The Champs Competition Music

So lets give you the details of the Champs Competition music. I hope you all enjoyed my choices.
I will try my best to compile a Spotify list when I can.

Friday Night Solo Blues

40 Cups of Coffee - Ella Mae Morse

Saturday Competition Tunes. No particular order.

I'm Not Drunk, Im Just Drinking - Di Ann Price
Came To Leave - Shoshana Bean
Cast The First Stone - Paula Harris
Little Wheel - John Lee Hooker
Fine Brown Frame - Nellie Lutcher
Retro Boy - Richard Elliot
Baby What You Want Me To Do - Bonnie Lee
Back Porch Blues - Tom Rigney
Bad Luck Blues - Billy Boy Arnold
My Babe - Snooky Prior

I See Fire (Kygo Remix) - Ed Sheeran
Night Air - Jamie Woon
It Never Rains In Southern California - Albert Hammond
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Go With Me - Dietrick Haddon
I Still Believe in you - Mavis Staples

Nine One One! - R&B Bombers
Bubbly Kisses - Ina Forsman
Buff's Bar Blues - Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Leave My Money Alone - Phillip Walker
I'll Walk Away - James Hunter
Who Is He (And what is he to you) - Lenny Henry
Fever - Ruby Wilson
Stop Breakin' Down Blues - Eric Clapton
Shagging To The Blues - Original Beach Music Band

You're Gonna Get Next To Me - Bo Kirkland and Ruth Davis
Yo Dress Is To Short - Bob Steele
Driftin' Blues - Sam Cooke
Walking Blues - Joe Bonamassa
Behind My Back - Sista Monica Parker
Somebody Call The Cops - Sally Kellerman

Sunday Competition Tracks (A little bit more gritty)

Whoa Yeah - John Studebaker and The Hawks
I'm Ready - Muddy Waters
Checkin' Up On My Baby - Mick Jagger and the Red Devils
Jump The Broom - Mr Sipp
My Baby's Gone - Lightening Hopkins
Juniors Wail (Ft Elmore James) - Junior Wells
This Business Of Love - Domino
Goin' Crazy With The Blues - Hot Sardines

The Man Who Cant Be Moved - The Script
With Or Without You - Cunnie Williams
Down In Mississippi - Mavis Staples
Left Me Singing The Blues - Trudy Lynn With The Calvin Owen Blues Orchestra
Love Uprising - Jackie Wilson
Days Of Depression (Ft Blind Boys of Alabama) - The Reverend Shawn Amos
I'm Mad Again - John Lee Hooker
Grinnin' Like A Cheesy Cat - Mighty Blue Kings
Murder In The First Degree - Elvin Bishop

If You're A Viper - Di Ann Price
The Blonde Next Door - Vann "Piano Man" Walls
Singin' Down at 10th and Main - Curtis Stigers
Chaos In Tejas - Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat
Christine - The Chris O'Leary Band
St Louis Blues - Ella Fitzgerald
Work Song - Nina Simone

As we had more entrants some of the songs were paired up at the last minute to accommodate the splitting of categories into 2 rounds. But it seemed to work ok. I hoped you liked them. I had fun (and some pain) selecting them.

perhaps we might do it all again next year.

Chris Uren

Friday Night at The Blues and Smooth

Friday night will be Freestyle, with a fun competition to introduce to the world of Solo Blues. Two rooms of music, with DJs being chucked on the second room decks as they arrive. Your first chance to get into the groove of the weekend. Meet, and perhaps dance with, your Judges. And suss out your fellow competitors and maybe even find a last minute partner. If you can make it on the Friday I know it will give you a great start to the weekend and if it's your first time then you will hopefully see what a friendly vibe we aim to give the weekend.

Lisa, myself, and many of our amazing crew will be on hand to help you with any last minute enquiries and dance with you. Please don't be afraid to chat to us as it really is our aim to make this a great weekend for everybody. There will be dancers there from all over the UK and even one or two from farther afield. So please follow the ethos of 'Dance with everybody'.

Solo Blues Dancing

When we started this event we always said that we would do our best to introduce you to more of the Blues world and this time we have chosen 'Solo Blues Dancing'. Now in the blues world this is a very serious form of dance, but we know that many of you have never heard of it. Let alone seen it. So please don't be intimidated. It's about interpretation of the music and personal expression. Below are a couple of You tube video's to give you a flavour and hopefully encourage you to join in. It's fun and there are medals to be won. It will be up to you in the future if you want to see more of it and perhaps organise some workshops. And then maybe a competition category in the future.

