DJ Reuben Brown
Specializing in 1930's Jazz, the music of Harlem, and an all around Duke Ellington fanatic, I've been DJing Swing and Jazz Music of ALL eras for over 10 years, and dancing to it for over 12. My primary inspiration, both in music and in dance, comes from the original bands and dancers of the Savoy Ballroom.
My love of Lindy Hop also carries over into involvement with organizations that work to promote and preserve this dance and the music from which it was born. I am proud to be a part of the following organizations:
Member: The Hollywood Jitterbugs
Member: Mad Dog!
Member: The California Historical Jazz Dance Foundation
Head DJ: California Balboa-Swing Championships
Head DJ: Los Angeles Lindy Exchange
Head DJ: Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown
Past Events:
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2008 (Head DJ)
Twin Cities, MN, October 2008
Cowtown Jamborama 2008 (Head DJ)
Omaha, NE, September 2008
24 Hour Cancer Dance-a-thon
Irvine, CA, March 2008
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2007 (Head DJ)
Twin Cities, MN, September 2007
Inspiration Weekend 2007
Fullerton, CA, September 2007
The Midwestern Balboa Swing Festival (Head DJ)
Omaha, NE, March 2007
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2006 (Head DJ)
Twin Cities, MN, September 2006
Los Angeles Lindy Exchange 2006 (Head DJ)
Los Angeles, CA, April 2006
Rhythmic Arts Festival 05/06
San Diego, CA January 2006
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2005 (Head DJ)
Twin Cities, MN, September 2005
Camp Jitterbug 2005
Seattle, WA, May 2005
Orange County Lindy Exchange 2005
Orange County, CA, March 2005
LAX 2005 - "The Binge" (Head DJ)
Los Angeles, CA, January 2005
Hawaii Lindy Exchange
Honolulu, HI, January 2005
Rhythmic Arts Festival 04/05
San Diego, CA, January 2005
Y6A Basie Centennial
New York, NY, October 2004
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2004 (Head DJ)
Twin Cities, MN, September 2004
Denver Mini Exchange
Denver, CO, July 2004
Camp Jitterbug 2004
Seattle, WA, May 2004
Sin City Xchange 3
Las Vegas, NV, May 2004
Balboa Rendezvous
San Diego, CA, April 2004
LAX 2004 - "The Binge" (Head DJ)
Los Angeles, CA, January 2004
2003 American Lindy Hop Championships
Stamford, CT, October 2003
Jitterbug Weekend
Seattle, WA, September 2003
2003 California Balboa-Swing Championships (Head DJ)
Whittier, CA, September 2003
Santa Barbara Lindy Exchange 2003
Santa Barbara, CA, September 2003
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2003 (Head DJ)
Twin Cities, MN, August 2003
Lindy Summit 2003 (Head DJ)
Pasadena, CA, July 2003
2003 Harlem Jazz Dance Festival
New York, New York, June 2003
Sin City Xchange 2
Las Vegas, NV, March 2003
2003 Great Southwest Lindy Fest
Houston, TX, March 2003
San Francisco Challenge
San Francisco, CA, March 2003
Jitterbug Weekend "Extreme"
Seattle, WA, March 2003
Salute To The Savoy w/The Rhythm Hot Shots
Whittier, CA, February 2003
2003 LA/OC Lindy Binge (Head DJ)
LA & Orange Counties, CA, February 2003
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2002 (Head DJ)
Twin Cities, MN, November 2002
Phoenix Lindy Exchange 2002
Phoenix, AZ, November 2002
2002 American Lindy Hop Championships
Stamford, CT, October 2002
2002 California Balboa-Swing Championships (Head DJ)
Whittier, CA, September 2002
Lindy Desert Dance 2002
Laughlin, NV, August 2002
Camp Hollywood 2002
Los Angeles, CA, August 2002
San Diego Lindy Exchange 2002
San Diego, CA, May 2002
Jenn & Justin Workshop Weekend
Ithaca, NY, May 2002
Sin City Exchange 2002
Las Vegas, NV, April 2002
2002 Great Southwest Lindyfest
Houston, TX, March 2002
Jitterbug Jam 4
Thousand Oaks, CA, February 2002
2002 LA/OC Lindy Binge (Head DJ)
LA & Orange Counties, CA, February 2002
2001 American Lindy Hop Championships
Stamford, CT, October 2001
Phoenix Lindy Exchange 2001
Phoenix, AZ, November 2001
2001 US Open
Anaheim, CA, November 2001
