FIB Blues Playlist

A secret to having a good class- lots of music. Expose the students to what is out there. Hook them any way you can. Here’s the Falling in Blues class playlist.

Can’t Get No Grindin’ – Muddy Waters
A Kiss To Build A Dream On – Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers
Harlem gin Blues – Sam Price’s Texas Bluesicians
Sister kate – Sidney Bechet
(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue – Fats Waller
Slow Drag – Taj Mahal
St James Infirmary – Bradley Harder
Texas Moaner – Sidney Bechet
Turtle blues – Tuba Skinny
Nobody Knows the Way I Feel – Sidney Bechet
Out in the Cold – Preservation hall Jazz Band
Big Mama’s Bumble Bee – Big Mama Thornton
Egyptian Fantasy – Sidney Bechet
Krooked Blues – King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band
When I’ve Been Drinking – Jay McShann and his Orchestra
Baby What You want Me To Do – Johnie Johnson
Three O’Clock Blues – B.B. King and Jimmy Smith
Trouble in Mind – Nina Simone
Tobacco Road – Johnny Lang & Edgar Winters
‘Til My Back Aint Got No Bone – Esther Phillips
Big Legs, Tight Skirt – John Lee Hooker
Bargain Bin Baby – Kim Massie
Sugar Mama Blues No. 2 – John Lee Williamson
Night Time is the Right Time – Ray Charles
Ain’t No Sunshine – Buddy Guy and Tracy Chapman
Key to the Highway – B.B. King & Eric Clapton
Never Make a Move Too Soon – B.B. king
Scratch My Back – Taj Mahal
Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues – Buddy Guy
Dust my Broom 0- Elmore James
Sweet Home Chicago – Pinetop Perkins and Friends
Good Mornin’ Little School Girl – Sonny Boy Williamson
Down Home Blues – Brother Yusef
Layla – Eric Clapton
Sugar Blues – Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Heart Attack and Vine – Tom Waits
Michigan Water Blues – california Feetwarmers
Empty Bed Blues – Dana Gillespie
Wrong Side of the Blues – Trampled Under Foot
I Got the Same Old Blues – Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland
Evil Man Blues – Joe Williams
Shoes of Another Man – Brother Yusef
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Eric Clapton
Feelin’ Good – Joe Bonamassa
Black Night – Charles Brown
I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl – Nina Simone
I Can’t Quit You Baby – Otis rush
Bring It On Home – Sonny Boy Williamson
It Hurts Me Too – Elvin Bishop

Drag the Blues Away – Barcelona

Staff picture! Due to fortunate circumstances, I taught at Drag the Blues in Barcelona, Spain with Jana Grulichova. I was en route to Carcassone, France for culinary adventures and was glad I could participate in this new blues event.

Drag the Blues has a simple mission- slow blues. In a blues dancing world being dominated by speed and “authentic” blues, this event stands out. Hold your partner close, strut your stuff, be musical, be you, have fun dancing to blues music.

Because one of my specialties is dips, tricks, and aerials, Ferran gave me a Dips & Tricks class where people remained with their partner. How fun! We started easy and then advanced our way into two different lifts. Hopefully, dancers will practice these moves, be inspired to learn more, and one day use the bigger moves in a choreography.

I haven’t really mentioned my teaching partner yet. Jana Grulichova was a pleasure to work with. We hadn’t really talked about classes outside of me sharing blues lifts practice videos, so I outlined our 3 classes. We met at Swing Maniacs and went through 5 hours of material in 1 hour. Easy. She’s light on her feet, is comfortable giving me weight, does nice arm styling, takes talking opportunities (I’ve taught by myself too often), and personally helps students.

I’d like to share some more things that made Drag the Blues unique to me. They had two specialty classes Friday, 4 classes Saturday, and beach dancing and paella eating on Sunday. It was chill and I got to see more of the city. This rarely happens during weekend events. Us instructors also got many opportunities to hang out with each other and chat (another rare occurrence). The venue was at an amazing hotel with a great wood floor. There was live music both nights. I especially liked Saturday when Carrie Lewis took the stage. Then there was the Crazy Jack and Jill where each couple had a spotlight in which they had to act out a theme (casanova, hating each other, loving each other, etc).  It was quite fun and apparently my facial expressions were quite humorous to one competitor.

Overall, I thought Drag the Blues was quite fun. I hope they run it again next year. Keep your style, Barcelona.