Bands
The Gordon Webster Quintet & Septet
Pianist Gordon Webster is one of the most sought after musicians in the lindy hop world. His tremendous musicianship and passion, supported by his first-hand knowledge of social dancing, have inspired lindy hoppers at hundreds of dance events worldwide. Drawing on influences as diverse as Fats Waller, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson and Gene Harris, Webster serves up a smorgasbord of styles unified by one characteristic: irresistible danceability.
The Gordon Webster quintet will play at our main dance Friday night. The Gordon Webster septet will play for the main dance Saturday night.
Seth Kibel and the Bay Jazz Project
Seth Kibel is one of the Mid-Atlantic’s premier woodwind specialists. He’s won 19 Washington Area Music Awards, or Wammies, including being named “Best Jazz Instrumentalist” in 2005, 2007, and 2008. The Bay Jazz Project performs a mix of swing standards and original compositions. The band includes Sean Lane on piano, Bob Abbott on double bass, Mark Lucas on drums, and Justine Miller on trumpet and vocals.
Special Guest
Andrew Nemr, a tap dancer mentored by Gregory Hines, was a special guest at ILHC last August where he sat in with Gordon Webster Thursday night and performed the Bill “Bojangles” Robinson Stair Dance on Sunday.
DJs
Rayned Wiles has been dancing for over 20 years and is a nationally-known DJ with extensive experience national competitions, dance camps, exchanges, swing clubs and special events. “I think the point of DJing is to keep everyone in the room dancing and having a great time through music,” Rayned says. “My music of choice is swing jazz blues. I like Fats Waller’s view that swing is ‘two-thirds rhythm and one-third soul’ and Carmen McRae’s reminder that ‘blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread–without it, it’s flat.’ ” Rayned Djs nationally and in the Baltimore/Washington DC area.
Mike Marcotte (D.C.) Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Mike Marcotte discovered dancing in 1999 near the height of the swing craze. He first took lessons from the same person he teaches with today, Donna Barker. Together they helped cultivate a thriving blues dancing scene in Washington with the hard work of Capital Blues members, notably Rachel Stirling and Corey Wright. In addition to the two national events bamBLOOZled and Red Hot Blues ‘n BBQ, Capital Blues hosts a weekly dance every Thursday at Glen Echo’s Back Room. Whether it’s Blues or Swing, Mike likes a dance floor that’s having fun, feeling challenged yet inspired. He tends to draw from a variety of genres as he puts together a set. While creating a groove is important, mixing it up—something learned well from Rayned—always keeps things interesting. This is a DJ who loves to dance, so don’t hesitate to ask him in the middle of a set.
Red Jenn is a regular DJ at Jookjoint Shimmy Blues and has also DJ’d other venues including Frim Fram, Swing Remix, Philly Lindy Love, and Midsummer Night Swing. She was head DJ for BABBLE 2011 and Blues Blaze 2010. Jenn enjoys mixing it up and offering something for everyone. She focuses on playing music that is energetic, dynamic and danceable. She has a soft spot for female artists including Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Ruthie Foster, Aretha Franklin, and Big Mama Thornton.
Dan Repsch is a Philadelphia native with a life-long music obsession. He’s taken to DJing because he loves sharing his music, inspiring other dancers and guiding the energy of a dance. He’s constantly challenging himself to bring new material to his fellow dancers and works hard to offer a variety of music in his sets that stays true to the roots of the dance. He loves all styles of music and veers more toward vintage-style jazz and blues, but he can bring the funk if the dance calls for it.
