A great night to be a Party DJ, London. Carolina wanted her 40th to be a memorable affair and hit on a 20s, Great Gatsby themed evening as the best way to celebrate. Great choice! Without exception her guests dressed for the occasion and for one evening only Walkers of Whitehall became a roaring jazz joint.
Carolina is Colombian and so are many of her friends. Therefore the music mix needed to include plenty of Latin as well as early jazz/swing/charleston tunes - see the full playlist below. I planned to use electro swing and swing as transitional music to bridge from authentic 20s tunes to more modern party tunes, and that plan worked a treat. As well as music I added just a little mood lighting to co-ordinate with the balloons.
Reaching for the impossible - the American dream - as symbolised by the green light
Lots of great dancing
A great vibe all night
Birthday girl Carolina enjoying a dance and a laugh
The full playlist for the evening was as follows:
Ace Brigode & His 14 Virginians -Yes Sir, That's My Baby Gene Austin - Ain't She Sweet Ben Selvin & His Orchestra - Baby Face Ethel Waters - I Got Rhythm Irving Aaronson & His Commanders - Let's Misbehave Johnny Hamp's Kentucky Serenaders - Black Bottom The Benny Goodman Orchestra - Stompin' at the Savoy Broadway Broadcasters - It Had to Be You Ella Fitzgerald - I Want to Be Happy Zelma O'Neal - I Want to Be Bad Waring's Pennsylvanians - Button up Your Overcoat Mound City Blue Blowers - Hello Lola Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra - Charleston Benny Goodman - Somebody Stole My Gal Ben Bernie - Sweet Georgia Brown Jean Goldkette & Bix Beiderbecke - I'm Looking over a Four-Leaf Clover Chick Webb - If Dreams Come True Golden Gate Orchestra - Glad Rag Doll B. A. Rolfe & His Lucky Strike Orchestra - Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) Anson Weeks & His Orchestra - Rain, Rain, Go Away The Picadilly Players - Sunny Skies Mildred Bailey - Doin' the Uptown Lowdown Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orchestra - That Lindy Hop Jake Shilkret's Orchestra - If You Knew Susie Chick Webb - Midnight in Harlem Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra - St Louis Blues Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra - Mississippi Mud (feat. Bix Beiderbecke) Cole Porter - Anything Goes Fats Waller - Spring Cleaning, Getting Ready for Love Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra - Let's Do It Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington - It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) Fred Rich & His Orchestra - Singin' in the Rain Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra - Streamliner Eddie Reed Big Band - Let Me Off Uptown Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington - Drop Me Off In Harlem Jellyroll - Headbone Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Oh Pappa Do The Chazz Cats - The Joint is Jumpin' Tim Tim - Rum'n'cocacola (Shake It Up Well) Bebo Best & the Super Lounge Orchestra - Sing Sing Sing Caro Emerald - Liquid Lunch Tape Five - Bad Boy Good Man Tape Five - A Cool Cat In Town (feat. Brenda Boykin) Jamie Berry - Old Records Fred Astaire - Puttin' On the Ritz (Club Des Belugas) Iain MacKenzie - All Aboard Swing Republic - I'm Leaving DJ Dunya - Upside Down Tomato Jack - Bei Mir Bist du Schoen Juan Luis Guerra - Como Yo Don Omar - Dile Joe Arroyo - La Rebelion Pete Rodriguez - I Like It Like That Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell) The B52's - Love Shack Michael Jackson - Thriller Salt 'N' Pepa - Push It Justin Timberlake - Señorita Usher Featuring Lil John and Ludacris - Yeah Kevin Lyttle - Turn Me On Fruko Y Sus Tesos - El Preso Calle 13 - Atrévete-Te-Te Carlos Vives - Carito Marc Anthony - Vivir Mi Vida Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk Pharrell Williams - Happy Calvin Harris - Feel So Close Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc - Wake Me Up Lucenzo - Danza Kuduro (Throw Your Hands Up) Shakira - Loca (Feat. El Cata) Meneito Tamarindo Seco Grupo Niche - Cali Pachanguero Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless) [Radio Mix) Wamdue Project - King of My Castle (Radio Edit) Phats and Small - Turn Around Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) The Trammps - Disco Inferno Stevie Wonder - Happy Birthday Stevie Wonder - Superstition Aretha Franklin - Respect Ray Charles - Hit The Road Jack Hank Ballard and The Midnighters - The Twist Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough Sister Sledge - We Are Family Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire David Bowie - Let's Dance Don Omar - Pobre Diabla Los Del Rio - Macarena Grupo Niche - Buenaventura y Caney Galantis - Peanut Butter Jelly Outkast - Hey Ya! Fish Go Deep & Tracey K - The Cure & The Cause Moloko - The Time is Now Diomedes Díaz & Ivan Zuleta - Caracolés de Colores Celia Cruz - La Negra Tiene Tumbao Shakira - Gordita (Feat. Residente Calleiz) Charlie Valens - Guayando