Triangle Swing Dance Society

New Album: Remote Riffing: Volume 2 (CalBal Live)

The remote recordings continue with the release of Remote Riffing: Volume 2 (CalBal Live), an EP of the five tunes Keenan McKenzie assembled for the CalBal Live virtual Balboa workshop in January, 2020. I’m singing on two tracks, both original swing tunes written by Keenan McKenzie – If I Wrote a Song for You with Keenan McKenzie and the Riffers and Transcontinental with the Keenan McKenzie Orchestra. I have previously recorded both of these songs for Keenan’s album Forged in Rhythm, but it was fun to revisit these, perform them now that I’ve had them under my belt a couple of years, and hear the new arrangements, particularly Transcontinental with a big band! Please go to Keenan’s Bandcamp page and check out the incredible lineups of musicians for each song – I know we have been weary of this pandemic for some time, but this is one of those silver linings, essentially being able to record anywhere and have someone create this alchemy of recordings.

Late Summer Shows

By land and by air, I’ll be all over the place for a bit:

August 25-26, 2018 with Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders at The International Lindy Hop Championships, Arlington, VA – excited to be a part of this esteemed and exciting event, to perform for such an enthusiastic jazz audience and to enjoy all the incredible performances that happen over the weekend from dancers all over the world.

August 31 and September 3, 2018 Mint Julep Jazz Band and with Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders at Camp Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA – I’ll be DJ’ing and singing, and this is the Mint Julep Jazz Band’s west coast debut! A little birdie told me that Jean Veloz will be dancing to our live music in the teacher jam and that’s about all my little heart can handle. ❤

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September 8, 2018 with Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders at the Triangle Swing Dance Society Dance, Durham, NC – we’ll welcome the students back into town and swing the eff out!

CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE September 12, 2018 Mint Julep Jazz Band 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. –> RESCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 3, 2018

CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE September 15, 2018 Mint Julep Jazz Band at Triangle Swing Dance Society dance, Carrboro, NC – always happy to be playing on our home turf!

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September 21-22, 2018 with the Classic City Swing All-Stars, Classic City Swing, Athens, GA – excited to be a part of this all-star band, which will perform the music of three bands (The Boilermaker Jazz Band, Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders, and the Mint Julep Jazz Band) and feature a lineup including Paul Cosentino, Keenan McKenzie, Gordon Au, Lucian Cobb, Russ Wilson, Michael Gamble, Chip Newton, and yours truly, plus special guests Naomi Uyama and Jon Tigert!

October 3, 2018 Mint Julep Jazz Band 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, fingers crossed, for real this time…

Much to be excited about, I hope to see you out and about!

Mint Julep Jazz Band at the Triangle Swing Dance Society Dance, March 2, 2013

On Saturday, March 2, 2013, the Mint Julep Jazz Band will be back at the Murphey School for a swing dance, hosted by the Triangle Swing Dance Society. TSDS is also hosting a day of swing dance workshops that Saturday called Localpalooza, which features many of the local swing dance instructors teaching a range of classes for all levels. If you are interested in learning how to dance, this would be a great beginner crash course! If you already know how to dance, there’s a little something for everyone – information on the workshops can be found on the Triangle Swing Dance Society website.

MJJB at the TSDS dance on December 1, 2012

As for the dance, we’ll see you at the Murphey School!

Murphey School
3717 Murphy School Road
Durham, NC 27705

Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.

Band plays from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Admission: Members/students $8.00, non-members $12.00

Mint Julep Jazz Band at the Triangle Swing Dance Society, December 1, 2012

From our June performance for the Triangle Swing Dance Society, courtesy of Tiffany Lindquist.

It’s the Mint Julep Jazz Band‘s last show of the year and we are delighted to be performing for the Triangle Swing Dance Society for their election/potluck dance. To usher in the season, we’ll be performing a couple of Christmas tunes in our set. Come dance off all the turkey you ate last week!

