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It’s time to do what we were born to do – play for our home crowd of swing dancers at the Triangle Swing Dance Society dance on the Triangle’s best social dance floor, the ballroom at the Carrboro Century Center on March 19, 2016.  If you don’t know how to dance, TSDS has you covered with a free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m. before the dance.  Come swing with us!

Carrboro Century Center
100 N. Greensboro St.
Carrboro, NC
Time: Band plays from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Admission: Members/Students $8, Non-members $12

MJJB at PSDS St. Patrick
Photo from Mint Julep Jazz Band’s performance at the Carrboro Century Center on St. Patrick’s Day 2013, courtesy of Joel Carlin.

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On January 30, 2016, we return to the Lone Star State capital to perform at Hot Rhythm Holiday, a weekend of workshops and dances focusing on Balboa and Collegiate Shag and there’s a music track for people who want to learn more about performing jazz!  The events take place at the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs (“the Fed”), a mansion built in 1931 with a gorgeous historic ballroom.  We are excited to return to Hot Rhythm Holiday for our second year!  And bring on the brisket!

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The ballroom at The Fed, taken at Hot Rhythm Holiday 2015

 

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If you missed our interview with Frank Stasio and Mint Julep Quintet’s live performance on WUNC’s The State of Things on Friday, December 11, 2015, you can listen to the 17 minute segment on The State of Things’ website – scroll down to the middle of the page for the audio player and press play. http://wunc.org/post/mint-julep-jazz-band-recreates-early-jazz-battle-axe#stream/0

Also, as we noted on the show, please stay tuned for a very special announcement in April, 2016!

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If you’ve got a family member who would really enjoy our music or maybe you’d like to get a little gift for yourself, you can take advantage of CD Baby’s 1 cent shipping offer – from November 30 through December 4, 2015, CD Baby will ship all physical copies of albums they sell for 1 cent, no matter how many CDs you buy no matter where you live in the world! CD Baby is the only place you can buy physical copies of our albums outside of our shows, so this is definitely the place to do your MJJB holiday shopping. 🙂

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The Duck Jazz Festival is one of the best experiences we have had as a band – this community cares about jazz and puts on a thoughtful and perfectly executed event that draws jazz fans and music lovers from the outer banks of North Carolina and beyond. Thanks so much to the Town of Duck for creating such a fantastic music festival and inviting us to be a part of it!

Thanks to Alexandrea Lassiter of Dtownperspective for taking almost all of these photos and documenting our trip!

The jam session on Saturday night of the festival.
The jam session on Saturday night of the festival at The Blue Point.
There are wild horses statues throughout Duck, in honor of the wild horses that roam the dunes on the outer banks.
There are wild horses statues throughout Duck, in honor of the wild horses that roam the dunes on the outer banks.
Duck Donuts across from our hotel!
Duck Donuts across from our hotel!
Setting up at the Duck Jazz Festival main stage.
Setting up at the Duck Jazz Festival main stage.
Performing Ducky Wucky at the Duck Jazz Festival!
Performing Ducky Wucky at the Duck Jazz Festival!
A full band shot.
A full band shot.
The crowded lawn at the Duck Jazz Festival.
The crowded lawn at the Duck Jazz Festival.
Signing autographs at the merch table after our performance.
Signing autographs at the merch table after our performance.
Our trumpeter Paul Rogers signs a Duck Jazz Festival poster, featuring the silhouette of Maceo Parker, the festival headliner.
Our trumpeter Paul Rogers signs a Duck Jazz Festival poster, featuring the silhouette of Maceo Parker, the festival headliner.
That's a wrap - love you, Duck!
That’s a wrap – love you, Duck!

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We had such a great time last night at our Battle Axe album release party at Blue Note Grill! Here are some photos from this momentous occasion, thanks so much to everyone who came out to the show!

Photograph courtesy of Brian Fennessy.
Photograph courtesy of Brian Fennessy.
Snapped from the stage.
Snapped from the stage.
Blue Note Grill had some great Halloween decorations!
Blue Note Grill had some great Halloween decorations!
Backstage shot, courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.
Backstage shot, courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.
Photograph courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.
Photograph courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.
Photograph courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.
Photograph courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.
A full house! Photograph courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.
A full house! Photograph courtesy of Alexandrea Lassiter.

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On Friday, September 25, 2015, we’ll head west, over the mountains to Tennessee for the Knoxville Lindy Exchange! This weekend’s live music lineup features some great swing bands based in the Southeast, including the Gamble Wilson Swing Orchestra (Asheville/Hendersonville), Michael Gamble and his Rhythm Serenaders (Asheville), Knoxville’s own Scruffy City Syncopators, and yours truly representing Durham, NC. This promises to be a great swing dance event, come one come all from the corners of the southeast and beyond!

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Thanks so much to Michael Steinman of the Jazz Lives blog for this detailed and wonderful review of Battle Axe! We are delighted to be included on his blog, with his thoughtful research and review of the many jazz giants performing traditional jazz of yesteryear and of today.

If you love traditional jazz and swing, I would recommend following Michael’s blog – it is comprehensive, updated regularly, and features wonderful artists, both new and old. Michael’s dedication to the research, review, and enjoyment of this music and the artists definitely shows in his writing.