This first Video is taken from the 2013 European Swing Dance Champs and as you can see is taken VERY seriously https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdm1b5jtT0k. It really shows how different people interperate the music being played.

This is a short instructional video presented by Rachel Cassandra. There are loads of instructional Solo Blues video's on You tube This is just a quick example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyF5laD8RDE

So my final message to you. Come along on Friday. Enjoy and prepare for the comps on Saturday and Sunday. Lisa, Myself and the rest of the crew look forward to seeing you.

The Blues and The Smooth. Music Music Music.

When Lisa and I decided to set up the UK Blues and Smooth Championships we knew that we would be walking into the continuous debate about the music to be played. What is Blues? What is Smooth? Is there a crossover? Now I am not going to go into in's and out's of the various arguments. I am just going to tell you, as the competition music DJ, what I consider to be the various styles and where you might find them in the actual competitions. This will hopefully help you in your decisions about what to enter and what to practise to. These are only examples and actually the range of music I could choose from is vast. Perhaps next time I will talk about the R&B I could use.

Blue, Blues Blues.

 

Let's start with the amazing Buster Benton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8ILvoVn-T0 

This is a piece of classic "Middle of the Road" Blues. In competition terms you could get this for newbies or more experienced dancers.

 

Now a track from Jimmy Dawkins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVaCXCpv_4w. Much slower and In need of more dancers interpretation. Your only going to get something like this if your in the Opens or maybe Down and dirty.

 

Another Blues Classic originally by Muddy Waters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaRbgUDpBdo Why would I put this in. Because of it's short. swinging and those wonderful breaks. Hit them and the Judges might just be impressed.

 

Smooth, Smooth, Smooth

 

Let the debate begin. What you dance to Smooth is up to you. But here are a couple of what I consider to be Smooth tunes. Your going to get something like this as part of the Valentines Trophy and for sure in the Juke Joint Trophy. "Cause we play it a lot at Juke Joint"

 

 Tower of power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVWxYSko5FU. Great tune AND it also has breaks. This is smooth. Yep. Reckon this would be a pretty good competition track. Downside, its 5.20 long and I would not dare to chop it. Against my principals. Anyway the coolest breaks are at the end.

 

Here is a heads up. Somebody will get a Curtis Stigers track. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT7DdqiMnkk This is a very Smooth piece of Jazz. It's so smooth if I tilted it a bit you would slide off. But will you get THIS Curtis Track!!!!

 

My last selection today is Blue Six. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByC96NIXNkA. Used to be a regular play at Juke Joint. It's starting to get near to the R&B vibe, But not quite.

 

Thanks for looking. If you are still thinking about booking then get shifting. Booking can be via the website at http://www.curlywurlyevents.com/blues-.php or you could contact Lisa direct on 07763 134026 if you want to talk to somebody.

 

The Facebook competition page can be found here https://www.facebook.com/events/1573372316239595/

 

 



 

The 2016 Competition Music

On the Three days of the Championships you will have some Amazing DJs looking after you. And they will play during the frequent freestyle and night sessions. But apart from one category (Swinging the Blues, which is Lisa's and Dave's baby) I will pick the Competition music. It's a task that I take very seriously and the process began not long after last years competitions. In the photograph you can see three vital USB sticks. Yes, difficult to believe, but I have a system!!!

 

As I listen to music and hear an old or new potential track it will get put onto the small green stick. This lives in my car and is listened to as I drive to and from gigs. It currently holds around 840 possible tunes. If I deem it as a real possible then it goes onto the middle purple stick and I go through that from time to time. Currently this holds around 60 tracks. The big Green stick is track's that will get played. Currently 5 tracks. But tracks do get deleted.



Chris Uren



 However, I am constantly hearing and reviewing new music, a track could make it on as late as the Friday Night; So a long way to go yet. And what makes a competition track. Well maybe I will try to explain that next time. How a track is good for one category and not another etc. Until then a link to my Spotify List to give you a flavour of what could be on the cards for you.

