The Syncopation Society of Berlin is a collaboration of jazz and swing artists who even in normal times work to promote and support each other's efforts. Founded in 2013 it's not a union or a label but something that serves the functions of both. As in most communities with significant scenes like New York and New Orleans many musicians appear in multiple bands. The Syncopation Society gives these bands a larger platform than they might otherwise have; as they say on their website “a rising tide helps all ships”.
Swing made in Berlin Vol. 1 features twelve different groupings. Some may have been one off collaborations for this album but most are established groups that I recognize including the Rufus Temple Orchestra, The Ragtime Nightmare, The Old Fish Jazz Band, The Jungle Jazz Band, The Goodnight Circus, and the Time Rag Department. Most of them have full albums of their own available or appear regularly at European dance events.
Following the Central European model a band with Rag in the name can be assumed to be a hot jazz band. With only a few exceptions the music on this 13 track album would be classified as hot or sweet twenties style jazz rather than swing, none of it sounds later than the early 30s. I hear a strong overlap with Frog and Henry, a mostly anonymous group I adore that features some of these musicians.
These are some of the hottest young trad groups