Triangle Swing Dance Society dance
Murphey School
3717 Murphy School Road, Durham, NC

Admission: Members/students $8.00, general admission $12.00

Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.

Band plays from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Mint Julep Jazz Band plays Carrboro on St. Patrick’s Day!

We’ll be donning our finest emerald apparel for the Mint Julep Jazz Band show on March 17, 2012 at the Triangle Swing Dance Society swing dance, held at the Carrboro Century Center. Come dance on the finest sprung wood floor in the Triangle! Don’t know how to dance? No problem! There’s a beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m. that is included with the price of admission.

Carrboro Century Center
100 N. Greensboro Street
Carrboro, NC

Beginner east coast swing lesson – 7:00 p.m.

Band plays from 8:00-11:00 p.m.

Admission: Members/students $8.00, general admission $12.00

TSDS Battle of the Genres DJ Swing Dance

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, I will be one of three DJs battling it out in the first ever Triangle Swing Dance Society Battle of the Genres. I will be representing pre-WWII swing, Jason Sager will be playing post-WWII swing, and Kristy Milliken will dish out a healthy portion of blues, soul, and anything else you can swing out to.

We’ll also be continuing our March Madness-style battle of classic swing songs, where you’ll vote with your feet and your applause to determine the best classic swing song!

Saturday’s showdown is from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Murphey School, 3717 Murphy School Road, Durham, NC. Admission is $7 for members and students, $10 for non-members.

And eat your Wheaties! It’s going to be an awesome night!

Swing For Scrap: A Scrap Exchange Fundraiser Dance, November 19, 2011

Can't find a good photo of the floor, but here is the lovely ceiling!

On Saturday, November 19, 2011, I will be DJ’ing at the Swing and Scrap Fundraising Dance, a DJ swing dance to benefit the Scrap Exchange. From their website: “The Scrap Exchange is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse. We collect materials from hundreds of individuals, businesses, industries, and municipal sources and distribute those materials through our retail store in Durham, North Carolina as well as through workshops, parties, and outreach events across the Southeast.”

This dance will be held at Duke Gardens in the Doris Duke Center, which has the most beautiful inlaid wood floor in the Triangle – I’ve been dying to dance on it!

The details:

7:00 p.m. Beginner East Coast Swing lesson with Jason Sager

8:00 – 11:30 p.m. Swing dance to music provided by DJs Chris Owens and Laura Windley

Tickets are $12, or $10 for Scrap Exchange Friends Club members and also members of the Triangle Swing Dance Society, Carolina Dance Club, or the Piedmont Swing Dance Society. Tickets are available at The Scrap Exchange, 923 Franklin St., Bays 1 and 2, Durham (behind Golden Belt) or online (with a small processing surcharge) at http://swingforscrap.eventbrite.com/.

The Scrap Exchange will provide snacks and drinks, and have dance bags and other goodies for sale. Raleigh Rolfing will offer short bodywork sessions in exchange for donations.

For more information, call (919)688-6960 or email scrapdance@yahoo.com.

Big Apple Workshop with The Carolina Fascinators and Atomic Rhythm All-Stars at TSDS, September 10, 2011

This Saturday, September 10, 2011, The Carolina Fascinators will be holding a workshop to teach the second half of the Big Apple – the second half of that famous jazz routine that just doesn’t seem to stick. The workshop will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Triangle Dance Studio, 2603 S. Miami Blvd. in Durham, NC. Cost is $20. For more details, visit The Carolina Fascinators’ website.

If you missed the first half, Hot Club of Durham will be teaching a workshop on the first half of the Big Apple on Thursday, September 8 at 7:00 p.m. Details at http://www.hotclubofdurham.com.

Also on September 10, the Atomic Rhythm All-Stars will be performing at the Triangle Swing Dance Society dance at the Carrboro Century Center in Carrboro, NC. The band plays from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Details at http://www.triangleswingdance.org.