The Home of Happy Feet: A Musical Tribute to Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom
February 28, 2011
Fortes Room (room 409)
“Music has been central to my life since early childhood,” he explained, “Aunt Rosie opened the Roseland Ballroom in Taunton, Massachusetts”, so his appreciation of music began at a very young age.
Kane’s comments about the history of the Savoy Ballroom and the musicians and bands that played there were interspersed with samples of musical tracks from the greats; Chick Webb, Ella Fitzgerald, The Jimmie Lunceford Band, The Savoy Sultans, and the great Duke Ellington’s orchestra. The audience of jazz lovers, from students and faculty to administrators, began to accompany the music with toe tapping which soon spread to their fingers, knees, and shoulders and before long the room was moving to the beat that the Lindy Hoppers danced to more than 50 years ago. As promised, it was a toe-tapping experience!