I've been absent from Theme Thursday for the past couple of weeks. But since this week's theme was my suggestion, then I will play! The theme for this week is: "SWING". I gave a few suggestions in the "Whoops" theme post and mentioned about possibly moving to "verbs" after taking on several "noun" themes. I think verbs can prove to give a broader spectrum, and hopefully get our creative juices flowing. I was really interested in themes that can be interpreted in a lot of different ways so that the posts will also be as varied! Anyhow, here's my take on this week's theme...
The Real Group
"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!" I have been particularly interested in a song for quite a while but never really researched about it until now! I was introduced to it via this version by The Real Group, an amazing, amazing professional vocal group composed of 5 singers from Sweden. The group itself was formed about 25 years ago. Current members Emma Nilsdotter, Katarina Henryson, Anders Edenroth, Peder Karlsson, and Anders Jalkéus.
Here's a video of The Real Group singing "It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing)".... It's LIVE!
The Swingle Singers
Now, the Swingle Singers is an 8-member, multi-Grammy Award winning, acapella singing group formed in 1962, but is still around today (with new singers of course!).
I was lucky enough to meet one of the Swingle Singers personally in 2000 during the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) in Scotland: composer, arranger, choral conductor, teacher and singer Mr. Ben Parry was first Bass with the swingle singers from 1987 to 1992.
The Swingle Singers are now part of the music for the new Fox series "Glee", a musical comedy. It's not being shown here in the Philippines yet, but from news stories and the trailer, it sounds like it will be a huge hit here too. Here's why I think so!
The Real Group
"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!" I have been particularly interested in a song for quite a while but never really researched about it until now! I was introduced to it via this version by The Real Group, an amazing, amazing professional vocal group composed of 5 singers from Sweden. The group itself was formed about 25 years ago. Current members Emma Nilsdotter, Katarina Henryson, Anders Edenroth, Peder Karlsson, and Anders Jalkéus.
Here's a video of The Real Group singing "It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing)".... It's LIVE!
"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills, now accepted as a jazz standard. The music was written and arranged by Ellington in August 1931 during intermissions at Chicago's Lincoln Tavern and was first recorded by Ellington and his orchestra for Brunswick Records (Br 6265) on February 2, 1932. - Wiki
The Swingle Singers
Now, the Swingle Singers is an 8-member, multi-Grammy Award winning, acapella singing group formed in 1962, but is still around today (with new singers of course!).
I was lucky enough to meet one of the Swingle Singers personally in 2000 during the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) in Scotland: composer, arranger, choral conductor, teacher and singer Mr. Ben Parry was first Bass with the swingle singers from 1987 to 1992.The Swingle Singers are now part of the music for the new Fox series "Glee", a musical comedy. It's not being shown here in the Philippines yet, but from news stories and the trailer, it sounds like it will be a huge hit here too. Here's why I think so!
A Theme Thursday post
nice take on the theme...glad you suggested it, but it took a bit for me to figure out where i was going with it. glad you played this week! fun vids!
ReplyDeleteGreat take. Thanks for the theme this week.
ReplyDelete@Brian - I'm glad too!~ Haha!
ReplyDelete@Dakota Bear - Thank you!
I like this take on 'swing'! And now I have Duke Ellington pleasantly stuck in my head! I'll go now...swinging to the beat!
ReplyDeleteIt's a great song! And they sing it so brilliantly. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the theme this week!
ReplyDeleteI love your post.
I've been singing Ellington's version ever since I the theme was posted. Thanks for the music selections, I always like to add to my music library.
ReplyDelete@Leah - your very welcome! thanks for the visit!
ReplyDelete@Liza - me too! haha. "It don't mean a thing..."
Great theme suggestion Reyjr. Thanks. I haven't heard of Glee yet but will look for it.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about the noun/verb word play as I was posting my selection this week since I used swing as both. Words can be so interesting don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this week's selection and the Ellington version of the song.
great theme suggestion reyjr...was a fun one!
ReplyDeleteI choose the same song, but went with the duke, love the real group's rendition! thanks for turning me on to it (and the group)
I love that version of "Girl From Ipanema". This is the second day in a row that I've read a post that mentions this piece.
ReplyDeleteI saw the pilot ep for "Glee" and it looks like it might be fun. I think it's on the heels of the success of "So You Think You Can Dance" and "High School Musical", don't you?
Kat
You swing, Reyjr!
ReplyDeleteExcellent TT post!
yea man, the Swingles are hip!
ReplyDeleteGood suggestion! Look at all the different takes on 'swing'! Love you post, too! :)
ReplyDeleteNice to see a different version of the old classic.
ReplyDeleteSorry Reyjr, didn't have time to play this week but maybe next. I've never heard of either of those groups!
ReplyDeleteThanks a great TT idea, Reyjr. I had fun with it, and it looks as if everybody else did, too. By the way, I had no idea the Swingle Singers were still performing - and waddya mean, "with new singers of course!" Hey! The original members aren't much older than I am - and they're probably younger than Mick Jagger.
ReplyDeleteYoung whippersnappers. Hmmmph. ;>)
So it was all your fault for this weeks theme. It was a great choice and I think everyone had fun with it. I hope you give some more ideas. Had never thought of the fact we were just using nouns. Actually had never thought of where they came from at all. They just appeared every Saturday.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the videos very much, and had never heard of either group that I know of. Might even want to watch Glee now. I really like to watch "So You Think You Can Dance" cause I can't dance worth a darn or sing for that matter.
God bless.
Nice reyjr! Love the acapella version! Cool post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Reyjr. Very well done. Those Swingle Singers are amazing!
ReplyDeleteHi! Reyjr,
ReplyDeleteNice post! and the connections with the Thursday Theme...Swing!
Nice sounds from The Real Group and The Swingle
Singers.(and Congrat! on meeting one of their singer!) "The Glee" Preview" was very interesting to say the least!...
...Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee ;-D
@ Ronda Laveen - I think they've just shown the pilot episode, I'm sure they'll be advertising it extensively on Fox!
ReplyDelete@ High Desert Diva - Yeah, I liked that aspect of languages too. If I could, I would want to learn a couple more languages. :D
@ mouse (aka kimy) - Check em out! They're awesome. :D
@ Poetikat - it's lovely and sexy right? :D I agree, they're going for a less cheesy high school musical and hopefully nobody bursts into song. Let's keep the singing in context!
@ willow - Thanks for the visit willow!
ReplyDelete@ Tom - are you familiar with them? They're great!
@ Wings - That's my intention exactly! Excited to see how the others interpreted it.
@ The Silver Fox - :D Thanks for the visit!
@ Baino - haha! will see you next week then!
@ Sandra Leigh - Mick Jagger? Heheheeh, Just kidding!!
@ Mrsupole - The groups are both awesome. And as for Glee, hopefully they can show it in my country too!
@ subtorp77 - Thanks subtorp77!
@ A.Decker - they are! :D
@ Deedee - see you soon! Ill come by later!