Just A Few Blues Tunes

Now if you are still sitting on the fence. Get off and book. It's going to be a great weekend. Book by going to the Website http://curlywurlyevents.com/blues-.php or you can contact myself or Lisa via our Facebook Pages
Lisa Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lisa.c.graydon?fref=ts
Chris Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dj.chrisuren

And if your desperate to speak to a REAL human then Lisa on 07763 134026

 

It's Getting closer

Now it really is getting close. Lisa and her team of helpers are thinking about how to look after you during your visit. The Judges are discussing the rules and what will be expected from you (Smile, Smile, Smile AND Enjoy yourself) and I am working on the Medals and Trophies that you are taking back home with you. The last Round of the Valentines Trophy heats will take place at The Supper Dance on the 17th. Click on the link to get the facebook Details. https://www.facebook.com/events/201498030195720/.

And if your still not sure what to enter at the Champs you can get your pass and decide later. But get your place sorted as it's filling up.

It is going to be a fantastic weekend of Music, Dancing, Competition. But above all, an event of Fun and Laughter with a group of people who love Music and Dance. I look forward to seeing you all there.

We are all looking forward to seeing you in just 5 weeks time. I will post next about some of the categories and the music.

Lisa Graydon Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lisa.c.graydon?fref=ts
Chris Uren Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dj.chrisuren
Event Facebook page for details https://www.facebook.com/events/1573372316239595/

2016 Here we go!!

2016 Champs coming very soon.

Here we are. Starting to post about the 2016 Blues and Smooth Champs. Entries are already coming in and preparations are well under way for another great weekend of music, competition and dancing. Over the next few weeks I will be giving more details of the weekend including the great line up of Judges and DJ's and giving you some hints and tips to get the best from the weekend.

Lisa, Myself and the rest of the team can't wait to welcome you to another great event

To get you started I am going to list what categories are on what day to help you plan your weekend.

Saturday 13th February

Lucky Dip
Fresh Fundamentals
Smooth Blues Fusion - Juke Joint Trophy
Young Fun and Feisty
In The Zone
Valentines Trophy

Sunday 14th February

Polished and Professional
Raw and Ready
Swingin' The Blues - The Curlywurly Trophy
Smooth Sassy Sophisticated
Jack and Jill

Check out the website for more Information or call. Details below

More Information www.curlywurlyevents.com
Facebook Event https://www.facebook.com/events/1573372316239595/

More info
Email info@curlywurlyevents.com
Tel Lisa on01484 317895 or 07763 134026

Your organisers are
 Lisa Graydon - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lisa.c.graydon?fref=ts
Chris Uren - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dj.chrisuren

More coming soon.

Tunes

My first post written on a mobile phone so bear with me on the spelling.

Sitting in a hotel room in Luton and thinking about tunes that are suitable for the next Blues and Smooth Champs. The maim problem is there are just so many that I could play. But do they have the necessary stuff?. Are they too hard for the newer dancers? Are they toooo challenging for the top level?. Breaks or no breaks?  Well, my decisions to make and only the pressing of the play button on competitions day will give the answers.

Where are we

Thought I would update you on the progress for the Champs next year and a few bits about what Lisa and I are up too.

Lisa has just had a very successful weekend hosting Asif Malik for some workshops plus a trip down to the English Modern Jive Champs to do some judging. I know that she has already organised another visit for Asif. So keep an eye on her facebook pages. You can find her via this link. She also has a regular Monday night MJ class in Huddersfield and others in the pipeline. Plus her CurlyWurly events at the Dance Studio's continue. Again check with Lisa for details. There is a Curlywurly website at http://curlywurlyevents.com/

For me Juke Joint continues on the last Sunday of every month at the Engine Shed in Wetherby. The new timings of 6 till 10pm have not proved as successful as we had hoped, but we are continuing with them for now. We have one or two extra things in the pipeline to talk to you about soon including a WCS workshop and some special stuff as the 2016 Champs draw closer. There is also going to be a Juke Joint Blog coming soon as well. You can find more about Juke Joint via my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/dj.chrisuren or there is also a Juke Joint Group.

THE CHAMPS 2016

Progress is good and we have now confirmed our judges which will include 2 new members for next year.

We are honoured to introduce two HUGELY influential people within the modern and traditional Blues world. Many dancers accross the UK have been inspired by these two into taking their first steps into the world of blues dancing.

