feel as the 30's and 40's swing band but the newer retro-swingers have also added an number of more recent influences as well. One of the more noticable influences has to do with the faster beat rhythms (much higher bpm (beats per minute)) which often have those lindy hoppers working double-time to keep pace. Also a number of the recent bands have sounds based/influenced on such modern styles as ska and punk which also add to the faster swing rhythms. The retro-swing bands have also embraced such styles as jump-swing (a more blues-based boogie woogie sound), lounge swing (varying from Louis Prima's Vegas style to Les Baxter's island style), New Orleans/Cajun, and traditional swing (Glen Miller, Benny Goodman styles).
Although swing music has made appearances in modern music from time to time (such as the classic Joe Jackson album "Jumpin' Jive") it wasn't until the mid-90's that bands dedicated to playing strictly swing began to appear in the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco in such well known swing clubs such as the Derby and the Hi-Ball Lounge. The major drivers during this time tended to play regular clubs dates with some recordings made on independent labels and include bands such as Royal Crown Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Squirrel Nut Zippers. The formation of Brian Setzer's Big Band and subsequent recordings as well as the movie "Swingers" helped to bring this new genre into the national spotlight. Starting in 1998 the genre has really taken off with national acclaim and media helping to drive this phenomenon. There are now 100+ retro-swing bands playing and recording...