weekend

Whistle Stop 2015 – Purdue University

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On November 13, 2015, the Mint Julep Jazz Band will take its longest road trip to date, to West Lafayette, Indiana for Purdue University’s annual swing dance workshop weekend, Whistle Stop 2015! We’ll be performing on Friday and Saturday night at the main dances for the event on Purdue University’s campus. We’ll also have some free time on Saturday – what does one do in West Lafayette? If you have any suggestions, drop us a line!

For more information about the event (hosted and organized by Purdue Night Train, the university’s swing dance club), visit the event Facebook page, which is serving as the event website – they have a great lineup of instructors and The Fried Bananas will be dishing out the tunes for the late night dances.

Jammin’ on the James – October 17-19, 2014

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For my birthday weekend I’ll be heading north to our sister scene in Richmond, Virginia to DJ for the 12th annual Jammin’ on the James – a weekend of Lindy Hop workshops and dances in one of my favorite venues, the Lewis Ginter Recreation Association. This year’s instructors are Marie Mattsson, Skye Humphries, Naomi Uyama, Peter Strom and live music provided by Naomi & Her Handsome Devils, the Blue Crescent Syncopators, and the Doctors of Jazz. Not to mention all the excellent vintage shopping – come check out this cool city and swing out with us!

The Process – July 18, 2014

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The Mint Julep Jazz Band will kick off the weekend festivities at The Process, a Lindy Hop workshop weekend in Richmond, Virginia on Friday, July 18, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. The Process is a new event, in its first year, and seeks to answer the question, “What is the process guiding Lindy Hoppers to rapid improvement?” in its workshops throughout the weekend. With a great lineup of instructors (Casey Schneider & Mike Faltesek; Jaya Dorf & Michael Gamble; Chelsea & David Lee; Mike Herring; Abigail Browning & Adam Speen; and Sparrow Pants) and live music by The Low Down Sires, 504 Supreme, and Gypsy Roots, it looks like it will be a rumpus in Richmond! For more information visit The Process website.

All Balboa Weekend 2012

This weekend is my favorite swing dance event of the year, All Balboa Weekend in Independence, Ohio. I’ll be DJ’ing again this year and look forward to playing entire sets of uptempo classic swing music. Ahhhhh!

I am also looking forward to sharing the DJ booth with the esteemed head DJ Kyle Smith and a team of national and international swing DJs, including Sandrine Gressier (Toulouse, France), Christian Bossert (Zurich, Switzerland), Jo Ann Coker (Seattle, WA), and Kristy Milliken (Durham, NC). This is also the first time I have seen the female DJs outnumber the male DJs at a national swing dance event that is not geared towards followers – go ladies!

I’ll also be reporting on Cleveland’s numerous and fabulous vintage stores, as well as the event vendors , for the Lindy Shopper blog.

Hawkeye Swing Festival 2012

I’m going to use this opportunity to give a shout out to my husband, trombone player Lucian Cobb, who will be featured in the Hawkeye Swing Festival‘s all-star lineup of musicians for the April 13-15 weekend! He’ll be performing with some old tour buddies (Solomon Douglas, Patrick Breiner, Mike Cemprola) and some new acquaintances (Bria Skonberg, Mike Faltesek, Paul Lines, et al).

While I didn’t win the Hawkeye Swing Festival’s choreography competition, I’m still tagging along to Iowa City for dancing, competing, and hopefully some vintage shopping for a Lindy Shopper report. This will be my first mid-west Lindy Hop event and it will be good to experience that new dynamic, as well as take a mini-work/vacay with Lucian. 🙂

Be My Jazz Baby, January 20-22, 2012

I am excited to be performing at the very first Be My Jazz Baby, a weekend of workshops and dances in Norfolk, Virginia, January 20-22, 2012. Bill Speidel and Victor Celania have put together a fantastic schedule, featuring instructors Michael Gamble, Jaya Dorf, Adam Speen, and Abigail Browning, with Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society of Philadelphia bringing their raucous jazz age tunes to both Friday and Saturday night dances. I’ll be singing a few tunes with Drew and the boys!

Bill and Victor have also made arrangements for a number of vendors to attend Be My Jazz Baby, so Lindy Shopper will be on hand to get the scoop. 😉 Looking forward to Be My Jazz Baby!

Jammin’ on the James 2011

The Blue Crescent Syncopators are playing the Saturday night dance at Jammin' on the James

This weekend I will be traveling to Richmond, Virginia to DJ and sing at this year’s Jammin’ on the James, Richmond’s annual swing dance workshop weekend, featuring instructors Carla Heiney, Nick Williams, Casey Schneider, and Mike Faltesek.

I’ll be sharing DJ duties with Bill Speidel and hopefully grab some time to go vintage shopping with this infamous sartorialist. I’ve been invited to share the stage for the first time with Washington, D.C.’s Blue Crescent Syncopators, so I will be singing a few tunes with this band on Saturday night. It’s also my birthday this weekend, so there’s a lot to look forward to at Jammin’ on the James!

Atomic Rhythm All-Stars at Motorco Music Hall, September 3, 2011

The Atomic Rhythm All-Stars return to the stage at Durham’s Motorco Music Hall, located in the thriving Central Park District near Fullsteam Brewery and Geer Street Garden, and is the unofficial food truck Mecca of Durham. Spend your Labor Day Saturday night at this great concert venue and bar, with live hot jazz and delicious food you can bring into the building. The show runs from 8:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. and the cover is $10.00 – I’ll let you know as soon as I know!

All Balboa Weekend 2011

This weekend I’m heading to Independence, OH for the eleventh annual All Balboa Weekend. I’ll be pulling triple duty at the event: DJ’ing for my favorite group of dancers, co-coordinating a fashion show based on whatever credibility the Lindy Shopper blog has given me, and two performances by The Carolina Fascinators. Needless to say, it will be a busy week! Looking forward to all the wonderful dances, old friends, and some serious vintage and repro shopping in Cleveland and from vendors at the event.