It been a long Winter and Spring but we finally have news!

With the raising cost of gas, independent projects by band members, and a desire to perform in one of our home states, BJnB made the decision to work closer to home for 2008... 

We will be appearing at the 2008 Midsummer Renaissance Faire in Lehighton, PA.  Visit their website for more info at www.midsummerfaire.com

We are fortunate that band member Dave S. lives just up the road from Lehighton in Hazelton, PA.  In addition to performance we will be supporting Vesta, Dave’s girlfriend, who will also be at the faire as a vendor selling her original artwork.  

More details to follow... please check back soon! 

BJnB is proud to announce that we have recruited a new member to the band!!! 

No stranger to performing at renaissance faires all over the east coast, we are honored to have Mel Ginsberg-Stevens, a great fiddler and singer, joining us for some of our appeareances for the 2008 season.  If the name sounds familiar, she has performed as solo artist, Neid Fyre (www.neidfyre.com) at renaissance faires for the past several years.  BJnB held a rehearsal over this past holiday weekend to shake off the rust and prep for our next gig in January.  We also "auditioned" Mel... now either we were auditioning her... or perhaps it was other way around???  In any event, we all had a great time mixing and adding musical styles and songs for a whole new sound for BJnB.  We look forward to having her join us at the Pagan Jam for our first appearance as a quintet!

Til our next blog....

BJnB

We just recieved our copy of Autumn 2007 issue of The Pyrates Way magazine with our first review of Dancing the Hempin Jig!!!  If you do not have a subscription, here is the review from the quarterly periodical.... 

Dancing the Hempin Jig - Blackjacks 'n Blarney, 13 tracks
  "Two folks walked up to me dressed in their pyratey best at the end of a long, hot day in August at The Maryland Renaissance Faire (I never miss a day if I can).  They were recent subscribers and wanted to know if I'd be interested in reviewing their CD.  I'm handed home-made CDs all the time, but this one seemed to be professionally put together and I said "aye, mate...I'll take a listen." They thanked me and made their way out of the main gate with me.  When I popped the CD into the Pyrate's Way Pilot's system for the ride back to my home in Delaware I was very pleasantly surprised by what came through the speakers.  A great quality sound engineering production, the pyratey music on the CD took me on a happy trip through some great chanties.  There were some standards like Cuckoo's Nest, Charlie Mopps and Roll Your Leg Over, but there were chanties I'd not experienced that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Of the CD, five new songs were so well presented that they now have a permanent place on my iPod: Sea Monkey, Katie's Boat, The Battered Mug, My Magical Place and Water is Wide. Want something new yet traditional that will keep your flag flying? Get this CD!"   Rating: 4 out of 5 Parrots

Our thanks to The Pyrates Way editor, "The Black Fox", for a great review!  Want your copy?  Visit our page at CDBaby.com!

Just a quick note to let everyone know what we've been up to over the past monthes since our last performance at CMRF....

The good Capt. and I have been quite busy... Melanie returned to work at her old school after many threats of transfer.  She's teaching the little ones this year, 1st 2nd and 3rd grade special education classes, and slowly catching ADD from her kids.  Or so she says.... I think its just Kat making more of an appearance in her daily life.  I've been busy most recently changing jobs and getting up to speed working for a new company.  I also have been involved with a musical production of Jekyll & Hyde in my old community theatre stomping grounds.  Its an OK production... I'm doing it more as a favor to an old friend than any need to be on stage at this time.  And every Saturday that we've had time, we've been visiting with friends at NYRF, PARF and MDRF.

Speaking of MDRF, that's where you'll find Maria for the remaining weekends.  She's been working for the owner of the hairbraiding booths as a "breaker" and general assistant, and will be on-site at one of the locations throught the end of the festival's run in late October.

DaveS has been very busy, around his work schedule, with learning the ins and outs of new recording equipment he purchased for the band to use.  He's put forward a few tentative dates for us all to get together at his place in PA to rehearse and actually do some recording. 

With my involvement in Jekyll & Hyde, Melanie's 1st semster school work load, DaveS's work schedule and Maria's working at MDRF... BJnB has been taking it easy for a while.  This is kinda our "offseason". But we have been thinking about our next series of rehearsals and are looking forward to our next appearance in Jan '08 at the Pagan Jam in MD.  We do hope to see you there. 

We'll keep ya posted....
BJnB

Wow... what an interesting weekend in Upstate NY!

It was like old home week for BJnB at the 3rd annual Catskill Mountains Festival... or more to the point, it was almost like SCRF!  We had a great time with many old friends who were performing at Catskill that we have seen or worked with previously in Connecticut.  Crime and Punishment, Ed the Wizard, and Jack of all Trades all made there first appearance at the festival this year.  Along with our friends, Daniel Greenwolf, Matt Schwartz the Minstrel, and Larry and Leanne of Lusty Leather... we had a great weekend!!!

Also... a new event was the 1st anual BJnBBQ!  Having had difficulty the previous 2 years finding places to eat in the Greater Cairo/Catskill area, we decided to host an after faire BBQ for the merchants, performers and volunteers of the festival.  It was a hit!  With many thanks from everyone who enjoyed our little party, we hope to continue the tradition next year! 

Goin' Forth and Plunderin'

BJnB

Wow... Where has the time gone....

The last week of SCRF was great for us.  Many, MANY new friends and great times with old friends from both near and far... 

We have definately set our new "Naughty Bits" set for pubs and more adult crowds.  And for the first time, and with only one festival, we were able to cover about 85% of the expenses we had for the production of our latest CD: Dancing the Hempin Jig.  We will be sending copies for online purchase to CDBaby.  Promo copies will also be winging there way to many internet radio stations.

Once again another sucessful run at SCRF... we look forward to 2008! 

DaveR here....

Sorry so long for the update!  We had another great weekend.  We sold more CDs than any other previous weekend at SCRF, or any other single faire weekend for that matter!  The tips came "a rollin" in, especially after we started to advertise the new BJnB "Naughty Bits" Pub Show.  We had two packed sets where it was standing room only!  We had a GREAT time and even introduced a new song or two that we had never done before. 

We were luck in that Melanie's sister and mom were able to join us late friday nite.  There were a few harried phone calls when my directions went a bit wrong (forgot to add that left turn in Albuquerque, AGAIN....) but they made it up safe and sound for a great weekend with our hosts Ted and Brenda.  The trip back was a bit longer than normal... Melanie's mom is not very good at driving at night or above the speed limit, even if most people in Jersey drive like lunatics.  But to cap off a great weekend, Ted gave her a ride in the infamous Amphi-car, a limited-run German made wonder that drives on land AND on water.  Its a convertable too, making a ride that much more cool.  Melanie's mom really enjoyed her time with us and we with her....

We have had many people send us and take pictures for us... with so little time between weekends those will hafta wait until after we have fully recovered, sometime next week. 

Otherwise, we hope to see you at the faire!
BJnB

Melanie here again!

The times and places are subject to change in accordance with the needs of the faire, but here's a listing of where you should be able to find us for the remaining weekends of SCRF...

Friday 
8:00 at the Pub Stage
9:30 at the Food Tent Finale

Saturday
1:30 at the Pub Stage
4:00 at the Triple Tree Stage
5:30 at the Pub Stage
8:00 at the Broken Mast Stage 
9:30 at the Food Tent Finale.

Sunday
12:00 at the Triple Tree Stage
2:00 at the Triple Tree Stage
3:30 at the Pub Stage
5:30 at the Food Tent Finale. 

Hope to see you at the faire!