Welcome aboard Nigel Anderson and Nina Daines

N&N have performed extensively throughout Europe and have made numerous stage and screen appearances including the West End Shows "The Cotton Club” & “Journey through Jazz”, films such as “Swing” & “War Horse” and countless TV performances, the highlight of course being a Lindy Hop performance on “Blue Peter” (and before you ask ‘Yes’ Nina does still have her Blue Peter Badge).
Since retiring from competing in 2001, N&N have been principle judges at many of the major Blues, Jive & Swing events in the UK.s


More about the other Judges and our DJ line up next time.

Music Plus++++

Lets talk a little about some of the music that I chose to play for the Competition categories on the Saturday. Throughout I hope I managed to pick music that was suitable for the standard of dancer in any particular category. Did I get it right?. Well feedback generally would say yes. But there are still a small number of tracks I would have changed around. Now, it would be impossible to list and talk about all of the tracks so here I am going to give you some links to tunes that I played and hopefully give you a chance to get a feel for what you are likely to encounter in future Competitions.

It may be worth a listen to my Blues Spotify List as well "Just a few Blues Tunes"
But remember this is a BLUES AND SMOOTH competition so don't get toooooo hung up on blues tracks. Once again the aim is to play tracks appropriate to the standard / experience of dancers who may take part in any particular category. These are a small selection from Saturday Comps.

Mary Jane by the Mannish Boys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLofUzxLBCU
A Blues room classic and played by me as part of Lucky Dip. A great driving beat that would allow dancers of all abilities to have a go.

Finest Lovin' Man by Bonnie Raitt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irC1dKEpa00
Another Classic played for the "In The Zone" category (Effectively Intermediate Dancers). A little bit more of a challenge.

I'll Be Your Baby Tonight by Curtis Stigers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzMAb6XaAFM
One of the Tunes I chose for the Juke Joint Trophy. Unashamedly Smooth, it's part of what the Juke Joint is about. Going from Blues through all sorts of music that you can dance to and perhaps ending up here..

Blues 2.0 by Fruitland Jackson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wno2v17XhfI
Picked as the last Competition track of the day. Played for the Polished and Pro. It did what it was meant to do. A REAL CHALLENGE. And in my humble opinion it prompted some of the most amazing dancing of the day. I am not sure some of the competitors thought so.

In a future Blog I will talk about some of the Sunday Music and pretty soon more information about next years line up.

 

Catching the Blues and Smooth Bug

Now I know many of you who came along to the Champs "Caught The Blues and Smooth Bug". We have already announced that our next Champs will be on the 12th to the 14th of February 2016. But that's a long way away. So here are a couple of suggestions for Blues Comps and Events that you should consider looking at. In Date order.

European Blues Invasion runs from the 19th and 21st June https://www.facebook.com/events/344748909058412/ You will find a considerable number of your fellow competitors attending plus a large smattering of your Judges

Ceroc Brean Sands is a weekender from 9th to the 11th October that features the European Neo Blues Champs. A full weekender for you. https://www.facebook.com/events/330276097157469/

Crystal Blues https://www.facebook.com/events/331420280372303/ takes place at the end of October and is Run by Sara White. An annual event you will almost certainly find people you know attending.

I look forward to seeing you at some of these. So go out and enjoy your Blues and as I find more events and Classes for you to think about I will post them here.

The Valentines Trophy

Let's be honest. When Lisa first suggested that we get a load of clubs to host a qualifying round of a competition I was sceptical. The concept of a group of club organisers actually cooperating was alien to what I know from experience. BUT. Once again I was proved wrong. Well a lot of the time proved wrong, as there were some who said "Yes" and then did not take part. Sad really, as it turned out to be one of the most successful things we did. And we now have clubs approaching us. Result I would say.

The concept is quite simple really. You hold a competition for your dancers, with the audience deciding who goes through. The winning couple get a full weekend pass and free entry into the final of the Valentines Trophy. As part of the deal you help promote the various rounds that are going on. In return other clubs promote yours.

Clubs that took part this time ..

Supper Dance (Dawn Gennery)

Jive Junction (Lynn Smith)

Want 2 Dance (Andy and Lin Jobin)

Northern Jive (Ken ByWater)

Jive Infusion (Janice Kenyon)

Oxford Blues (Coralie Green / Robert and Anna Jeffries)

Juke Joint

CurlyWurly

 

So 8 clubs this year and after discussion we will be increasing places available

 

If you want to know any more about getting your club involved then contact us. Me via facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dj.chrisuren 

or |Lisa Via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.c.graydon

Good, Bad, Ugly part 1. Great Goalkeeping by the team.

