Mint Condition at the BPC

A quintet known for infectious r&b grooves atop a blend of rock, funk, and pop, Mint Condition is also lauded for their musicianship in a way that holds up to an old school, jazz standard. The band is sure to give new meaning to their hit "You Send Me Swinging," and others, as they add another level to their repertoire by showing how jazz influences their sound on February 5, at 8:15 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. For ticket information, call 617 747-2261 or visit ticketmaster.com. 

The group helps kick off the performance and lecture series Jazz as Culture, Language, Being, and Music, presented by Berklee's Africana Studies/Music and Society initiative. 

The concert, Jazz as Condition: Mint Condition, is sure to deliver what audiences worldwide have called "a dazzling live show" for the nearly two decades these musicians have been performing. Meanwhile, a new CD includes collaborations from a couple of hip-hop figures, including a Tribe Called Quest's sound provider, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and r&b crooner Anthony Hamilton, adding a new twist to their sound. This is their first collection of original material in three years, and they'll arrive at the BPC from concerts in France and the Netherlands, touring for the new release, E-Life. 

The quintet reflects the 2008–2009 Africana Studies/Music and Society programming theme of jazz and its translation in various facets of life. Given their dedication to the musical craft and reputation as skilled, creative artists, Mint Condition is part of a schedule that covers the jazz standards of Maria Schneider and Geri Allen to the jazzy side of Bob Marley and other Caribbean music and gospel. 

Africana Studies/Music and Society provides innovative, substantive, and sustained connective programs in black music culture at Berklee. Its focus is on the study of black music practice, history, and meaning. This includes the study of traditional West African music; spirituals; ragtime; blues; jazz; gospel; r&b;reggae; soul; music in South America, Cuba, and the Caribbean; and contemporary urban music traditions. Africana Studies aids in curriculum and student development by increasing the understanding and appreciation of the music and culture, and the roles artists have had in transforming modern culture and society.