"WOW! YOU WERE THERE AT SHIFTLESS SHUFFLE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL?" | FLY

Billed as a "Take Me Back To The Old School Once In A Lifetime Water Flowing Underground Never To Be Repeated Jazz Dance Special" who could resist? Hosted by DJ Seymour Nurse (Mr. Shiftless) with a warm-up Jazz Fusion Jazz Dance class with Perry Louis of JazzCotech.

Louis explained the 6.00-9.30 pm time slot suited the 'older' elements in the crowd who have come back to the scene now their kids are a little older. The younger elements looked like they could go on all night. Louis is the master of the art and the founder of JazzCotech. They specialise in Old Skool Street Fusion Jazz Dance. They have attended numerous Jazz festivals and have performed with big names, such as James Brown, Jamiroquai and Wynton Marsalis. As a style, it emerged from UK clubs in the late 70s and early 80s to the sound track of Jazz and Funk. It's fast fluid non-stop 100-mile hour stuff.

Spats are not obligatory, neither is a hat, but it's cool if you have one. All you need is the ability to feel the rhythm. Many just watch and appreciate the free-style choreography as dancers "explore their acrobatic capabilities" with fast intricate footwork, graceful spins and drop moves. It's hot and sweaty and the temperature soars with each classic track.

So what are talking about in terms of the music? Jazz Be-Bop, Fusion, Brazilian, Latin, Afro, Cuban, Funk and fast with it. Murphy and Peterson weren't letting on what they were playing but I spotted a couple, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and "the greatest living percussionist with a heart that beats like a drum", Dom Um Rom„o. 'Magic Theatre' by Barry Miles literally blew up the joint. The absolute roots of broken beat madness. Also spotted were tracks by Horace Silver, Jon Hendricks. Janet Lawson, Flora Purim and Airto. It's a heavy sound but very friendly crowd.

You could tell it was an event by the response on the Worldwide Message Board (see below - GP went on to do his 2004 All Winners show that night). Paul Murphy said, "last night will end up as the Woodstock of jazz dancing, there will end up being 3000 people who were 'there'Ö.". Gilles certainly caught the vibe.

He hadn't got over it three week later. He said on his 9th January show, "Tell you what, one of the best sessions I've had for ages" and he played a couple of tunes to prove it. There's a big buzz that the event will be the catalyst for a Peterson/Murphy Jazz Dance classics compilation CD. Lets hope so.

So now there's now no need to hanker for the old days of The Wag, Electric Ballroom or Dingwalls. Shiftless Shuffle is on every second Sunday. What better way to keep your New Year's resolution fitness regime going? Believe me, it's a workout and far more fun than a trip to the gym.

Freedom Soho (In The Basement), 60-66 Wardour Street, London W1.

Links:
www.jazzcotech.com
www.straightnochaser.co.uk (Winter 2004, JazzCotech first column on p18 Jazz Dance - A Forgotten Art)
Gilles' Tracklistings
Gilles' Forum
Out to Lunch - www.dogmabars.com , (Shiftless Shuffle: 16.01.05 with guest D.J. Killer Jim of 'Out To Lunch', Nottingham. We'll mark him down as an Eric Dolphy fan then).

I am putting on the 2005 National Jazzdance championships - open only to serious old-skool hardcore jazzdancers! MAY29th!!! @ SOULTRAIN, Evolution night club, Bristol. royalerumble@gmail.com

www.jazzdance.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk BRAD!

Good luck with that one. Test ‘em too the limit, try them out with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band ‘Hannibal’ which I finally tracked down this week.

Also note, This Sunday 20th March is Shiftless Shuffle at the refurbished Freedom Bar with Very Special Guest, Patrick Forge.

Check out the Spring 2005 Straight No Chaser as there’s an interview with Paul and a photo of Louis, Gilles and Paul at the Shiftless Shuffle Christmas Special!!

Shiftless Shuffle

London’s only Street-Fusion Jazz Dance class with ensuing Club Session

First and third Sunday of the month, next event 15th May ‘05

At: Freedom Bar, 60-66 Wardour Street, London W1F 0TA.

Nearest Tubes: Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus

Times: Lesson 5pm - 6pm, Club 6:15 - 9:30pm

Price: £5 for class/club, £3 for club only (membership fee applies)

DJs: Perry Louis, JazzCotech and Glean McLean,Tempo Jazz (Wolverhampton)

Street-Fusion Jazz dance is alive and kicking it at Shiftless Shuffle every first and third Sunday of the month. The evening starts off at 5:00pm with a 1 hour lesson in the art of Street-Fusion Jazz Dance, conducted by Perry Louis (founder of JazzCotech Dancers) plus guest teachers. The clubs set kicks off at 6:15pm, with DJs spinning Fusion Jazz, Latin, JazzFunk and BeBop Beats until 9.30pm. Shiftless Shuffle is a breathtaking mix of Jazz Music and Dance and one not to be missed - Why not join us to watch, have a drink, dance and enjoy the music! You will see some of the most amazing dancers, showing that the UK Street Jazz Dance scene is very much alive.

Sunday 15th May sees a BBC Special Shiftless Shuffle. The BBC will be there, filming for a forthcoming documentary called ìBruce Goes Dancingî, featuring Bruce Forsyth for BBC Network. The show will consist of 2 one-hour long documentaries, which will look at the Jazz and Latin roots of Showdance, concentrating on the influences and styles that have been transposed from the street to the clubs, the stage and the screen. Bruce will be going to Cuba, Puerto Rico, New York, Los Angeles and, of course Shiftless Shuffle in London. The show will be transmitted in the Primetime 7pm Sunday night slot on BBC1 later this year as part of the flagship entertainment for the Autumn season and we are obviously incredibly proud to have been chosen to participate.

Contact For Info

JazzCotech: 07957 560 557

info@jazzcotech

Freedom 0207 734 0071

www.jazzcotech.com

On Saturday 30th July the JazzCotech Dancers are at the Womad Festival, Reading and Sunday 31st we are at Ambient Picnic, Shalford Park, Guilford.

For more info of Ambient Picnic www.ambientpicnic.co.uk

Friday 12th August is “Weak at Knees” with guest Dj Amazon

Sunday 21st August Shiftless Shuffle (Lou @ Leonards)
Host DJ Glen McLean (Tempo Jazz, Wolverhampton)
Guest DJ Dj Skip (the Record Room)

Look out for the August Bank Holiday weekend, Brighton Jazz!

For more info check out www.Jazzcotech.com