See the Blue among the green!
Enjoy the sweet sounds of summer — and of musical trio the Blue Dahlia — at Brooklyn Botanic Garden on July 17, as part of the green space’s new Tuesday night Garden After Hours event, when the Garden stays open late. The three members of the band are looking forward to playing in the fresh air, but they are also looking at some technical challenges, said the group’s founder.
“This particular show has no electricity, it’s going to be using battery-powered amps. It will definitely be a challenge. We have to have the right gear so we sound decent,” said Clinton Hiller Dahlia Dumont, who plays the ukulele and sings. “What I love about it is just being out in the fresh air, and the afternoon summer vibe with nature around you.”
Dumont said the trio — including George Saenz on trombone and accordion, and Yoshiki Yamada on bass — will play a set of tunes in their own unique genre, inspired by chanson française, a 1920s and 1930s traditional French swing.
“We mix that with reggae and with American swing, and we also have some klezmer. It’s very eclectic world music, I call it modern world folk,” said Dumont. “We’re going to be playing mostly original music, and my original music mixes a lot of genres, its very eclectic.”
The Botanic Garden launched the After Hours program in the spring, and has brought it back for every Tuesday in July and August. The bands, which play on select Tuesday nights, enhance visitors’ experience in the lush green space, letting them enjoy music while sipping on signature cocktails from the Garden’s Yellow Magnolia Canteen, according to a rep.
The musicians are excited to play outside and to bask in the warmth of the season, said Dumont.
“It’s just so lovely to be outside. I’m so looking forward to it, I can’t wait,” she said. “I love playing outside in the summer and I have done quite a lot of outdoor shows, whether at festivals or while busking.”
The Blue Dahlia at Brooklyn Botanic Garden [990 Washington Ave. between President and Carroll streets in Prospect Heights, (718) 623–7200, www.bbg.org] July 17 at 6:15 pm and 7:30 pm. Admission $15 ($8 seniors and students).
