Blog Archives
MJJB Music Featured on isolobalboa.com Video
World-renowned Balboa dancer Olga Marina is launching a new website this month called isolobalboa.com, which will feature more than 100 videos, demos, exercises for both for leaders and followers in the pure Balboa and Bal-Swing dance styles. We’re delighted that Olga featured the Mint Julep Jazz Band’s recording of “You Can’t Live in Harlem” in her promotional video for the website, which showcases her incredible footwork and joyous energy! Follow her Facebook page for more updates on videos and the website.
Album Reviews
If you’ve purchased either of our albums – Durham on Saturday Night or Battle Axe – consider leaving us a review! We’d love to hear your thoughts on our music and I know people who may be considering picking up a copy would love to hear your thoughts, too.
Here are some helpful links:
Durham on Saturday Night –
iTunes
Bandcamp
Amazon
Battle Axe –
iTunes
Bandcamp
Amazon
Or leave one wherever else you may have purchased – thanks so much! We love you madly!
Live and Local in September
Fresh off Camp Hollywood, we’re ready for a couple of live shows on our home turf! Catch us on these two dates:
UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 12 AND 15 ARE CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE FLORENCE, CARY’S PARK AFTER DARK SHOW IS RESCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 3
From a past performance for TSDS at the Carrboro Century Center, courtesy of Tiffany Brantner.
October 3, 2018 (rescheduled from the cancelled September 12, 2018) at The Town of Cary’s Park After Dark, Cary, NC – our first performance for the Town of Cary, we’ll send out the summer outdoor concert season in style. We’ll be performing a free concert at Cary’s Downtown Park from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., bring a picnic dinner or pick up food from one of the local vendors at the event. For more information about food, parking, and weather updates, visit https://www.townofcary.org/recreation-enjoyment/events/special-events/park-after-dark.
September 15, 2018 at Triangle Swing Dance Society dance, Carrboro, NC – always happy to be playing on for dancers on the best dance floor in the Triangle, at the Carrboro Century Center. Free beginner swing dance lesson at 7:00 p.m., we play from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. For more information, visit the TSDS website at www.triangleswingdance.org.
Camp Hollywood 2018
West coast friends and beyond, please join us Labor Day weekend 2018 at Camp Hollywood in Los Angeles for our west coast debut! We’ll be performing at the Friday evening dance (August 31) at Camp Hollywood at the LAX Marriott from 9:00 p.m. to midnight and the theme for the night is a tribute to the classic Hollywood film Cabaret, so come in your 1920’s/cabaret/chorus girl/emcee/Bob Fosse finest. Camp Hollywood is one of the largest and longest-running swing dance camps/competition weekends in the United States and it’s an honor for us to be invited to perform! For more information and to register, visit the Camp Hollywood website.
One Girl and Two Boys
One of the signature tracks from our first album Durham on Saturday Night is the song One Girl and Two Boys, a classic tune performed originally by NC native Kay Kyser’s orchestra in the 1944 film Swing Fever. We love songs that tell a story, and so do dancers – it’s fun to see how people will put their own spin on this tale of a love triangle, so here are a few interpretations through dance choreography using MJJB’s recording of this song:
One of our favorite chorus girl troupes, New York City’s The Bathtub Ginnys:
A “Dance Wars Spectacular” with dancers Lisa Pearson, Dave Saylors, and Craig Johnston in the signature roles:
And, finally, the winner of the 2013 Jazz Dance Film Fest (and unofficially our first music video), spearheaded by and starring Seattle dancer Jennifer Lee:
May Outdoor Shows
May kicks off the season for outdoor concert series and we’ll be joining the ranks of bands braving the elements to bring you tunes in (hopefully) sunny and pleasant weather! On May 16, 2018 we return to Booth Amphitheater’s Hob Nob Jazz Series for a performance on the back deck from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – admission is $5 (free for kids 12 and under) and you can either bring a picnic or buy wine and refreshments at the amphitheater. There’s always plenty of room at the amphitheater, both on the deck and in the grass, and the deck is good for dancing!
On May 20, 2018, we’ll be performing as part of the Got to be NC Festival at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds – find us on the stage outside of Dorton Arena playing two sets from 4:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Best of all, admission to the festival is free!
Competition Music at Hot Rhythm Holiday
We performed the music for the finals of the Collegiate Shag Strictly and the Balboa Strictly at Hot Rhythm Holiday 2018, check out these amazing dancers and dig those tunes!
Hot Rhythm Holiday 2018 – Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas has an amazing swing dance community and plays host to an entire weekend of Balboa and Collegiate Shag at their annual event Hot Rhythm Holiday – we’re excited to be performing for TWO nights of live music, February 16 and 17, 2018! We’ll be at the main dances each night from 8:15 p.m. to midnight. Be prepared for a bunch of new tunes, maybe some special guests, it’s going to be a swell time. 😉 For more information, visit the HRH website and we’ll see you soon, Austin!
Winter Blues Jazz Fest – Williamsburg, Virginia
We are excited to announce our addition to the lineup of the 4th Annual Winter Blues Jazz Fest in Williamsburg, Virginia – find us on Friday, January 10, 2018 at the Mixology and Music event at the Williamsburg Lodge, which features a sampling of cocktails from the best bartenders and mixologists in the area and, of course, some hot jazz and swing from yours truly. We play from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $60 per person or $100 per couple for this special event. Purchase tickets at Eventbrite.
Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/698087857043867/
October is for Firsts – North Carolina State Fair and Jammin’ on the James
We’ve got two exciting firsts this week, first time gigs for us at great events!
October 19, 2017 – we’ll be at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, NC (now in its 150th year!) as part of the fair’s Homegrown Music Fest highlighting bands from all over the state throughout the week. We’ll be at the Kitchen Craft Waterfall Stage playing two sets, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Come grab a turkey leg and watch us perform!
October 20-21, 2017 Mint Julep Jazz Band at Jammin’ on the James, Richmond, VA – excited to be performing for the first time at this fantastic workshop weekend, now in its 15th year. We’ll be sharing the weekend with instructors Sylvia Sykes, Skye Humphries, Naomi Uyama, and Nick Williams and with local jazz manouche outfit Gypsy Roots. Come see us at the Friday and Saturday main dances at the Lewis Ginter Recreation Center from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.!
