Photo courtesy of Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center at Yavapai College
submitted by Yavapai College News
The Hot Club of San Francisco brought sterling guitar playing and the Parisian 1930s jazz atmosphere to the Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center on the Yavapai College Prescott Campus in February.
Recognized as “one of the first American gypsy jazz bands,” The Hot Club of San Francisco recreates jazz in the style of immortal guitarist Django Reinhardt, who blended his own virtuosity with the tapestry of ethnic influences and musical styles that converged in 1930s Paris.
Led by guitarist/songwriter Paul Mehling, The Hot Club of San Francisco combined violin, bass and guitars for a unique, indelible sound during their performance.
For more than 35 years, this group has been experimenting with the musical tradition of Django Reinhardt and developing their own style of Gypsy Jazz. The current Club includes Mehling, violinist Evan Price, rhythm guitarists Jordan Samuels and Nelson Hutchison, and bassist Dexter Williams. Their work conjured the feel of smoky Paris nightclubs and the refined lounge of the famous Hotel Ritz.
To honor The Hot Club of San Francisco, the Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center hosted a pre-show costume contest.
