Live Music

The Moonshine Rhythm Club

 

Moonshine Rhythm Club breathes new life into old-school swing and jazz with original tunes and arrangements that make this vintage music sound like it was written this morning. The boys seek out timeless melodies and fresh ideas from deep cuts and standards alike and distill them into their signature sound. With each swing of Moonshine, you’ll taste notes of Nat “King” Cole’s classy and hip vocals and Chet Baker’s lyrical phrasing amidst the acoustic fire of Django’s gypsy jazz and the slow burn of Count Basie’s laid-back groove.

DJs

Connor Cole

Connor is a DJ from Ann Arbor Michigan and a long-time swing music fan. Having DJed for swing dances on the West Coast and at events throughout the Midwest, he is excited to be contributing to the music for Dayton Smackdown.  He creates sets that balance the great old bands of the past with more modern swing acts that match their predecessors in swinging energy and musicianship. In particular, he’s always looking for air checks, radio remotes and other more obscure recordings to offer spice and variety to apparently familiar tunes, and uncover great new ones you may not have heard before.

Josh Forbes

Josh Forbes is being brought back as a DJ once again for the “Late Late Night” Dance Party on Saturday. It’s 3 am at Smackdown and you’ve been dancing non-stop for hours and you’re having a great time with your favorite people dancing the night away. This is about the time when you get a little slap happy and you’re in the mood to just have a great time. Josh will inject energy into the dance floor mixing blues, swing, soul, and funk from old-school and current music to make it literally impossible to leave the floor. You’ll both thank and curse him for it on Sunday!

Andi Hansen

Andi Hansen hails from Grand Rapids, MI, where she organizes, teaches, and DJs for her homegrown blues scene. If her music style was a food it would be “hearty chili” – comfort food, with a little bit of kick. In the past, she’s been heard at events like Cbus, CUBE, Sweet Molasses Blues, and Lindy Focus; and she looks forward to bringing some of her favorite music to Dayton!

Celia Mooradian

When she isn’t repairing accordions and helping homeless ferrets, Celia “Sassafras” Mooradian can be found spinning sweet jazz tunes in Chicago and across the Midwest. Not only is she compassionate towards furry land otters and a master of jazz puns, she has immaculate taste in music that will keep you swinging out all night long.

Kyle Patterson

Kyle has been dancing swing and blues since early 2013, and soon after began regularly DJ’ing for his college scene, Purdue. He fell in love with the unique challenge each set brings, trying new things and figuring out just the right music for the moment. With a taste for the sassy, you should fully expect some energetic blues sets intended to get your feet tapping. After traveling the Midwest for years, he’s thrilled to have the chance to DJ for all of you lovely humans!

Aliceann Talley

Aliceann has been playing music since she was 6 and partner dancing since she was since she was 9.  Swing and blues music speak to her both on and off the dance floor.  Believing the music is what drives these dances, she continues to dive into the history of vintage jazz and blues and collect new music that inspires dancers to move.
Aliceann dances and DJs both in her home scene of Knoxville and at events across the Southeast and Midwest.  Also in Knoxville, she coaches and choreographs for 2 dance teams, coordinates the blues scene, teaches and DJs for the Knoxville Swing Dance Association, and hosts other dance events around town.

Kemper Talley

Kemper Talley started DJing in the US after cutting his teeth at Herrang Dance Camp. Since then, he’s been an active DJ in the Southeast and Midwest. Locally, Kemper served as the head DJ for the Knoxville Swing Dance Association and currently serves as the KSDA President. Kemper favors music with authentic, historic roots in the Swing Era. He takes music seriously and is always willing to join a jam or discuss the history and development of music. Outside of DJing, he enjoys playing in swing bands as well as teaching local and regional dancers more about Lindy Hop and Balboa.