From: dusenbury@galaxy.decnet.lockheed.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.dance
Subject: BALLROOM DANCE MUSIC
Keywords: ballroom, mailing list
Date: 15 Apr 92 20:30:44 GMT
Reply-To: dusenbury@galaxy.decnet.lockheed.com
Organization: None
Gatewayed-From: ballroom@athena.mit.edu

DANCE MUSIC

This  is  a belated reply to the question about  availability  of 
recorded  music  in  ballroom  dance  format.  I  am  an  amateur 
competitive  dancer  and an avid collector/compiler  of  ballroom 
dance  music.  I  have been putting music  together  for  dances, 
parties, practices, and teaching since 1986.  

At  the  moment  I  know of no major  source  of  ballroom  dance 
records/CDs  in the US, other than some  small  synthesizer/combo 
efforts.   There  is  a  lot of pop music  one  can  choose  from 
piecemeal,  but  for  current ballroom music one  is  stuck  with 
overseas sources. My choices are:

THE NEW DOWN BEATS ORCHESTRA of Hsaio Sudou (Japan)

Probably  the  most prolithic source of consistently  good  dance 
music at the moment. Their older "Shall We Dance"older series  of 
record/CDs of at least 9 Volumes had a very classic sound,  "like 
older  British  orchestras, only better" one pro  put  it.  Their 
current  "Shall We Dance" series of now up to Vol. 6 or so has  a 
more varied, often softer, more modern sound. 

Generally  there  are 15-16 selections per record/CD  of  all  10 
international  dances, plus sometimes "blues" (un-dancable).  The 
waltzes,  foxtrot,  tango, quickstep and rumba  are  consistently 
good,  but  until recently the other latin was  pretty  bad.  The 
newer  "Shall  We Dance" series has pop/disco  sounding  cha-chas 
which are actually quite good (a "first" for Japanese music).

WERNER TAUBER ORCHESTRA (Germany)

In  my  opinion the most richly orchestrated ballroom  music  now 
available. Werner Tauber had three older record/CDs, then a  '90s 
and  1991  offering. More recently, they have gone to  a  "Werner 
Tauber's  Swinging  World"  Series,  of which  I  have  two,  one 
featuring  well  known trumpeter Ettienne Cap. All are  good,  my 
favorites  are "Tanz in die 90er", and the two  "Swinging  World" 
ones. I particularly like the waltz, tango, and rumba music.  The 
samba, cha-chas, and occasional paso are good (quicksteps can  be 
little fast).

ROSS MITCHELL

The  only British music I consistently use. Most  selections  are 
vocal  with  solo and ensemble arrangements, with  an  occasional 
instrumental.  I prefer the more recent offerings (1990 on).  All 
the  smooth dances and most of the latin, particularly rumba  and 
cha-chas can are good. Jive is the pits, as usual.

OTHERS

Columbia Orchestra of Japan made 14 record/CDs whose material got 
reformatted onto CDs with upwards of 24 selections per, the  best 
buy in selections per dollar. Consistent good quality except  for 
cha  cha and jive, which can be pretty awful. This same  material 
has also been re-formatted to all waltz, all rumba, etc.
 
Claude Blouin from Canada made many records and two CDs, and  now 
a lot of his records are available on CD. Pretty good, especially 
the latin, and easier to get than some Japanese and German music.

Hugo Strasser and Gunter Norris of Germany are widely  available, 
and  have some good selections, but a lot of both have a  "dippy" 
quality. Not my favorite but I use them some. Older (records) are 
better than the new CDs, unfortunately.

Tony  Evans from England is very available but much  too  "hoaky" 
(or  whatever)  for  my use. Again, older  records  may  be  more 
tolerable.

SOURCES
 
The  best (i.e. cheapest) sources are,  unfortunately,  overseas. 
The  biggest I know of is Condor Music in Germany.  They  publish 
catalogs and periodic mailings and have a mailing list. They take 
telephone orders billable to Visa, simplifying currency exchange.

   Condor  Music, Postafach/P.O. Box Beim Gedenkplatz  2,  D-2061 
   Nahe, Krs. Segeberg, West Germany.
   Phone :04535/466

Ross  Mitchell  music  can be ordered direct  from  his  company. 
Prices in 1989 were $11 for CDs, and $6 for tapes.
   
   Dance & Listen Record Co, Ltd
   1 Queens Road, Fleet, Aldershot, Hampshire GU13 9LA, England
   Phone :(0252) 629740 

Domestic  sources  are  more  expensive  and  considerably   more 
convenient.  Ballroom Dance Supply of San Jose, Cal has the  best 
selection,  particularly  of  Japanese music, which  is  hard  to 
import, I'm told. I haven't used the DiskTec or Telemark  lately, 
so I'm not sure what their situations are now:

   Ballroom Dance Supply (has catalog)
   372 Bird Ave, San Jose, Ca, 95126 (408) 293-1727

   DiscTec Dance Records (Jack and Judy Hughes)
   P.O. Box 7595, Newark, Del., 19714 (302) 737-7869

   Telemark Dance Records
   46950 Community Plaza, Suite 221, Sterling, Va 22170
   (703) 450-7760

Expect  some  sticker  shock when buying foreign  CDs  from  U.S. 
dealers.  I  have paid $20 to $35 for Japanese and  German  ones.  
Competitions  are good places to shop for music. A lot  of  dance 
stuff  (shoes,etc)  dealers also carry a  (limited)  supply,  and 
sometimes one can even listen before buying.

I will put some info domestic bits and pieces later on, as it can 
get very involved. Specific inquiries can come to me at:


DUSENBURY@GALAXY.DECNET.LOCKHEED.COM  or
 
P.O. Box 1975, El Granada, Cal, 94018, (415)726-1052. 

Hope this helps,

Jay Dusenbury