Roffaswing loves Jimmie Lunceford!

Roffaswing dancers contribute together for the kickstarter campaign 'Big Band Revival: Jimmie Lunceford'. Aim is to donate the transcription of an original Jimmie Lunceford song for $450 (± €385). This transcribed sheet music will be published and can used by contemporary swing bands (for $30).



Last year, the people of Lindy Focus had this great idea: Transcribing the music of legendary swing-era bandleader Chick Webb to be performed live once again. So they planned a kickstarter capaign to ask the swing dance community to fund this project. It got funded within 24 hours! Swing dancers and dance scenes from around the globe have donated to the project beyond 100%! It is just overwhelming how many dancers are aware of the importance of keeping this music alive.

Roffaswing and Roffaswing dancers chipped in and we funded the transcription of the song 'Don't Be That Way'. And yes Roffaswing got mentioned on the night it was played at Lindy Focus!



So Roffaswing still loves this idea so much and several local dancers have shown interest to contribute togehter to get a song transcribed for this project.
It is so cool to get the scene together to do this!!! With this we hope that local swing bands will get their hands on this transcriptions and play this great music live for us!



Roffaswing donated $450 (approx. €385). We did this in name of all Roffaswing dancers. To contribute to this donation we ask you to give you us your name and the donated amount that you want to transfer to the Roffaswing IBAN. Any amount will be helpful. Thank you! You can find all info in this form:



So, who was Jimmie Lunceford where all the fuss is about? Jimmie Lunceford (1902-1947) was a saxophone player and a band leader during the swing era in New York City. Lunceford's band was known for its showmanship. The well dressed band members participated in tricks and dancing and the orchestra showed a good sense of humor in lyrics. But the music came first as Lunceford had master’s degree in music and he decided to leave the saxophone at some point to conduct the band. The orchestra is considered the equal of the orchestras of Duke Ellington and Count Basie and recorded many great songs of which 22 hit records.



Even you are dancing to the music of Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra as swing DJs keep playing the available recordings. You may recognise  songs like For Dancers Only, Four or Five Times, Rhythm Is Our Business, Twenty Four Robbers, Posin' and of course the most popular of all shim sham tunes: Tain't What You Do. Isn't it very exciting is to keep this great music alive by contemporary swing bands all over the world? Yes it is!

*UPDATE*
Several Roffaswing dancers chipped in and contributed to the goal of having a song transcribed. Thank you so much Marike, Niels, Zoë, Charles, Superheidi, Finn, Iris, Anne, Christos, Arwen, Didi, Jeroen, Maria-Nefeli, Lenneke, Mark, Ewan, Willemijn and Stephen! Of course you can still help out and donate some euros.

And now...*drumrolls* oh well, who needs those with a song that has a great intro anway? But we like to proudly present to you the Jimmie Lunceford song we were able to snatch up to be transcribed, a hard swinging track from 1942: Strictly Instrumental.
End of December it will be performed live at Lindy Focus (Asheville, USA) by the The Jonathan Stout Orchestra. If streamed live, we will try and provide a link.

Read all about the Indiegogo Campaign here.
Follow the campagin on their Facebook page here.
Read about the participa.tion of Roffaswing in the Chick Webb Big Band Revival here.
Roffaswing donation form here.