Music Suggestions

Many of our students have asked us for recommendations for music to practice their dancing.  We're passionate about swing music, and we think that listening to and dancing to good music is fundamental to growing as a dancer.  Listing all of our favorite songs would be an impossible task!  But, here are a few things to get you started.

Youtube: If you are a Youtube user one of our students was kind enough to compile the list we made for Spotify. Open the BLH playlist in YouTube.

Spotify: If you're a Spotify user, we have added most of these suggestions in a handily-compiled playlist! Open the BLH playlist in Spotify!

Recommended Music

Song Title Album BPM Download
All of Me The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol.5 (19 106
All of Me Swing and Dance with Frank Sinatra 134
All the Cats Join In The Best of Benny Goodman 176
A Smo-o-o-oth One (Alternate Take) The Genius of the Electric Guitar 126
Banana Split For My Baby Hey Boy, Hey Girl! 137 iTunes  /  Amazon
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me The Fabulous Sidney Bechet 145 iTunes  /  Amazon
Corner Pocket April in Paris 142
Darktown Strutters Ball Stomping At The Savoy Featuring Ella Fitzgerald 19 186
Deed I Do Swing Music 117
Don't Falter at the Alter Are You Hep To The Jive? 142 iTunes  /  Amazon
Easy Does It Basie And Friends 112
Every Day I Have The Blues Breakfast Dance And Barbecue 119
For Dancers Only Black Legends of Jazz 148 iTunes  /  Amazon
Gangbusters We Cats Will Swing For You 188 iTunes  /  Amazon
Good Daddy Blues The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury Vol. 1 131
He Ain't Got Rhythm All Time Classics 160
Honeysuckle Rose 1934-1935 - Lulu's Back In Town 154
I Ain't Got Nobody An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preser 118
I Found My Yellow Basket (Single Version) Ella Fitzgerald: The Early Years, Pt. 1 (1935-1938
I Love Being Here With You When the Sun Goes Down 124
I'm beginning to See the Light Swing Jazz From the 40's 113
Jeep Jockey Jump The War Years 200
Jersey Bounce Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie! 132
King Porter Stomp The Essential Benny Goodman 181 iTunes  /  Amazon
Lavender Coffin Jukebox Hits 1943-1950 138 iTunes  /  Amazon
Mama’s Gone Goodbye Masters of Classic Jazz - Dixieland 140
Minnie the Moocher Are You Hep To The Jive? 97
Minor Swing The Best of Django Reinhardt 202
One O'Clock Jump Breakfast Dance And Barbecue 166
Poutin' King Of The Tenors 103
Shiny Stockings Count Basie's Finest Hour 120
Smooth Sailing [With Bill Dog Ella Fitzgerald - Ken Burns J 114
Splanky The Atomic Mr. Basie 124
St. Louis Blues The Essential Preservation Hall Jazz Band 178
Stompin' at the Savoy - Take 1 The Very Best of Benny Goodman 152
Stomp It Out Gate Harlem Hamfats Vol. 4 1938-1939 144
Sweet Georgia Brown Compact Jazz 149
They Can't Take That Away From Me Ella and Louis 101
Who ya hunchin'? Spinnin' the Webb 182 iTunes  /  Amazon
Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams Preservation Hall Hot 4 With Duke Dejan 114 iTunes  /  Amazon
You Showed Me The Way The Early Years - Part I (1935-1938) 107