MoJa Blog

Sun. 2/20-Jefferson, Cville, VA: supporting Vusi Mahlasela. 

We are selling tix directly. This would help US & YOU out a great deal, as we are offering “No Surcharge” Tix for only $18/ea. This helps us show that WE can bring the good folks that love great music to a show that we’re a part. It will also be a great honor to be supporting a legendary artist that deserves a packed house!

Follow this link below & hit the “Donate” button at the bottom of the page OR we can meet you in person somewhere if you live around Cville, VA. This will be our 1st sit down/listening room style show in Cville since 10/09 & will be our ONLY appearance at home for a long while!

http://mojamusic.net/contact.html

Here’s a few great clips of Vusi!
singing with Dave Matthews Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4JhCTbmBQ4
live on KEXP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=extAAlvsjYM

We really hope to see you there and thank you for the continued support!
W/ much respect,
M&J

Happy end of 2010!!!

What a year it has been…  We truly believe that it has been the BEST year of our career so far and a lot of that has to do with our great families, friends, and fans.  Our music is unique and we want to thank you all so much for recognizing that and being such supporters of it.  We are listing a bunch of our favorite moments of this year, so if you have a few minutes (or an hour :) , please take a look.  2010 was wonderful, but we have a feeling that 2011 will bring just as much fun!
-M&J

• February 12th, 2010 - We played a lot of house concerts in 2010, but here’s a video from a very special one in Hamilton, NY hosted by our friends, Jeff Bary & Mary Simonson.
  -Bouncing Water
  
  
• March 13th, 2010 - We shared a show with our friends Baaba Seth & Beleza Brasil at The Jefferson Theater in our hometown of Charlottesville, VA.  This show was by far one of our most explosive sets as a duo.  Here’s a few videos from that night.
  -The Wen 
  -Sheba’s Tea (feat. Hope Clayburn on Saxophone)
  -B-Loose (feat. Matt Horn on Vocals)
  
  
• April 17th, 2010 - We had heard a lot about the Tosco Music Party in Charlotte, NC, but had never played it.  We were invited to be a part of the April show and were so excited to play it.  It’s a multi-act concert held in a beautiful theater every few months put on by John Tosco.  We played two songs, “JALD” & “Machine Gun.”  While we were playing we were thrilled to have Morwenna’s former teacher and songwriting icon, Livingston Taylor sitting behind us smiling.  Here’s some great photos from that night.  
  
  
• June 4th, 2010 - On our first West Coast tour we played outside of Los Angeles, CA in Altadena at The Coffee Gallery Backstage.  A lot of old friends from Berklee College of Music came out to see us and many of them had never heard what we do, so we showed them and we think they were pleasantly surprised!  Here’s a video from that evening taken by our friend, Sara Leib.
  -JALD
  
  
• July 23-25, 2010 - We went back to FloydFest in Floyd, VA for our 5th year and it was an interesting one to say the least!  As we were getting ready for our main set on the Porch Stage the power went out throughout the whole festival grounds.  That didn’t stop us though, as we played to a packed audience completely acoustic with just one lantern to light the stage.  Morwenna then did a Fiddle workshop on the same stage later in the weekend.  Click here to view some photos from FloydFest 9.
  
  
• July 28th, 2010 - To promote our show later that evening at Ashland Coffee & Tea outside of Richmond, VA we stopped in to do an On-Air appearance with Anne Williams at WNRN (91.9FM) in Charlottesville, VA.  Here’s a few videos of the tunes we did.
  -Machine Gun
  -Chioggia Beat
  -One Moore Farewell
  
  
• August 6th, 2010 - We played the Steppin’ Out Festival in Blacksburg, VA in an interesting format, “The MoJa Full Trio” which featured Devonne Harris on drums.  Here’s some fun shots from that afternoon.
  
  
• October 10th, 2010 - On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon in Nelson Co., VA the very first “Festy” was held and curated by The Infamous Stringdusters.  Throughout the weekend many great acts played including Tony Rice, RobinElla, Toubab Krewe and of course The ‘Dusters.  We had a BLAST and it was one of the best shows that we had with our Quartet which features Pete Spaar on Upright Bass and Devonne Harris on drumkit.  We’ve been lucky to play with some great musicians through the years, but we’re extremely grateful to have found these two. Look out for more Quartet shows in 2011! Here’s a couple of videos from that afternoon.
  -Sheba’s Tea
  -Live Wire
  
  
• October 22nd 2010 - This is the anniversary of our dear friend, Johnny Gilmore’s passing.  To honor it, we collaborated with guitar guru, Joe Lawlor and songwriter, Andy Waldeck on a tune he wrote titled “Goodbye Johnny.”  You can listen to it streaming or download an MP3 of it for free by clicking the link below.  Donations are still being accepted for Johnny’s family on his website: www.johnnygilmore.com
  -Goodbye Johnny
  
  
• November 5th & 6th, 2010 - On our Fall New England tour we got to do some very special things.  1) Play with Morwenna’s dad, Thomas Lasko (who really rips on accordion!) and 2) we started having the audience sing the melody on our tune “The Wen.”  Check out the videos on Facebook, below.
  -Music For a Found Harmonium
  -The Wen
  
  
• November 16th, 2010 - We released our Official Music Video for “One Moore Farewell” which is a tribute to Dave Mathews Band Saxophonist, LeRoi Moore.  This tune features DMB Trumpeter, and an old College mate of ours, Rashawn Ross.
  -One Moore Farewell
  
  
• December 23rd, 2010 - We ended our music year with one of the most important shows we’ve ever played at The UVA Hospital.  For years Jay’s dad has asked us to play for the patients, and their families, but we’ve never been in town to do so.  This was the first year and definitely not that last that we’ll do this.  We played a mix of our originals and our own spin on holiday tunes.  We bet you’ve never heard a version of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” quite like ours!  To see the smiles on everyone’s faces and have the feeling that music is a true healer is amazing. 

BEST WISHES IN 2011 AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT IN 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON!  WITH MUCH RESPECT & POSITIVITY…

—
Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun
www.mojamusic.net
www.facebook.com/mojamusic