PASSIONATE RATIONS

Given the placement of this post shortly after two entries on the venerable birthplace of jazz (tip o’ the hat to Mr. L. Armstrong), I find myself daydreaming of my ideal world, in which the sensorial pleasures of food and fancy footwork come together as one, so neither stomach nor soul goes empty.

As it turns out, I need not hearken to an ideal world, because, even in the imperfect one in which we live and blog, the link between swing jazz and food is not anywhere near as tenuous as one might think.  This explains, perhaps, why thoughts of one always bring to mind the other for me.  Swing-jazz lyrics serve up a heaping helping of home-cooked food imagery, perhaps more than any other music genre.  From Cab Calloway assuring us that “Everybody Eats When They Come to My House,” to Louis Prima cutting “Closer to the Bone,” it’s no wonder listeners (and dancers) are left hungry for more. On the buffet menu you can find classic dishes like:

Frim Fram Sauce (Nat King Cole)
Beans and Cornbread (Louis Jordan)
Chicken Back (Louis Jordan)
Potato Chips (Slim Gaillard)

And for dessert, don’t forget:

Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy (Ella Fitzgerald)
Banana Split for My Baby (Louis Prima)

More recently, the Daily Specials include “Honey Pie” (Lavay Smith) and more varied and—ahem—stimulating fare like “Coffee and Reefer” (Ron Sunshine).

A good waiter (or food-blogger) would recommend you try them all.  It’s an all-you-can-eat event.

But, wait!  The food-fueled frenzy doesn’t end there.  Mr. Louis Jordan is having a “Saturday Night Fish Fry,” at which Sidney Bechet just “Wants Some Seafood Mama,” while Louis Armstrong wants to call the whole thing off because Ella Fitzgerald can’t say “tomato,” “potato,” or “sarsaparilla” correctly.

Speaking of beverages, you’ll surely need something to wash down all that good food and maybe ease into some late-night blues dancing.  Various artists recommend “One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer,” while Koko Taylor would most assuredly go for the beer to buzz up her “Beer Bottle Boogie.”

Local tastes define the menus nationwide and it’s a veritable gourmet’s delight on the swing-dance floor.  We all know that swing jazz is a feast for the ears and dancing is food for the soul.  Some food won’t weigh you down, no matter how much you partake.  So, eat up!

Yours truly,
Ate-to-the-Bar

_____

STATUS, VEGETARIAN ADVENTURE, DAY 15:  This marks the 4th day of the worst cold-like malady I’ve ever had in my life, banishing me to bed for most of it (I’m not convinced it’s simply a mere cold).  So, today’s bland menu has consisted of tea, 2 glasses of sprite, 1.5 slices of sourdough bread, an apple, a banana, and various medicinals.  But, hey, it’s vegetarian fare still.