2001 California Balboa-Swing Championships (Head DJ)
Whittier, CA, September 2001
San Francisco Lindy Exchange 2001
San Francisco, CA, September 2001
Seattle Lindy Exchange 2001
Seattle, WA, August 2001
Swing By The Sea 2001
Monterey, CA, May 2001
Midwest Lindyfest 2001
Minneapolis, MN, May 2001
2001 Great Southwest Lindyfest
Houston, TX, March 2001
Jitterbug Jam 3
Thousand Oaks, CA, February 2001
2001 LA/OC Lindy Exchange (Head DJ)
LA & Orange Counties, CA, February 2001
H-Town Swings 2000
Houston, TX, August 2000
2000 California Balboa-Swing Championships (Head DJ)
Anaheim, CA, June 2000
Camp Hollywood 1999
Hollywood, CA, October 1999
Top 33 Album Suggestions
(in no particular order)
The Original Era
1. Count Basie and his Orchestra
The Best of Early Basie (Decca)
2. Willie Bryant and his Orchestra
1935 - 1936 (Chronological)
3. Casa Loma Orchestra
Boneyard Shuffle (Hep Records)
4. Charlie Christian
Genius of Electric Guitar (Giants of Jazz)
5. Duke Ellington and his Orchestra
The Blanton-Webster Band (Bluebird)
6. Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
Sing, Sing, Sing (Bluebird)
7. Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra
Classics (Jazz Archives)
8. Earl Hines and his Orchestra
1937 - 1939 (Chronological)
9. Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy
Mary's Idea (Decca)
10. Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra
For Dancers Only (Decca)
11. Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra
Stomp It Off (Decca)
12. Artie Shaw and his Orchestra
Begin the Beguine (Bluebird)
13. Chick Webb and his Orchestra
Spinnin' the Webb (Decca)
14. Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra
Jumpin' For Joy (Hep Records)
15. Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra
Skyliner 1940 - 1945 (Giants of Jazz)
16. Teddy Powell and his Orchestra
Riding the Subways (Hep Records)
17. Muggsy Spanier
Great Original Performances (Jazz Classics)
18. Mills Blue Rhythm Band
1936 - 1937 (Chronological)
The 50's & 60's
19. Louis Armstrong
Satch Plays Fats (Columbia)
20. Sidney Bechet
The Fabulous Sidney Bechet (Blue Note)
21. Duke Ellington and his Orchestra
Complete at Newport '56 (Columbia)
22. Duke Ellington and his Orchestra
Recollections of the Big Band Era (Atlantic)
23. Johnny Hodges
Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges (Impulse)
24. Count Basie and his Orchestra
The Count Basie Story (Roulette)
25. Oscar Peterson Trio
Night Train (Verve)
26. Henry Red Allen
World on a String (Bluebird)
Swing Today
27. Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Live In Swing City (Sony)
28. Mora's Modern Rhythmists
Mr. Rhythmist Goes To Town (Mr. Ace)
29. Eddie Reed Big Band
Hollywood Jump (hepcat)
30. James Dapogany’s Chicago Jazz Band
Hot Club Stomp, Small Band Swing (Discovery)
31. The Dream Team
Live At The Lindy Binge (Independant)
Compilation Albums
32. An Anthology of Big Band Swing (Decca)
33. The World of Swing (Columbia)
In addition to these events, I’ve had the pleasure of DJing at the following venues:
Broadway Studios, San Francisco, CA
Cafe Savoy, San Diego, CA
The Caves, Minneapolis, MN
Century Ballroom, Seattle, WA
Cinema Ballroom, St. Paul, MN
The Corner Boogie, San Diego, CA
The Dog House, San Francisco, CA
The Green Hotel, Pasadena, CA
Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood, CA
Imperial Ballroom, Fullerton, CA
Jimmy's Uptown, Harlem, NY
KC's Club, Fullerton, CA
LindyGroove, Pasadena, CA
Melody Club, Houston, TX
Memories, Anaheim, CA
Memories, Whittier, CA
Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO
Satin Ballroom, Culver City, CA
Sugarfoot Stomp, Alhambra, CA
Suzy-Q's, Los Angeles, CA
Swing 46, New York, NY
The Swing Pit, Glendale, CA
The Swing Pit, Pasadena, CA
The Tapestry, Minneapolis, MN
Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN
Viscount Ballroom, Portland, OR
Contact Information:
reuben DOT brown AT gmail DOT com