This was going to be part one of the 'Good , Bad and Ugly' of the Champs weekend after our review meeting today. But that's been overtaken by the decision to do it all again. So first put 12th to the 14th February 2016 in your diary as a provisional date for next year. That's all I am saying about next year at the moment, because there are things to be said about this years first.

We always said that we would run the event to the best of our ability and then review to see how we did. Then more importantly what the people who came thought of our efforts. Our confidence about next year was buoyed by your reactions and the very positive feedback we have received. However not all was rosy in the garden. So a few of those to be talked about here. Now there is no way I can cover everything in one Blog post so I will break it down over a couple of posts.

Slightly off. We were not particularly happy with the sound in the main room and also the bleed into the second room. And some of you commented on this. Next year. 4 corner speakers and the  provision of greater sound proofing for the second room. I know that some didn't feel the second room worked for them, but an overwhelming number liked it and it's slightly 'off the wall' nature.

Ugly. Registration on the Saturday started off very poorly and a magnificent save by Jess, Sue and Linda from the team kept us afloat. And I mean a save of epic proportions. They stayed cool and professional. This, all importantly, allowed us to keep to time. One of our priorities.

Good. The general Vibe of the whole event seemed to work. You cannot plan for that. It's the setup, crew and the people who make it that way. If we could have bottled the general atmosphere we would be billionaires.

Unclassified. A lot of local dancers came to the event with a "suck it and see" attitude along with some who desperately wanted to take part, but had no partners. I make no apologies for pushing people into taking part and doing our best to find partners at the last minute. Some of those partnerships won medals. I bet most of them come back to compete next year with partners.

I know many of you want me to talk about the music played for comps and I will get around to that. But it's a pretty big job and I want to ensure it is right. The Blog will continue on a weekly basis to keep you updated.

Quick reminder that this Sunday is my Juke Joint event at the Engine Shed. 6 till 10. Hope to see some of you there.

Sunday Winners

Sunday Results

Well another day of competition is over and it was pretty spectacular. A quick post of Sunday results. More to come about the weekend and particularly details of the competition music.

In The Zone

1st Ed Greenwood and Beth Caygill
2nd Roach Tyler and Judy Tyler
3rd Neil Wiffen and Ann Harrison

Raw and Ready

1st Melvin Young and Lynn Davis
2nd Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale
3rd Jo Hart and Ann Harrison

Smooth Fusion Blues (The Juke Joint Trophy)

1st Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale
2ndMark Oxley and Sarah Oxley
3rd Ann Harrison and Jennifer Cowling

Swinging The Blues (CurlyWurly Trophy)

1st Robert Jeffreys and Anna Jeffreys
2nd Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale
3rd Joe Rosa and Zuzanna Lalanne

Jack and Jill (Spotlight Dances)

1st Melvin Young and Chloe Hunt
2nd Robert Docherty and Hannah Lonsdale
3rd Joe Rosa and Lynn Davis

It's been great weekend and congratulations to all who attended. And if you placed then extra special well done.

More to come next week.

And The Winners Are..

What a day. 6 categories of the champs down and 5 more to come tomorrow. As promised I will post details of the music played for the competitions, but first it seems only correct to "BIG UP" the successful dancers. So here we have the results of today excitement.

Lucky Dip

1st Robert Jeffreys and Teresa Chapman
2nd Nick Shore and Sarah Lovett
3rd Rob Docherty and Hannah Lonsdale

Young Pups

And some not so "Young Pups

1st Robert Jeffreys and Anna Jeffreys
2nd Hannah Lonsdale and Chloe Hunt
3rd Mathew Brooke and Rebecca Green

Old Dogs New Tricks

1st Nick Shore and Ann Harrison
2nd Joe Hart and Michelle Black
3rd John Firth and Jennifer Cowling

Fresh Fundamentals

1st Paul Ray and Sarah Lovatt
2nd Stuart Jacobs and Alison Albury
3rd Joe Hart and Laura Webb

Polished and Professional

1st Robert Jeffreys and Anna Jeffreys
2nd Jo Hart and Sarah Innes
3rd Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale

The Valentine Trophy

1st Mark Oxley and Sarah Oxley
2nd Robery Docherty and Magdelena Bukala-Docherty
3rd Joe Rosa and Zuzanna Lalanne

I hope I have all your names correct. Well done to you all. It was an amazing day of competition. Now bring on Sunday.